tasbih – from 10 days in ihtikhaf to 20 days – with the revelation of the surat.
With this we could understand that if one attains elderly age he should increase good deeds, and fasting Rajab is definitely one such deed.
So, I was therefore surprised when I read a piece by one Dr Ahmad Murtala in your paper of May 17, 2013 titled “Rajab: Not month for the aged.”
Dr. Ahmad writes: “Umar bn Khattab was authentically reported to have taken measures to stop those who fasted in the month of Rajab”. It is well known that some Ulama did not authenticate the narration, while on the order hand there’s an accepted narration where Sayyid Umar was reported to have taken measures against those wearing trousers. So, you instead chose to wear trousers while here you try to stop people from fasting Rajab.
Umar bn Khattab also used to stop people from performing some Ibadat so as to achieve maslaha in the religion, like Hajjul Tamattui, despite its acceptance as enshrined in Islam. Imam Malik also used to dislike observing “Sittu Shawwal” because he feared that the ignorant might link it to Ramadan.
Fasting in Rajab doesn’t have clear prophetic confirmation or companion deeds and that prompted ibn Hajar to write a book, “Tabyinun Ajab Fadhailil Rajab,” cited by the author of Mawahibul jalil fi haddab vol. 2/412 after he summarized the book of bn Hajar where he said in response to a question that: “He who vows to fast in Rajab, then it becomes compulsory on him because Allah (T) is worship[ by doing fasting. He further said that, “he who stopped people from observing vowed fasting in Rajab he definitely displayed his level of ignorance toward the sources of sharia i.e. Quran and Hadith. How then would you invalidate something which was not rejected by scholars of Sharia?
Suldanul Ulama also said, “his fasting (one who fast Rajab) would be accorded as the one who seeks to get closer to his Creator.”
Some authentic hadith that encourage people to do so as narrated by Bukhari and Muslim include:
1. “Every deed of human being is his own, but for the fast. This one is Mine i.e. Allah (T).
2. “The odour smell from the month of one who is observing fasting is more pleasant than the perfume of Almisk.” And all these hadith were not with the exception of the month of Rajab.
Nonetheless, who ever denies fasting in Rajab within the circle of scholars of hadith he is simply ignorant! So too the claim that fasting for a period of 90 days lacks ground in Islam according to Dr Ahmad. Let’s cite some examples like saying prayers, from what is authentic in the hadith, Prophet (S.A.W) has never gone above 13 rakat in his “Qiyamul Laili” but there were a number of early generations (i.e. Salaf) who prayed 36 Rakats — as reported by the author of Arrisalah Libni Abi Zaideen Qairawani
See also Siyaru Aalami Nubala vol.3/95 Aisha (R.A) had been observing fasting every day with the exception of two Eid days i.e Eid Fitr and Eid Kabr.
And lastly, back here in Nigeria, Muhammad Sambo a companion of Sheikh bn Fodio, in the book Kanzul Aulad vol.2/84 said that Sheikh Usman bn Fodio had been fasting for complete three months i.e. Rajab, Shaaban and Ramadan.
Modibbo Tukur wrote from Dukku,Gombe
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