Hadith related to Salat of Rajab:
Special worship during the nights of the month of Rajab is an innovation; nothing has been established from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ or the Companions رضي الله عنهم regarding this. Please see the investigative review of the evidences.
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Salman Farsi رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said
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
Whoever fasts on the day of 27th Rajab and prays at night will receive the reward of fasting and praying for one hundred years. On this very day, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sent.
The chain of narration status of this hadith
It is a severely weak and rejected narration.
➊ Khalid bin Hayaj bin Bastam is weak. His narration from his father is rejected.
❀ Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
يعتبر حديثه من غير روايته عن أبيه
His narrations are reliable only if he reports from someone other than his father.
❀ Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
ذو مناكير عن أبيه
He reports rejected narrations from his father.
The mentioned narration is also reported by him from his father, therefore it is rejected.
➋ Hayaj bin Bastam is weak.
➌ Sulaiman bin Tarkhan Al-Taymi is a fabricator.
❀ Hafiz Al-Bayhaqi, may Allah have mercy on him, has declared this narration weak. Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا حديث منكر إلى الغاية
This is an extremely rejected narration.
Second Narration
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Husayn ibn Ali رضي الله عنهما that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said
من أحيا ليلة من رجب وصام يوما، أطعمه الله من ثمار الجنة، وكساه من حلل الجنة، وسقاه من الرحيق المختوم، إلا من فعل ثلاثا: من قتل نفسا، أو سمع مستغيثا يستغيث بليل أو نهار فلم يغثه، أو شكا إليه أخوه حاجة فلم يفرج عنه
Whoever prays during any night of the month of Rajab and fasts during the day, Allah Almighty will feed him the fruit of Paradise, clothe him in the garments of Paradise, and give him to drink from (Al-Rahiq Al-Makhtum), except for the one who commits these three acts (he will be deprived of this): kills a soul, hears the cry of a complainant during the day or night but does not help him, and his brother comes to him with a need but he does not fulfill his brother’s need.
The Chain of Transmission Status of this Hadith
It is a false narration.
➊ Imam Dar Qutni, may Allah have mercy on him, says about Ishaq bin Muhammad bin Marwan al-Kufi:
ليس ممن يحتج بحديثه
His narration is not to be taken as evidence.
➋ Imam Dar Qutni, may Allah have mercy on him, says about Muhammad bin Marwan bin Qattan al-Kufi:
شيخ من الشيعة حاطب ليل لا يكاد يحدث عن ثقة، متروك
He is a Shia, collects both fresh and dried dates, and this Matruk (abandoned narrator) does not narrate from any trustworthy person.
➌ Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says about Husain bin Mukhariq Abu Janadah:
لا يجوز الاحتجاج به
It is not permissible to take evidence from him.
❀ Imam Dar Qutni, may Allah have mercy on him, has called him Matruk (abandoned).
❀ Hafiz Suyuti, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
كان يضع الأحاديث
He used to fabricate hadiths.
➍ Abu Hamzah al-Shimali (Thabit bin Abi Safiyah) has been declared weak and Majruh by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, Imam Yahya bin Ma’in, Imam Abu Zur’ah al-Razi, Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi, Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on them, and Imam Dar Qutni, may Allah have mercy on him, has called him Matruk (abandoned).
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, called him a weak Rafidi.
❀ Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا حديث موضوع على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
This narration is false.
Narration Regarding the Worship on the First Night of Rajab:
There is a fabricated narration about the worship on this night: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
من صلى المغرب أول ليلة من رجب ثم صلى بعدها عشرين ركعة، يقرأ فى كل ركعة بفاتحة الكتاب وقل هو الله أحد مرة، ويسلم فيهن عشر تسليمات، أتدرون ما ثوابه؟ فإن الروح الأمين جبريل علمني ذلك قلنا: الله ورسوله أعلم قال: حفظه الله فى نفسه وماله وأهله وولده وأجير من عذاب القبر وجاز على الصراط كالبرق بغير حساب ولا عذاب
Whoever, after praying Maghrib on the first night of Rajab, performs twenty rak’ahs, reciting Surah Al-Fatiha and Surah Al-Ikhlas once in each rak’ah, and completes ten tasleems in these rak’ahs, do you know what the reward is? This prayer was taught to me by the trustworthy spirit (Angel Gabriel). We said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: Allah will protect his life, wealth, and family, he will be saved from the torment of the grave, and he will pass over the Sirat bridge at lightning speed without reckoning.
The Chain of Transmission Status of This Narration
It is a false chain.
➊ Authentication of Abu Tayyib Tahir bin Hasan Matwi is required.
➋ Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Yaqub Abu Hamid Harithi is abandoned and accused.
➌ Muhammad bin Qasim’s identification could not be determined; it is possible that he is also Ibn Majma.
