*Excerpt from the book: "Bidʿāt Rajab wa Shaʿbān" by Shaykh Abū ʿAdnān Muḥammad Munīr Qamar (Translator, Supreme Court, al-Khubar, Saudi Arabia)
All acts of piety and reward must be in accordance with the commands of Allah and the teachings of His Messenger ﷺ. Anything outside this is either confirmed by the seal of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ — and is thus valid — or it has no place in the religion of Islam.
No matter how good or rewarding an act may appear outwardly, it will only be accepted by Allah if He and His Messenger ﷺ approve of it. It is well known that Allah and His Messenger ﷺ only love that which He has Himself legislated or encouraged.
Now consider this: if during the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime, a particular circumstance arose, but despite no restriction or reason preventing the action, the Prophet ﷺ did not do it, nor instructed the Companions to do it, nor was it practiced by the righteous generations — then there is no goodness or reward to be expected from such an act.
Reciting the Qur’an is undoubtedly a source of blessings and rewards. The Prophet ﷺ said:
((من قرأ حرفًا من كتاب الله فله حسنة، والحسنة بعشر أمثالها، لا أقول: الم حرف، ولكن ألف حرف، ولام حرف، وميم حرف))
[Ṣaḥīḥ at-Tirmidhī: 2327; Sunan ad-Dārimī: 2/429; Riyāḍ aṣ-Ṣāliḥīn: 416]
“Whoever recites a single letter from the Book of Allah will receive a reward, and the reward will be multiplied tenfold. I do not say that ‘Alif Lām Mīm’ is one letter, but ‘Alif’ is a letter, ‘Lām’ is a letter, and ‘Mīm’ is a letter.”
However, if someone thinks:
“Since reciting the Qur’an brings reward, and one is closest to Allah during sujūd, then I will recite the Qur’an in prostration to attain more nearness and reward” —
This would be incorrect and invalid.
Why?
Because neither the Prophet ﷺ practiced this, nor did Allah or His Messenger ﷺ permit it, rather, he ﷺ forbade reciting the Qur’an in rukūʿ or sujūd, saying:
((ألا إني نهيت أن أقرأ القرآن راكعًا أو ساجدًا))
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim with an-Nawawī: 4/196; Mishkāt: 1/279]
“Beware! I have been forbidden from reciting the Qur’an while bowing or prostrating.”
This clearly illustrates the core principle: No matter how good an act appears, if it was not done, encouraged, or approved by the Prophet ﷺ or the early righteous generations, it cannot be considered part of the religion — such acts fall under bid‘ah (innovation).
Applying the above principles, one can easily identify countless acts around us that have been made part of the religion by some people, without any authentic basis from the Qur’an, Sunnah, Companions, or scholars of the Ummah.
Take, for example, the fasting observed in the month of Rajab.
Certain types of fasts have been invented and named, such as:
◉ Miʿrāj Sharīf fast
◉ Maryam fast
◉ Hazārī fast
◉ Lakkhī fast
These fasts are:
✘ Not practiced by the Prophet ﷺ
✘ Not commanded or encouraged by him ﷺ
✘ Not practiced by the Companions or the righteous predecessors
((نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن صيام رجب))
[Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1743]
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade fasting in the month of Rajab.”
Although the chain of this narration is weak, the meaning is supported by a sound report in Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, where it is recorded that:
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه, upon seeing people fasting in Rajab, would place food before them, strike their hands with his whip, and say:
((كلوا فإنه شهر كان تعظمه الجاهلية))
[Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl by al-Albānī: 4/113]
“Eat! This month was revered only by the people of ignorance.”
This clearly proves that ʿUmar رضی الله عنه opposed these self-invented fasts and rejected any act resembling the pre-Islamic practices.
However, the following are permissible and recommended:
Ṣawm Dāwūd (Fasting every other day)
Ayyām al-Bīḍ (White days: 13th, 14th, 15th of each lunar month)
Monday and Thursday fasts (weekly Sunnah)
Anyone habitually observing these is allowed to fast during Rajab as part of his routine, but not specifically because of Rajab.
If someone fasts on the basis of cultural or self-made names, such as:
✘ Miʿrāj fast
✘ Hazārī fast
✘ Lakkhī fast
✘ Maryam fast
Then such fasts are categorized as bidʿah (innovation).
These have:
✘ No basis in the Sunnah
✘ No endorsement from the Companions
✘ No mention from the four Imams or senior scholars
Fasting is indeed an act of great virtue, but it must be done in the correct manner and at the right times, as taught and approved by the Prophet ﷺ.
Inventing fasts with specific names and timings, without evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah, is rejected and invalid — no matter how good it may seem.
