What is the ruling on performing 'Umrah in Rajab, and does it have any special merit?
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The questioner : Praise and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah.
May Allah reward the honorable Shaykh for this pleasant meeting and this blessed guidance.
I would like to ask the honorable Shaykh about 'Umrah, since we are in the early days of the month of Rajab, about the ruling on performing 'Umrah in Rajab? And does it have a basis in the Sunnah, and what about some people's claim of a "Rajab 'Umrah"?
And does it have a special merit like 'Umrah in Ramadan?
The Shaykh : Yes, I say: The month of Rajab is one of the four sacred months, and the four sacred months are: Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. The prohibition of these months was known even in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, so they would forbid fighting in them, to the extent that a man would find the killer of his father in these months and not confront him.
And the Islamic Shari'ah came to confirm this, so Allah forbade fighting in these four months. The reason the Quraysh forbade these four months was that the three months of Hajj are: Dhul-Qa'dah, the month before Hajj; Muharram, the month after Hajj; and Dhul-Hijjah, the month of Hajj. So they would forbid fighting in them so that people going to Hajj and returning from it would be safe. In Rajab, they would perform 'Umrah, and therefore they forbade fighting in it.
But the Sunnah did not come with the recommendation of performing 'Umrah in Rajab. Rather, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Indeed, that is a month in which the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance used to perform 'Umrah, and Islam abolished it": meaning it abolished the recommendation of performing 'Umrah in it.
And some of the Salaf used to perform 'Umrah in it, until 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar said:Sahih al-Bukhari 4253, 4254, but 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: , How many times did he perform 'Umrah in the months of Hajj?
The questioner : Four times.
The Shaykh : Four 'Umrahs: the 'Umrah of Hudaybiyyah, the 'Umrah of Qada', the 'Umrah of al-Ji'ranah, and the 'Umrah of his Hajj. So 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar fell silent. Based on this, we say: 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) made a mistake in thinking that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) performed 'Umrah in Rajab. But it is narrated from some of the Salaf that they used to perform 'Umrah in it, so whoever performs 'Umrah without believing that it is a Sunnah, there is no harm in it.
And as for saying that it is one of the Sunnahs attached to the month, no. 'Umrah was not reported in any month except in the months of Hajj and in the month of Ramadan.
May Allah reward the honorable Shaykh for this pleasant meeting and this blessed guidance.
I would like to ask the honorable Shaykh about 'Umrah, since we are in the early days of the month of Rajab, about the ruling on performing 'Umrah in Rajab? And does it have a basis in the Sunnah, and what about some people's claim of a "Rajab 'Umrah"?
And does it have a special merit like 'Umrah in Ramadan?
The Shaykh : Yes, I say: The month of Rajab is one of the four sacred months, and the four sacred months are: Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. The prohibition of these months was known even in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, so they would forbid fighting in them, to the extent that a man would find the killer of his father in these months and not confront him.
And the Islamic Shari'ah came to confirm this, so Allah forbade fighting in these four months. The reason the Quraysh forbade these four months was that the three months of Hajj are: Dhul-Qa'dah, the month before Hajj; Muharram, the month after Hajj; and Dhul-Hijjah, the month of Hajj. So they would forbid fighting in them so that people going to Hajj and returning from it would be safe. In Rajab, they would perform 'Umrah, and therefore they forbade fighting in it.
But the Sunnah did not come with the recommendation of performing 'Umrah in Rajab. Rather, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Indeed, that is a month in which the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance used to perform 'Umrah, and Islam abolished it": meaning it abolished the recommendation of performing 'Umrah in it.
And some of the Salaf used to perform 'Umrah in it, until 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar said:
Narrated Mujahid: `Urwa and I entered the Mosque and found `Abdullah bin `Umar sitting beside the dwelling place of `Aisha. `Urwa asked (Ibn `Umar), "How many `Umras did the Prophet (ﷺ) perform?" Ibn `Umar replied, "Four, one of which was in Rajab." Then we heard `Aisha brushing her teeth whereupon `Urwa said, "O mother of the believers! Don't you hear what Abu `Abdur-Rahman is saying? He is saying that the Prophet performed four `Umra, one of which was in Rajab." `Aisha said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) did not perform any `Umra but he (i.e. Ibn `Umar) witnessed it. And he (the Prophet (ﷺ) ) never did any `Umra in (the month of) Rajab."
إنّ النّبيّ صلّى الله عليه وسلّم اعتمر في شهر رجبThat you made a mistake, and she said that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not perform 'Umrah except in the months of Hajj
إنّك وهمت وقالت إنّ الرّسول عليه الصّلاة والسّلام لم يعتمر إلاّ في أشهر الحجّThe questioner : Four times.
The Shaykh : Four 'Umrahs: the 'Umrah of Hudaybiyyah, the 'Umrah of Qada', the 'Umrah of al-Ji'ranah, and the 'Umrah of his Hajj. So 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar fell silent. Based on this, we say: 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) made a mistake in thinking that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) performed 'Umrah in Rajab. But it is narrated from some of the Salaf that they used to perform 'Umrah in it, so whoever performs 'Umrah without believing that it is a Sunnah, there is no harm in it.
And as for saying that it is one of the Sunnahs attached to the month, no. 'Umrah was not reported in any month except in the months of Hajj and in the month of Ramadan.