Rajab Is A Sacred Month

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

The Sacred months have a special status, which applies also to Rajab because it is one of these sacred months. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Violate not the sanctity of the Symbols of Allaah, nor of the Sacred Month…” [al-Maa’idah 5:2]
This means: do not violate their sanctity which Allah has commanded you to respect and forbidden you to violate, for this prohibition includes both vile deeds and vile beliefs. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“so wrong not yourselves therein…” [al-Tawbah 9:36]
meaning, in the Sacred Months. The pronoun here [translated here as “therein”] refers to these four sacred months, as stated by the Imaam of the Mufassireen, Ibn Jareer al-Tabari (may Allaah have mercy on him).
So we should pay attention to the sanctity of these four months, because Allah has singled them out for a special status and has forbidden us to commit sins out of respect for their sanctity, for sins committed at this time are even worse, because of the sanctity of the time which Allah has made sacred. Hence in the aayah quoted above, Allah has forbidden us to wrong ourselves even though this – i.e., wronging ourselves, which includes committing sins – is forbidden during all the months of the year.
Fighting during the sacred months
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“They ask you concerning fighting in the sacred months. Say: fighting therein is a great (transgression)…” [al-Baqarah 2:217]
The majority of scholars state that (the prohibition of) fighting in the sacred months is abrogated by the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“Then when the sacred months have passed, then kill the Mushrikeen wherever you find them…” [al-Tawbah 9:5] ,
and other aayat and reports which are general in application and which include commands to fight them.
Others say: it is not permissible to initiate fighting during the sacred months, but it is permissible to continue and conclude fighting, if it started at a different time. The fighting of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) against the people of al-Taa’if is interpreted in this way, because the fighting had begun at Hunayn in Shawwaal. The above does not apply to fighting in self-defence. If the enemy attacks the Muslim lands, it is obligatory for the inhabitants to defend themselves, whether that happens during a sacred month or not.

Hadith of the day:

It was reported from Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave his Farewell Sermon and said: “Time has completed its cycle and is as it was on the Day when Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year is twelve months, of which four are sacred, three consecutive months – Zeequad, Zu’l-Hijjah and Muharram – and the Rajab of Mudar which comes between Jumaada Saani and Sha’baan.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 1741, in [Kitaab] al-Hajj, al-Khutbah Ayaam Mina; and by Muslim, no. 1679, in [Kitaab] al-Qisaamah, Baab Tahreem al-Dimaa’).

Verse of the Day:

"It is Allah Who has endowed you with the faculties of hearing and seeing and given you hearts to think but you do not show any gratitude. It is He Who has scattered you on the earth, and before Him you shall be gathered. It is He Who gives life and ordains death, and to Him belong the alternation of the night and the day. Do you not understand this?[23:78-80]"