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When is Rajab 2025?

This year, the sacred month of Rajab will most likely begin on Saturday 20th December 2025, at Maghrib time.

Allah has chosen Rajab above other months to be sacred, so of course, we must pay special attention to this period and ensure we are acquainted with its virtues!

Follow us on , and , where we will announce it at Maghrib.  

The above ayah references four sacred months, with Allah (swt) specifically commanding us not to wrong ourselves during them. (We鈥檒l get to this command later!) The Prophet (saw) clarified what these months were in the following hadith:

鈥楾ime has come back to its original state which it had when Allah created the Heavens and the Earth; the year is twelve months, four of which are sacred. Three of them are in succession: Dhul-Qa鈥榙ah, Dhul-Hijjah, Al-Muharram and Rajab of Mudar [a title of Rajab], which stands between Jumada (ath-Thani) and Sha鈥榖an.鈥� [Bukhari]

Without further ado, let鈥檚 take a look at the history and purpose of the sacred months, the virtues of Rajab in particular, and how we can make the most of this time!

The history of the sacred months

Since the beginning of time, fighting has been forbidden during the sacred months. The sequence of the sacred months protected pilgrims to the Ka鈥榖ah both before the advent of Islam and during its early days. They were divinely designed to allow pilgrims safe passage to and from Makkah during the Hajj season.

Meanwhile Rajab, the seventh month of the lunar year, stands apart from the other sacred months. It is thus called 鈥楻ajab al-Fard鈥� or 鈥楻ajab the Separate One鈥�. Allah made it sacred in order to preserve people鈥檚 safety during 鈥橴mrah, the minor pilgrimage.

Unfortunately, many of the Arabs in pre-Islamic times didn鈥檛 respect the sanctity of Rajab, and they often switched it to elsewhere in the year so they could fight in the seventh month! They would pretend that Rajab was in a different month to suit their own political agendas.

The exception was the tribe of Mudar, who consistently observed the order of the lunar months and the sanctity of Rajab. Thus, when the Prophet (saw) was confirming the sacred months for us, he named it 鈥楻ajab of Mudar鈥�, so the Companions knew he (saw) meant the seventh month of the lunar year.

The purpose of the sacred months

As mentioned above, the sacred months allowed pilgrims to travel safely to and from the holy lands. This particular purpose is less relevant today, when we don鈥檛 need a whole month to travel to Makkah!

However, the sanctity of the sacred months stands until the end of time.

Our deeds weigh heavier on the scales during these four months. Allah commands us: 鈥楧o not wrong yourselves during them鈥� [The Noble Qur鈥檃n, 9:36], because it is graver to commit a sin during a sacred month. Equally, it becomes more rewardable to perform a good deed!

Thus, we need to be extra-vigilant in everything we do and say this Rajab, and extra-keen in seeking Allah鈥檚 pleasure. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

Three virtues of Rajab

Rajab has three main virtues which we will cover in this article.

1. Rajab is the month of Allah

The Prophet (saw) said, 鈥楻ajab is the month of Allah, Sha鈥榖an is my month and Ramadan is the month of my Ummah.鈥� [Suyuti]

SubhanAllah, this is a great title to be honoured with, and no doubt we should be paying special attention to the month that bears this honour.

2. Rajab was divinely selected for three historic and momentous events

1. The marriage of the Prophet's (saw) parents
2. Aminah, the mother of the Prophet (saw) becoming pregnant with the Best of Creation (saw)
3. The miraculous Night Journey & Ascension (Al-Isra鈥� Wal-Mi鈥檙aj), which took place on the 27th night of Rajab, according to the dominant opinion. You can read more about this journey in our previous article.

