The shaykh of our shaykhs, Shaykh Abdal Hamid al-Quds al-Makki, narrates that the one who recites the following litany 35 times on the last Friday of Rajab, which coincides with the 27th day of Rajab this year for those who began Rajab on the 23rd of January (while others did begin on the 24th, and Allah knows best), which is the day of Isra and Mi’raj, will not suffer from poverty throughout the year. Our shaykhs recommend this be read during the day, after the khatib has ascended to the minbar during Jumma’, preferably during the time of supplication at the end of the second khutba (if one is praying the jumma’, they may recite it inaudibly, and then say it again afterwards):
أحمد رسول الله محمد رسول الله
Ahmadu RasulAllah(i) Muhammadun RasulAllah(i)
Ahmad is the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
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This is the month of Rajab – a month that many among our Shafi’i scholars claim is the most superior month from among the four appointed as sacred by Allah.
Our scholars teach us that when the Prophet entered Rajab, he would begin reciting the following du’a/supplication:
اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَناَ فِيْ رَجَبٍ وَشَعْبانَ وَبَلّغْنَا رَمَضَانْ
Allahumma barik lana fi Rajab wa Sha’ban wa baligna Ramadan
Oh God, grant us blessing during Rajab and Sha’ban and allow us to reach Ramadan.
The great friend of Allah, Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani states:
“Rajab is three letters: Ra, Jeem and Ba. The Ra is Rahmatullah (the mercy of Allah.) Jeem is JudAllah (the generosity of Allah.) Ba is Bir’uAllah (kindness of Allah.)
Therefore there are three gifts from Allah to his servants who are adherent in this month. Which are:
1. Mercy without punishment
2. Generosity without greed
3. Kindness without alienation.”
And Allah knows best.
There is much to know about this night, and the shaykh of our shaykhs, Sayyid Muhammad b. Alawi al-Maliki, has written an excellent summary of what people should know. This book has also been translated into English by Dr Gibril Haddad, and published by al-Ghazali Institute – the cover of the book is included as the picture to this post.
If we mentioned of that journey only one thing, it would be enough for us to be grateful for our entire lives and beyond: and that is the Prophet, ‘alayhi salat wa salam, ascended through the heavens, and then returned.
He returned for you. He returned for all of us. He returned, so that we might know our religion. That alone is reason enough for us to be grateful for our entire lives. For, truly, would any of us have come back from such a trip, for this world?
But he is our liege-lord Muhammad – and he is the mercy to all the worlds.
May God bless all of us in this blessed night, the blessed day, the blessed month, and then Sha’ban, and allow us to reach Ramadan.”
