Preparing for Ramadan in Rajab and Shaban

We have amongst us the blessed month of Rajab. The question is why is Rajab so important and significant?

If we look at the practice of the Salaf, the early Muslims at the time of the messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, we find narrations in which the sahabah (the companions) would prepare for the month of Ramadan months in advance. Then after Ramadan, for months they would ask Allah to accept their Ramadan.

So, amongst this early practice is this idea of preparing for the month of Ramadan in Rajab and also in Shaban.

Abu Bakr Al-Warraq says that Rajab is the month of cultivation, you cultivate the seeds in Rajab. Shaban is the month of irrigating the fields, and then the month of Ramadan is the month of reaping and harvesting. You will only be able to have the fruits of Ramadan if you begin the process early. And this is why it’s so important, why the early Muslims gave it significance.

Why else?

It is mentioned in the Holy Quran, where Allah said what means:

“Indeed, the number of months ordained by Allah is twelve—in Allah’s Record since the day He created the heavens and the earth—of which four are sacred…”

If you look at the various books of tafsir, what are those sacred months?

Dhul Qa’dah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram & Rajab.

Two Ways to Honour the Month of Rajab

The first way is by fasting. And the second is by seeking forgiveness from Allah.
Allah said what means: “By My glory and majesty, I will continue to forgive them so long as they ask for My forgiveness.”

And what’s important is that in this month we also ask and we forgive people who have harmed us. We do not break ties. We know from other hadiths of the Prophet, peace be upon him, that the one who breaks ties, then his ibadah (acts of worship) are not accepted.

It is a difficult thing to forgive people. But this is something which we should make as a practice.

And we see Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, a sahabi in which the messenger said while sitting with his companions, through this door a man will enter, and he is guaranteed Jannah. So Sa’d walked in. And the sahabah wanted to know why was Sa’d given Jannah. And they later realized when they stayed with him for a few days and they couldn’t see him doing anything special, they asked him: Sa’d, what do you do that the Prophet peace be upon him has said that you are guaranteed Jannah?

He said there is one thing I do that you don’t see is that I forgive everyone who has harmed me.

Sunnah Fasts

The second goal for us is to fast. We should revive fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, and fasting the Sunnah days, or White Days, the 13th, 14th and 15th of every month. Start to fast and get used to fasting.
But why is it important?

Our scholars say if you want to stop sinning, your answer is in fasting. How so?

Within the month of Rajab, try to stop every day or every week, at least one permissible thing. So, for example, it’s permissible that I drink a fizzy drink when I eat, and it’s also permissible to drink water. What do I like more? Drinking a fizzy drink. When I’m about to drink and I stop myself from drinking the fizzy drink, I will be able to better control my nafs…

When you challenge your own nafs, and then increase this in the month of Shaban, when you get to the month of Ramadan you will be able to be so strong that you will control your nafs to such a level that you will be able to stop yourself from sinning.

That’s what fasting does. When you’re fasting, you’re leaving everything. You’re leaving eating, leaving drinking and leaving your relations. And if you do that and control yourself, then that is the key to stopping you from sinning.

So we ask Allah to accept this from us. Ameen