Source: “Ghair Masnoon Nafli Namazain” by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri❖ Special Voluntary Prayers in Rajab – A Critical Review
Innovation of Worship in Rajab Nights
Engaging in special acts of worship during the nights of Rajab is a bidʿah (innovation). There is no evidence from the Prophet ﷺ or his noble companions (رضي الله عنهم) supporting such specific acts. Below is a scholarly and critical review of the relevant narrations:
✿ First Narration Regarding the 27th Night of Rajab
❖ Ḥadīth:
Narrated by Sayyidunā Salmān al-Fārsī رضي الله عنه:
في رجب يوم وليلة من صام ذلك اليوم وقام تلك الليلة كان له من الأجر كمن صام مائة سنة وقام مائة سنة، وهى لثلاث بقين من رجب، فى ذلك اليوم بعث الله محمدا نبيا
“There is a day and night in Rajab; whoever fasts on that day and stands in prayer that night will receive the reward of fasting and praying for 100 years. It is the 27th of Rajab, the day on which the Prophet ﷺ was appointed as a Prophet.”
Reference: Shuʿab al-Īmān lil-Bayhaqī: 3530
,
Reference: al-Gharāʾib al-Multaqaṭah by Ibn Ḥajar: 5/1040
,
Reference: Faḍl Rajab by Ibn ʿAsākir: 10–11
,
Reference: Dhail al-Lāʾālī al-Maṣnūʿah by al-Suyūṭī: 1/459
❖ Grading of the Narration: Extremely Weak and Denounced (منكر)
➊ Khālid bin Hayyāj bin Basṭām is weak, especially in narrations from his father.
➋ Hayyāj bin Basṭām is weak.
➌ Sulaymān al-Taymī is a mudallis.
Scholars’ Comments:
- Imām Ibn Ḥibbān: Only acceptable when not narrating from his father.
(al-Thiqāt: 8/225–226)
- Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī: Reports objectionable narrations from his father.
(Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ: 4/114)
- Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar:
"هذا حديث منكر إلى الغاية" – “This is an extremely denounced (fabricated) narration.”
(Tabyīn al-ʿAjab: 1/21)
✿ Second Narration Regarding General Worship in Rajab
Narrated from Sayyidunā al-Ḥusayn bin ʿAlī رضي الله عنهما:
من أحيا ليلة من رجب وصام يوما...
“Whoever revives a night in Rajab and fasts during the day, Allah will feed him from the fruits of Paradise, dress him in garments of Paradise, and make him drink from the sealed nectar, except if he does one of three things: kills someone, ignores a person seeking help, or refuses to help his brother in need.”
Reference: Faḍāʾil Shahr Rajab by al-Khallāl: 54, ḥadīth 6
,
Reference: al-Mawḍūʿāt by Ibn al-Jawzī: 2/580, ḥadīth 1151
,
Reference: Dhail al-Lāʾālī al-Maṣnūʿah: 199
❖ Grading of the Narration: Fabricated (موضوع)
Chains include:- Isḥāq bin Muḥammad bin Marwān, not reliable.
- Muḥammad bin Marwān al-Kūfī: A Shīʿī and rejected.
- Ḥuṣayn bin Mukhāriq: Cannot be used as evidence.
- Abū Ḥamzah al-Shāmī: Severely weak; accused of fabrication.
Ibn al-Jawzī:
"هذا حديث موضوع على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم" – “This is a fabricated ḥadīth.”
(al-Mawḍūʿāt: 2/587)
✿ Fabricated Narration About the First Night of Rajab
Reported from Sayyidunā Anas bin Mālik رضي الله عنه:
من صلى المغرب أول ليلة من رجب...
“Whoever offers Maghrib on the first night of Rajab and follows it with 20 rakʿāt... will be protected from grave punishment and cross the bridge (Ṣirāṭ) like lightning.”
Reference: al-Mawḍūʿāt by Ibn al-Jawzī: 2/434, ḥadīth 106
❖ Grading of the Narration: Fabricated
Contains unknown and weak narrators like:- Ṭāhir al-Muṭawwiʿī, ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥārithī, and possibly Muḥammad bin Qāsim ibn Majmaʿ.
- Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar:
"أكثر رواته مجاهيل" – “Most of its narrators are unknown.”
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah:
“There is no special virtue for the first night of Rajab.”
(Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm: 2/623)
✿ Regarding Worship on the 15th Night of Rajab
A narration claims:
من صلى ليلة النصف من رجب أربع عشرة ركعة...
“Whoever performs 14 rakʿāt on the 15th night of Rajab…” with various surahs and glorifications.
Reference: al-Mawḍūʿāt by Ibn al-Jawzī: 2/438–439, ḥadīth 1009
❖ Grading: Fabricated
Many narrators are unknown, and the chain is artificially constructed.Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah and others condemned this as non-existent in the Sharīʿah.
✿ Miscellaneous Fabricated Narrations on Rajab Worship
① Fasting a day and praying 4 rakʿāt:
Rewards shown in paradise.
Reference: al-Mawḍūʿāt by Ibn al-Jawzī: 2/435, ḥadīth 1007
Chain contains:
- Ahmad bin ʿUbaydullāh, Abū Sulaymān al-Jurjānī, and others – mostly unknown or rejected.
② Khutbah before Rajab:
“O people! Rajab is the sacred month of Allah…”
Reference: Tārīkh Ibn ʿAsākir: 43/291
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Reference: Faḍl Rajab by Ibn ʿAsākir: 317–318, ḥadīth 14
Grading: Fabricated
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar:
"إسناده مجهول" – “Its chain is unknown.”
(Tabyīn al-ʿAjab: 62)
③ 30 Rakʿāt with Surah Ikhlāṣ and Kāfirūn:
Forgiveness of sins and reward like fasting a full month.
Reference: Ghaniyyah al-Ṭālibīn by ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī: 1/180–181
Grading: Fabricated
Hibatullāh al-Saqṭī – Accused of lying.❖ Scholarly Verdicts on Rajab Worship
- Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Rajab رحمه الله:
“No specific prayer is authentically established for Rajab.”
(Laṭāʾif al-Maʿārif: 228)
- Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn رحمه الله:
“Rajab holds no specific acts of worship. Whoever designates worship for it has fallen into bidʿah.”
(Majmūʿ Fatāwā wa Rasāʾil: 2/338–339)
Conclusion
❖ All narrations prescribing specific acts of worship during Rajab are either fabricated or severely weak.
❖ There is no authentic evidence supporting the idea that worship during any specific night or day of Rajab (including the 27th or 15th) holds special merit.
❖ Engaging in such innovations is condemned in the Sharīʿah.
❖ One should confine themselves to established Sunnah practices without innovating new rituals.