SubhanAllah, while most Muslims - rightfully! - give importance to Ramadan as the month in which the Qur鈥檃n was revealed, we must not neglect Rajab鈥檚 status. Not only was the Prophet (saw) conceived in Rajab, we also received three further divine gifts during Al-Isra鈥� Wal-Mi鈥檙aj:

1. The gift of our five daily prayers, which ground our days in the worship of Allah
2. The last two ayat of Surah Baqarah, of which the Prophet (saw) said, 鈥榃hoever recites the last two verses of Surah Baqarah in the night, it will suffice him.鈥� [Bukhari]
3. Allah鈥檚 gift to the believers: Whoever dies believing in Allah and not associating anything with Him, will enter Paradise. [Nasa鈥檌]

It is clear, therefore, that Allah chose Rajab above other months for extraordinary events.

3. Rajab is a month of blessings and favours

Did you know that Rajab is also known as 鈥楻ajab al-Asabb鈥� or 鈥榯he Pouring Rajab鈥�? This is because Allah pours His numerous blessings and favours down during this month, as well as His abundant mercy.

Similarly, Rajab is also known as the Month of Tawbah (repentance) and the Month of Istighfar (seeking forgiveness).

Again, most Muslims - rightfully! - increase their good deeds and worship during Ramadan, hoping to receive the blessings and mercy which are pouring down. But we also have a chance to do this during Rajab, and we definitely shouldn鈥檛 miss out!

Remember, our deeds weigh heavier on the scales in the sacred months, so this is an to invest in our akhirah.

The meaning of 鈥楻ajab鈥�

Before we go into the recommended actions for Rajab, we鈥檇 like to touch on a few of its names.

Rajab comes from an Arabic root word which means 'to be afraid, revere, venerate, honour and magnify.'

This amplifies the meaning of the sacred month, in which war and fighting were unlawful since the beginning of creation. This rule was even respected by some of the pre-Islamic Arabs in the Time of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah).

To further emphasise its sanctity, Rajab is also called 鈥楻ajab al-Murajjab鈥�, which means that it is extraordinarily honoured, revered and magnified.

Moreover, it is called 鈥楻ajab al-Asamm鈥�, which means 鈥榯he Deafening and Silent Rajab鈥�. This is because you cannot hear the clashing of swords during Rajab, as fighting is prohibited.

Earlier, we mentioned that it is called 鈥楻ajab the Separate One鈥�, because it stands alone as a sacred month.

The name Rajab can mean 'a branch or twig which comes out by itself' - i.e. alone and separate from other branches, or the other sacred months.

Finally, there is one more linguistic wonder we鈥檇 like to mention. Some scholars have mentioned that 鈥楻ajab鈥� is composed of three letters, which represent other profound words:

1. Ra - for Rahmah: representing the Rahmatu-Allah, the mercy of Allah
2. Jeem - for Juud: representing Juudu-Allah, the generosity of Allah
3. Ba - for Birr: representing Birru-Allah, the kindness of Allah

As you can see, even the meaning of 鈥楻ajab鈥� reflects its virtues in so many ways.

Now, let鈥檚 discuss the recommended actions for Rajab.

Recommendations for Rajab

1. Don鈥檛 waste the first night!

It is highly recommended to turn to Allah on the first night of Rajab. Though we don鈥檛 have an authentic hadith of the Prophet (saw) regarding this, many scholars have mentioned the virtues of this night. Ibn Umar (ra) said:

Imam Shafi鈥檌 also mentioned these five nights in his Kitab al-Umm.

Moreover, it has been narrated that Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra) used to spend four nights in worship: the first night of Rajab, the nights before the two Eids, and the 15th night of Sha鈥榖an.

In light of the above quotes, we should make sure to make du鈥榓 to Allah on the first night of Rajab!

Make sure to make a list of du鈥檃s which you really want Allah to answer, so you are fully-prepared when the night begins!

2. Seek forgiveness throughout the month

It has been narrated, 鈥楽eek much forgiveness from Allah in Rajab because in every hour (of the month) Allah frees people from the Fire.鈥� [Dailami]

For this reason, the scholars say that Rajab is the month of seeking forgiveness, Sha鈥榖an is the month of bestowing prayers upon the Prophet (saw), and Ramadan is the month of the Qur鈥檃n.