❀ Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
روى عنه أهل خراسان أشياء لا يحل ذكرها فى الكتب فكيف الاشتغال بروايتها
The people of Khorasan have narrated from him such reports that it is not even permissible to write them, so how can acting upon them be permissible?
❀ Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
حدث بأحاديث موضوعة
He narrates fabricated reports.
➍ Authentication of Muhammad bin Yunus Sarhasi could not be determined.
➎ Identification and authentication of Ali bin Muhammad is required.
❀ Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا حديث موضوع، وأكثر رواته مجاهيل
It is fabricated; most narrators are unknown.
❀ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
صد إحياء ليال لا خصوص لها، كأول ليلة من رجب
There is no special virtue in staying awake on these nights, like the first night of Rajab.
Regarding the narration about worship on the fifteenth night of Rajab:
Organizing special worship on the night of the fifteenth of Rajab is an innovation and not permissible, because there is no authentic evidence to support it. The religion is established through authentic hadiths. A false narration is attributed to Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding this:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
من صلى ليلة النصف من رجب أربع عشرة ركعة، يقرأ فى كل ركعة الحمد مرة، وقل هو الله أحد عشرين مرة، وقل أعوذ برب الفلق ثلاث مرات، وقل أعوذ برب الناس ثلاث مرات، فإذا فرغ من صلاته صلى على عشر مرات، ثم يسبح الله ويحمده ويكبره ويهلله ثلاثين مرة، بعث الله إليه ألف ملك يكتبون له الحسنات ويغرسون له الأشجار الفردوس، ومحى عنه كل ذنب أصابه إلى تلك الليلة، ولم يكتب عليه خطية إلى مثلها من القابل
Whoever prays fourteen rak’ahs on the night of the fifteenth of Rajab, reciting Surah Al-Fatiha once, Surah Al-Ikhlas twenty times, and the two Mu’awwidhat (Al-Falaq and An-Nas) three times in each rak’ah, then after finishing sends blessings upon me ten times, and thereafter recites SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, and La ilaha illallah thirty times each, Allah sends one thousand angels towards him who record his good deeds, plant trees for him in Paradise, erase all sins committed until that night, and no sin is recorded for him until the next year.
The Chain of Transmission Status of this Narration
It is a false tradition, with many unknown and unidentified narrators.
❀ Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا موضوع ورواته مجهولون، ولا يخفى تركيب إسناده وجهالة رجاله
It is fabricated, many of its narrators are unknown, the chain is fabricated and the narrators being unknown is not hidden.
❀ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
كذلك يوم آخر فى وسط رجب، يصلى فيه صلاة تسمى صلاة أم داود فإن تعظيم هذا اليوم لا أصل له فى الشريعة أصلا
Similarly, Salat Umm Dawood is performed on the fifteenth of Rajab, but there is no basis in Shariah for honoring this day at all.
❀ Allama Wansharisi, may Allah have mercy on him
, in the chapter on innovations says:
منها القيام ليلة النصف من رجب وشعبان
Among these innovations is also the vigil on the fifteenth night of Rajab and Sha’ban.
Narrations related to the special worship of Rajab:
Special worship in Rajab is an innovation; there is no Shariah evidence for it. A brief and research-based review of the narrations related to it is as follows:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
من صام يوما من رجب وصلى فيه أربع ركعات، يقرأ فى أول ركعة مائة مرة آية الكرسي، وفي الركعة الثانية مائة مرة قل هو الله أحد، لم يمت حتى يرى مقعده من الجنة أو يرى له
Whoever fasts on any day of Rajab and prays four rak’ahs, in the first rak’ah reciting Ayat al-Kursi one hundred times and in the second rak’ah reciting Surah Ikhlas one hundred times, before dying, he will see his place in Paradise or it will be shown to him.
The chain of narration status of this hadith
The narration is false.
➊ Ahmad bin Ubaidullah bin Abdul Wahhab
➋ Abu al-Fadl Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Saeed
➌ Abu Sulayman Jurjani and
➍ Hijr bin Hashim/Hisham
All four are unknown.
➎ Uthman bin Ata bin Abi Muslim Khorasani has been declared weak by Imam Yahya bin Ma’in, may Allah have mercy on him
, Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him
, and Imam Muslim, may Allah have mercy on him
.
Imam Abu Hatim Razi, may Allah have mercy on him
, and Imam Ibn Abi Hatim, may Allah have mercy on him
, have said the hadith is abandoned.
❀ Imam Darqutni, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
ضعيف الحديث جدا
It is very weak.
❀ Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
يروي عن أبيه أحاديث موضوعة
He narrates fabricated reports from his father.
➏ Ata bin Abi Muslim Khorasani does not have an established hearing from our master Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, therefore the chain is disconnected.
