What is the ruling on performing 'Umrah specifically in the month of Rajab?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh: What is the ruling on performing 'Umrah specifically in this month?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : What is the ruling on performing 'Umrah specifically in this month?
The Shaykh : 'Umrah, yes.
The questioner : And are innovations greater than major sins?
The Shaykh : And is it?
The questioner : And are innovations greater than major sins?
The Shaykh : Yes, these are two questions placed in one envelope, which is a sign of this questioner's intelligence, because in this position we do not accept but one question. Which one do you prefer, the first or the second?
The questioner : The first.
The Shaykh : The first. Good. Rajab is one of the four sacred months. Do you know the sacred months? Do you know them?
The questioner : Shawwal.
The Shaykh : No.
The questioner : Dhu al-Qa'dah.
The Shaykh : Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. These are four sacred months, and Rajab is among them without doubt. Allah has forbidden fighting in them. As for the three—Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, and Muharram—it is because they are the months of Hajj. Dhu al-Qa'dah is for those coming to Makkah, Dhu al-Hijjah is for those in Makkah, and Muharram is for those returning from Makkah. Allah made these sacred months such that fighting is forbidden in them so that people who come to what? To Hajj, would be safe. The month of Rajab was honored by the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, and they would perform 'Umrah in it, so Allah made it forbidden [to fight in]. The Salaf (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether 'Umrah in it is a recommended practice or not. Some said: It is a recommended practice. Others said: No, because if it were a recommended practice, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would have clarified it, either by his saying or by his doing. And 'Umrah in the months of Hajj is better than 'Umrah in Rajab, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed 'Umrah in the months of Hajj. And when Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and her) mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed 'Umrah in Rajab, Aishah said: Abu 'Abd al-Rahman has erred. She said this to him while he was listening, and he remained silent. So in any case, I do not see clear evidence for the recommendation of 'Umrah in Rajab. Also, in Rajab, some people single it out for fasting, saying that fasting in it is a recommended practice, and this is wrong. Singling it out for fasting is disliked, but fasting in it along with Sha'ban and Ramadan is permissible, and some of the Salaf did so. However, with that, we do not see that one should fast three months, meaning Rajab, Sha'ban, and Ramadan.
And as for what is called the Prayer of al-Raghayib, which is one thousand rak'ahs in the first night of Rajab or in the first Friday night of it, it also has no validity and is not prescribed.
And as for the 'Atirah that is slaughtered in Rajab, it is also abrogated. It was prescribed at first, then it was abrogated, and it is not prescribed.
And as for the Night Journey and Ascension, which is famous among many people, or most of them, as being in Rajab, on the twenty-seventh night of it, this has no validity, no validity at all. The most apparent of the opinions is that the Night Journey and Ascension was in Rabi' al-Awwal. Then, holding celebrations on the twenty-seventh night of Rajab is a religious innovation with no basis. And innovations are a very great matter, their matter is severe, because the religious innovations by which people seek nearness to Allah have great harms. Among them: that Allah has not permitted them, and Allah has rebuked those who follow those who legislated without permission, saying:[Ash-Shuraa 42:21].
Second: that they are outside the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). For this reason, he (may the prayers and peace be upon him) said:.
Third: that they imply either the ignorance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and his Companions of this innovation, or their not acting upon it, and both matters are wrong. If you say that the Messenger did not know about it, that is problematic. If you say he knew but did not act upon it and did not convey it, that is also problematic.
Fourth: that they necessitate the invalidity of the saying of Allah the Exalted today:[Al-Ma'idah 5:3] Because if you bring something new, it means that the religion at first was what? Incomplete, not perfected. And this is very dangerous, to say that this innovation necessitates that the religion was not completed.
And among them: that these innovators have placed themselves in the position of the messengers who legislate for people, and this is also a dangerous matter. If you reflect, you will find more than these five among the harms of innovations. And even if there were nothing but that hearts attach to this innovation more than they attach to the Sunnah, as is observed. You find these who care for these innovations and strive for them; if you think about the state of many of them, you will find in them a slackness in the prescribed matters that are certain. Perhaps he innovates this innovation while he is shaving his beard, letting his garment hang below the ankles, smoking, and shortening in the congregational prayer. So some of the Salaf said: "No people ever innovated an innovation except that they left of the Sunnah like it or more". Until some scholars said: "The innovator has no repentance" because he established a way that people will follow until the Day of Resurrection, or until what Allah wills. Unlike private sins, which are specific to their doer, and when he repents, they are lifted. But the problem with innovation is that if a person repents from the innovation, those who follow him in it, what? They have not repented. So some scholars said that there is no repentance for an innovator. But the correct view is that he has repentance, and if he repents with sincere repentance, Allah will accept it from him. Then Allah makes it easy for this innovation to be erased from those who followed him in it. Yes, it is made easy.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : What is the ruling on performing 'Umrah specifically in this month?