✦ An Overview of Bid‘ah (Religious Innovation)
All acts of piety and reward must be in accordance with the commands of Allah and the teachings of His Messenger ﷺ. Anything outside this is either confirmed by the seal of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ — and is thus valid — or it has no place in the religion of Islam.
No matter how good or rewarding an act may appear outwardly, it will only be accepted by Allah if He and His Messenger ﷺ approve of it. It is well known that Allah and His Messenger ﷺ only love that which He has Himself legislated or encouraged.
Now consider this: if during the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime, a particular circumstance arose, but despite no restriction or reason preventing the action, the Prophet ﷺ did not do it, nor instructed the Companions to do it, nor was it practiced by the righteous generations — then there is no goodness or reward to be expected from such an act.
◈ Example: Recitation of Qur’an in Sujūd (Prostration)
Reciting the Qur’an is undoubtedly a source of blessings and rewards. The Prophet ﷺ said:
((من قرأ حرفًا من كتاب الله فله حسنة، والحسنة بعشر أمثالها، لا أقول: الم حرف، ولكن ألف حرف، ولام حرف، وميم حرف))
[Ṣaḥīḥ at-Tirmidhī: 2327; Sunan ad-Dārimī: 2/429; Riyāḍ aṣ-Ṣāliḥīn: 416]
“Whoever recites a single letter from the Book of Allah will receive a reward, and the reward will be multiplied tenfold. I do not say that ‘Alif Lām Mīm’ is one letter, but ‘Alif’ is a letter, ‘Lām’ is a letter, and ‘Mīm’ is a letter.”
However, if someone thinks:
“Since reciting the Qur’an brings reward, and one is closest to Allah during sujūd, then I will recite the Qur’an in prostration to attain more nearness and reward” —
This would be incorrect and invalid.
Why?
Because neither the Prophet ﷺ practiced this, nor did Allah or His Messenger ﷺ permit it, rather, he ﷺ forbade reciting the Qur’an in rukūʿ or sujūd, saying:
((ألا إني نهيت أن أقرأ القرآن راكعًا أو ساجدًا))
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim with an-Nawawī: 4/196; Mishkāt: 1/279]
“Beware! I have been forbidden from reciting the Qur’an while bowing or prostrating.”
This clearly illustrates the core principle: No matter how good an act appears, if it was not done, encouraged, or approved by the Prophet ﷺ or the early righteous generations, it cannot be considered part of the religion — such acts fall under bid‘ah (innovation).
✦ Fasting in the Month of Rajab: A Critical View
Applying the above principles, one can easily identify countless acts around us that have been made part of the religion by some people, without any authentic basis from the Qur’an, Sunnah, Companions, or scholars of the Ummah.
Take, for example, the fasting observed in the month of Rajab.
Certain types of fasts have been invented and named, such as:
◉ Miʿrāj Sharīf fast
◉ Maryam fast
◉ Hazārī fast
◉ Lakkhī fast
These fasts are:
✘ Not practiced by the Prophet ﷺ
✘ Not commanded or encouraged by him ﷺ
✘ Not practiced by the Companions or the righteous predecessors
❖ A Weak Hadith Regarding Rajab Fasting
((نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن صيام رجب))
[Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1743]
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade fasting in the month of Rajab.”
Although the chain of this narration is weak, the meaning is supported by a sound report in Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, where it is recorded that:
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه, upon seeing people fasting in Rajab, would place food before them, strike their hands with his whip, and say:
((كلوا فإنه شهر كان تعظمه الجاهلية))
[Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl by al-Albānī: 4/113]
“Eat! This month was revered only by the people of ignorance.”
This clearly proves that ʿUmar رضی الله عنه opposed these self-invented fasts and rejected any act resembling the pre-Islamic practices.
❖ Which Fasts Are Permissible in Rajab?
However, the following are permissible and recommended:
Ṣawm Dāwūd (Fasting every other day) Ayyām al-Bīḍ (White days: 13th, 14th, 15th of each lunar month) Monday and Thursday fasts (weekly Sunnah)Anyone habitually observing these is allowed to fast during Rajab as part of his routine, but not specifically because of Rajab.
✦ Verdict on Invented Rajab Fasts
If someone fasts on the basis of cultural or self-made names, such as:
✘ Miʿrāj fast
✘ Hazārī fast
✘ Lakkhī fast
✘ Maryam fast
Then such fasts are categorized as bidʿah (innovation).
These have:
✘ No basis in the Sunnah
✘ No endorsement from the Companions
✘ No mention from the four Imams or senior scholars
Conclusion
Fasting is indeed an act of great virtue, but it must be done in the correct manner and at the right times, as taught and approved by the Prophet ﷺ.
Inventing fasts with specific names and timings, without evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah, is rejected and invalid — no matter how good it may seem.