❀ Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا حديث موضوع على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أكثر رواته مجاهيل، وعثمان متروك عند المحدثين
This is a lie upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. Most narrators are unknown and Uthman is abandoned according to the scholars of hadith.
❀ Hafiz al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
إسناده ظلمات
There are many unknown narrators in its chain.
Allama Ibn Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, has declared it fabricated.
Second Tradition
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) delivered the Friday sermon before the month of Rajab:
أيها الناس، إنه قد أظلكم شهر عظيم، شهر رجب شهر الله الأصم، تضاعف فيه الحسنات، وتستجاب فيه الدعوات، ويفرج فيه عن الكربات، لا يرد للمؤمن فيه دعوة، فمن اكتسب فيه خيرا ضوعف له فيه أضعافا مضاعفة، والله يضاعف لمن يشاء، فعليكم بقيام ليله، وصيام نهاره، فمن صلى فى يوم فيه خمسين صلاة يقرأ فى كل ركعة ما تيسر من القرآن، أعطاه الله عز وجل من الحسنات بعدد الشفع والوتر، وبعدد الشعر والوبر
O people! A great month is coming, Rajab is the month of Allah Almighty, in which good deeds are increased, prayers are accepted, deliverance from calamities is granted, and the supplication of a believer is not rejected. His good deeds are multiplied; Allah increases the good deeds of whomever He wills. Night prayers and fasting during the day are obligatory upon you. Whoever prays fifty rak’ahs on any day of this month, reciting as much of the Qur’an as he can in each rak’ah, then Allah grants him rewards equal to double and triple and (the number of) hairs of sheep, goats, camels, etc.
The Chain of Transmission Status of this Tradition
It is a false narration.
➊ Hafiz Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says about Abu Hasan Ali bin Yaqub Qazwini:
حدث بعد السبعين وثلاثمائة بخبر باطل
He narrated false reports after
.
➋ Imam Darqutni, may Allah have mercy on him, says about Hasan bin Ahmad bin Mubarak Tusi:
ضعيف جدا بالوضع
He is very weak, and he is also accused of fabricating hadith.
❀ Khateeb Baghdadi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
صاحب مناكير
He narrates rejected reports.
➌ The biography of Muhammad bin Zararah Masalsiti is not available.
➍ The identification and authentication of Muhammad bin Umar Ansari is required.
➎ There is a discontinuity between Abdul Aziz Kattani and Ali bin Yaqub Qazwini.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Asakir, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
حكى عنه عبد العزيز الكتاني منقطعا
Abdul Aziz Kattani narrated from him with a break.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Asakir, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا حديث منكر بمرة لم أكتبه إلا من هذا الوجه
There is no doubt about his being rejected; this is his chain.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا حديث موضوع وإسناده مجهول
It is a fabricated hadith, its chain is unknown.
Third Narration
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Salman رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
يا سلمان ما من مؤمن ولا مؤمنة يصلي فى هذا الشهر ثلاثين ركعة يقرأ فى كل ركعة فاتحة الكتاب وقل هو الله أحد ثلاث مرات وقل يأيها الكافرون ثلاث مرات إلا محا الله عنه ذنوبه وأعطى من الأجر كمن صام الشهر كله وكان من المصلين إلى السنة المقبلة
Salman! Whoever, male or female believer, prays thirty rak’ahs in this month, reciting Surah Al-Fatiha and Surah Al-Ikhlas three times, and Surah Al-Kafirun three times in each rak’ah, Allah Almighty erases their sins, grants them the reward of fasting for the entire month, and the reward of prayers for the coming year.
The Authenticity Status of This Hadith
It is a false tradition.
➊ Habta Allah bin Mubarak Saqti is accused of lying.
➋ The life details of Ali bin Muhammad bin Ismail bin Muhammad Saffar are not found.
There is no authentic evidence for any special worship related to the month of Rajab; this is an ugly innovation.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
أما الصلاة فلم يصح فى شهر رجب صلاة محصوصة تختص
No special prayer is established in the month of Rajab.
❀ Allama Muhammad bin Salih al-Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
There is no special worship in Rajab; rather, its ruling is like the other sacred months. There are four sacred months: Rajab, Dhu al-Qi’dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, and Muharram. ❀ Allah Almighty says:
إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِنْدَ اللهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ
Since the creation of the heavens and the earth, there have only been twelve months in the Divine Book, four of which are sacred. The month of Rajab does not have any special status regarding worship such as fasting and standing in prayer. Whoever designates this month for such acts of worship without proof from the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is an innovator. The Prophetic command is: Hold firmly to my and the rightly guided Caliphs’ Sunnah, cling to it strongly, and avoid innovations in religion, for every innovation is misguidance.
