Allah says: 
Verily, the number of months with Allâh is twelve months (in a year), so was
it ordained by Allâh on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth;
of them four are Sacred, (i.e. the 1st, the 7th, the 11th and the 12th months of
the Islâmic calendar). That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves
therein, and fight against the Mushrikűn collectively, as they fight against
you collectively. But know that Allâh is with those who are pious. (9:36) The Prophet (SAW) said, 
Three are in succession; Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and
(the fourth is) Rajab of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumada
(Ath-Thani) and Sha`ban). It has been mentioned by Abu Nu’aym in his Hilya from Anas Ibn Malik said, that the Prophet of Allah (SWT) who used to make the following du`a, when the month of Rajab came in: 
"Allahuma Barik lana fi Rajaba wa Sha`bana wa ballighna Ramadan" –
'O Allah bless us in Rajab and Sha`ban and let us reach Ramadan.' It has been mentioned by Abu’l-Fath ibn Abi’l-Fawaris in his `Amali and Imam as-Suyuti has also mentioned in his Jami` as-Saghir from Hasan al-Basri that the Prophet (SAW) of Allah said: 'Rajab is the month of Allah. Sha`ban is my month.
Ramadan is the month of my Ummah (community).' From the above Hadith, it shows that it is preferable to make du`a, to live through the coming months, in order to perform good actions in them, because a believer increases his goodness with age. The best of people is the one who lives long and performs good actions. The pious predecessors used to prefer dying after performing good actions, like the fast of Ramadan or returning from Hajj. And it was said by them, ‘whoever dies in this way is forgiven.’ There is no doubt that the month of Rajab is the key to the opening of the months of goodness and blessing. Abu Bakr Warraq said: Rajab is a month of cultivation, Shaban is month of irrigating the fields, and the month of Ramadan is a month of reaping and harvesting. In the month of Rajab, the Prophet (SAW) went through the Night Journey and Ascension. During this month one must keep oneself away from all kinds of bad manners and behavior. One of the most important days of the year is the first day of the 'month of God.' All seclusions commence at the beginning of the month of Rajab. The most important seclusion that Sufi masters have performed in their lives always fell in that month. It is a holy month. It is recommended to fast the months of Rajab and Sha`ban as a nafila or supererogatory worship, with the intention of following the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) which has established the merit of this fast. As for extra devotions on certain nights of Rajab and Sha`ban there is no grounds for prohibiting them as the "Salafis" try to do now and then, and only the those with deficient understanding of faith would object to increasing remembrance of Allah on such nights as laylat al-isra' or 15 Sha`ban. The following paragraph is a translation of `Abd al-Rahman al-Jaziri's chapter entitled "Fasting Rajab, Sha`ban, and the Rest of the Holy Months" in his book al-Fiqh `ala al-madhahib al-arba`a (Islamic law according to the Four Schools): "Fasting the months of Rajab and Sha`ban is recommended (mandub) as agreed upon by three of the Imams, while the Hanbalis differed in that they said fasting Rajab singly is disliked, except if one breaks the fast during it then it is not
disliked. Regarding the holy months – Dhul Qa`dah, Dhul Hijjah,Muharram, and
Rajab – fasting them is recommended according to three of the Imams, while the
Hanafis differed in that they said what is recommended in the Holy months is to
fast three days from each of them, which are Thursday, Friday and Saturday". Hadiths on Rajab 1. In Muslim, Abu Dawud, and Ahmad: `Uthman ibn Hakim al-Ansari said: I asked Sa`id ibn Jubayr about fasting in Rajab, and we were then passing through the month of Rajab, whereupon he said: I heard Ibn `Abbas saying: "The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to observe fast
so continuously that we thought he would never break it, and at other times he
remained without fasting so continuously that we thought he would never fast." Sufficient proof of the month of Rajab's status as a great month lies in the fact that it is the month of the Prophet's rapture and ascension to his Lord (alisra' wa al-mi`raj), and they are blessed who commemorate this month and that night for the sake of Allah's favor to His Prophet and the Community of His Prophet. And Allah knows best. Imam Hasan is the principal of Madrasatul Hasana, Cape Town. He is also the Imam of Musjidul
Jumu’ah in Milnerton, Cape Town. He is authorized to initiate murids into the Naqshbandi
tariqa under the spiritual guidance of Shaykh Muhammed Nazim ‘Adil al Haqqani of Cyprus. He
is also authorized to teach and practice Tasawwuf in other tariqas as well. | 
