Rajab and Sha'ban
Suggest editRajab
Rajab (رجب) is the seventh month of the Islamic calendar and one of the four sacred months. Its name comes from 'tarjib' (to glorify). It was the month in which the Isra and Mi'raj occurred (according to the majority opinion). The Prophet said: 'O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Sha'ban, and deliver us to Ramadan' (Musnad Ahmad, though its chain is debated).
Practices in Rajab
There are no specific prayers, fasts, or acts of worship exclusive to Rajab that are established by authentic evidence. Scholars like Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali and Ibn Taymiyyah explicitly stated that the hadiths about special virtues of Rajab are mostly weak or fabricated. General good deeds (extra fasting, charity, Quran recitation) are encouraged as in any month, but singling out Rajab for special worship is considered an innovation by many scholars.
Sha'ban
Sha'ban (شعبان) is the eighth month, preceding Ramadan. Aisha reported that the Prophet fasted most of Sha'ban, more than any other month outside Ramadan (Sahih al-Bukhari 1969). When asked why, he explained that it is a month in which people are heedless, between Rajab and Ramadan, and that deeds are raised to Allah during it (Sunan al-Nasa'i 2357). Fasting in the second half of Sha'ban is discouraged for those who do not have a regular fasting habit (Sunan Abu Dawud 2337).
The 15th of Sha'ban
The night of the 15th of Sha'ban (Laylat al-Nisf min Sha'ban) is considered meritorious by many scholars based on hadiths of varying authenticity. Some scholars recommend extra worship on this night, while others consider the evidence too weak to establish any specific practice. The safe position is that general worship is always good, but singling this night out with specific invented rituals should be avoided.