The Shaykh : 'Umrah, yes.
The questioner : And are innovations greater than major sins?
The Shaykh : And is it?
The questioner : And are innovations greater than major sins?
The Shaykh : Yes, these are two questions placed in one envelope, which is a sign of this questioner's intelligence, because in this position we do not accept but one question. Which one do you prefer, the first or the second?
The questioner : The first.
The Shaykh : The first. Good. Rajab is one of the four sacred months. Do you know the sacred months? Do you know them?
The questioner : Shawwal.
The Shaykh : No.
The questioner : Dhu al-Qa'dah.
The Shaykh : Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. These are four sacred months, and Rajab is among them without doubt. Allah has forbidden fighting in them. As for the three—Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, and Muharram—it is because they are the months of Hajj. Dhu al-Qa'dah is for those coming to Makkah, Dhu al-Hijjah is for those in Makkah, and Muharram is for those returning from Makkah. Allah made these sacred months such that fighting is forbidden in them so that people who come to what? To Hajj, would be safe. The month of Rajab was honored by the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, and they would perform 'Umrah in it, so Allah made it forbidden [to fight in]. The Salaf (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether 'Umrah in it is a recommended practice or not. Some said: It is a recommended practice. Others said: No, because if it were a recommended practice, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would have clarified it, either by his saying or by his doing. And 'Umrah in the months of Hajj is better than 'Umrah in Rajab, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed 'Umrah in the months of Hajj. And when Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and her) mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed 'Umrah in Rajab, Aishah said: Abu 'Abd al-Rahman has erred. She said this to him while he was listening, and he remained silent. So in any case, I do not see clear evidence for the recommendation of 'Umrah in Rajab. Also, in Rajab, some people single it out for fasting, saying that fasting in it is a recommended practice, and this is wrong. Singling it out for fasting is disliked, but fasting in it along with Sha'ban and Ramadan is permissible, and some of the Salaf did so. However, with that, we do not see that one should fast three months, meaning Rajab, Sha'ban, and Ramadan.
And as for what is called the Prayer of al-Raghayib, which is one thousand rak'ahs in the first night of Rajab or in the first Friday night of it, it also has no validity and is not prescribed.
And as for the 'Atirah that is slaughtered in Rajab, it is also abrogated. It was prescribed at first, then it was abrogated, and it is not prescribed.
And as for the Night Journey and Ascension, which is famous among many people, or most of them, as being in Rajab, on the twenty-seventh night of it, this has no validity, no validity at all. The most apparent of the opinions is that the Night Journey and Ascension was in Rabi' al-Awwal. Then, holding celebrations on the twenty-seventh night of Rajab is a religious innovation with no basis. And innovations are a very great matter, their matter is severe, because the religious innovations by which people seek nearness to Allah have great harms. Among them: that Allah has not permitted them, and Allah has rebuked those who follow those who legislated without permission, saying:
Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented?
أم لهم شركاء شرعوا لهم من الدين ما لم يأذن به اللهSecond: that they are outside the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). For this reason, he (may the prayers and peace be upon him) said:
Hold fast to my Sunnah and beware of newly invented matters
عليكم بسنتي وإياكم ومحدثات الأمورThird: that they imply either the ignorance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and his Companions of this innovation, or their not acting upon it, and both matters are wrong. If you say that the Messenger did not know about it, that is problematic. If you say he knew but did not act upon it and did not convey it, that is also problematic.
Fourth: that they necessitate the invalidity of the saying of Allah the Exalted today:
I have perfected for you your religion
أكملت لكم دينكمAnd among them: that these innovators have placed themselves in the position of the messengers who legislate for people, and this is also a dangerous matter. If you reflect, you will find more than these five among the harms of innovations. And even if there were nothing but that hearts attach to this innovation more than they attach to the Sunnah, as is observed. You find these who care for these innovations and strive for them; if you think about the state of many of them, you will find in them a slackness in the prescribed matters that are certain. Perhaps he innovates this innovation while he is shaving his beard, letting his garment hang below the ankles, smoking, and shortening in the congregational prayer. So some of the Salaf said: "No people ever innovated an innovation except that they left of the Sunnah like it or more". Until some scholars said: "The innovator has no repentance" because he established a way that people will follow until the Day of Resurrection, or until what Allah wills. Unlike private sins, which are specific to their doer, and when he repents, they are lifted. But the problem with innovation is that if a person repents from the innovation, those who follow him in it, what? They have not repented. So some scholars said that there is no repentance for an innovator. But the correct view is that he has repentance, and if he repents with sincere repentance, Allah will accept it from him. Then Allah makes it easy for this innovation to be erased from those who followed him in it. Yes, it is made easy.