We recommend saying this short and powerful du鈥檃 every day in Rajab:

Another way of seeking Allah鈥檚 forgiveness is by giving charity, as the Prophet (saw) said, 鈥楥harity extinguishes sins just as water extinguishes fire.鈥� [Ibn Majah]

3. Prepare for Ramadan in Rajab

Once Rajab begins, there are only two months to go until Ramadan! It is essential that we start preparing from now, laying the foundations of good habits and making a plan of action for this blessed month.

As Imam Abu Bakr al-Warraq al-Balkhi (rh), the uncle of Imam Tirmidhi (rh), said, 鈥楾he month of Rajab is the month of planting (your seeds), Sha鈥榖an is the month of irrigating / watering (them), and Ramadan is the month of harvesting the crop.鈥�

He (rh) also said, 鈥楾he month of Rajab is like wind, Sha鈥榖an is like clouds and Ramadan is like rain.鈥�

This imagery perfectly describes the significance of each month in the lead-up to Ramadan! In Rajab, we should be laying foundations and making preparations; in Sha鈥榖an, our preparations will become more tangible and our increased worship will become habitual - and in Ramadan, our good deeds will overflow, in sha Allah!

So how can we use Rajab to prepare for Ramadan? Here鈥檚 our simple, three-step plan:

One: To start with, you have to make a good intention. The Prophet鈥檚 (saw) du鈥檃 is perfect for this:

Two: Write down everything you regret NOT doing last Ramadan. Did you find it difficult to pray at night? Did you put off making up fasts until two weeks before Ramadan? Did you forget to make certain du鈥檃s?

Three: Make a plan for addressing these issues during Rajab. For example, you could start praying at night once a week. You could start fasting on Mondays or Thursdays (or both!) from now. You could make a list of du鈥榓s that you must make, so you can check them off every day in Ramadan.

Remember to set realistic and tangible targets so you can make real progress during Rajab.

3. Understand the weight of a sacred month

Above all, remember that a sacred month is similar to a sacred place. We know that it is recommended to bathe and purify oneself before entering the haram of Makkah, and become more conscious of the weight of our actions. Likewise, we should try to enter a sacred month in a state of purity, and strive to maintain that purity throughout the month.

For example, the Messenger of Allah (saw) recommended fasting at least some days in each of the sacred months. Some of the Companions, among them Umar (ra) and his son Abdullah (ra), and Aisha (ra), liked to make 鈥楿mrah in Rajab.

Summary

Here is a brief summary of the virtues and recommended actions for Rajab:

It is the 鈥榤onth of Allah鈥� and a sacred month, divinely selected for momentous events such as Al-Isra鈥� Wal-Mi鈥檙aj. It is also a month in which Allah鈥檚 blessings and mercy pour down on us. It is recommended that we seek forgiveness throughout Rajab, but especially during the first night, as it has been narrated that our du鈥榓s are answered on this night. It is also Sunnah to use this month to prepare for Ramadan, which is only two months away!

Now, before you go, we鈥檇 like to invite you to an AMAZING investment opportunity this Rajab! Join us in illuminating the , located at the centre of the Blessed Masjid Al-Aqsa complex, and believed to be the exact place where the Prophet (saw) ascended through the heavens on Al-Isra鈥� wal-Mi鈥檙aj!

An investment opportunity

Illuminating Al-Aqsa - which includes the Dome of the Rock - carries the incredible reward of praying there, worth 1,000 prayers! And what better time to honour this symbol of Allah than during Rajab, the sacred month of Allah during which His blessings pour down upon us?

There are ONLY 5,000 shares in the Dome of the Rock lighting project. Secure your 拢500 share today, so you don鈥檛 miss out on this unique investment in your akhirah!

You can also learn more about Blessed Masjid Al-Aqsa in our digital hadith collection! It includes over 40 hadith in Arabic and English, as well as commentary in the footnotes. To get your FREE digital copy, click this link!

We pray Allah showers you with blessings in Rajab and beyond, that you gain the reward of 1,000 prayers, and that you reap the reward of this Sadaqah Jariyah for years to come, amin!