All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
The majority of scholars from the Hanafis, Malikis, and Shafi‘is, as well as some of the Hanbalis, are of the view that it is recommended (mustahabb) to fast in the month of Rajab, just as it is recommended to fast in the rest of the sacred months, namely: Muharram, Dhu al-Qa‘dah, and Dhu al-Hijjah.
They cite as evidence the statement of Allah the Almighty {which means}: "So do not wrong yourselves therein." [al-Tawbah/36].
Ibn Kathir said in his Tafsir (Vol.4/P.148): “From Ibn ‘Abbas regarding His statement: {Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve months} up to His statement {so do not wrong yourselves therein}—this applies to all of them. Then He specified four months and made them sacred, magnified their sanctity, and made sin in them graver, and righteous deeds and reward greater.”
They also cite some narrations, among them the hadith: “Fast during the sacred months and leave [some days].” Narrated by Abu Dawud, who remained silent regarding it, and he stated in his letter to the people of Makkah: “Everything I remain silent about is (acceptable).”
Also among the evidences is the statement of the Prophet (PBUH)—when he was asked about the reason for fasting the month of Sha‘ban: “That is a month which people are heedless of, between Rajab and Ramadan.” Narrated by al-Nasa’i. They said: This hadith indicates that the months of Rajab and Ramadan are months of worship and obedience, during which people are not heedless.
Commenting on this hadith, Ibn Hajar, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
“This contains an indication that there is a resemblance between Rajab and Ramadan, and that people occupy themselves in worship during Rajab as they do during Ramadan, and are heedless of something similar in Sha‘ban. Therefore, he used to fast it. And his specifying fasting in this regard indicates the virtue of Rajab, and that this was something known and established among them.” (Tabyin al-‘Ajab bima Warada fi Fadl Rajab, pp. 26–27)
In recent times, a fatwa has become well-known within the Hanbali school stating that it is disliked (makruh) to single out the month of Rajab for fasting, out of fear that people might think fasting it is obligatory like Ramadan, and due to reports from some of the noble Companions.
They cite as evidence what Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated in al-Musannaf (Vol.2/P.345) from Kharashah ibn al-Hurr, who said: “I saw ‘Umar striking the hands of people in Rajab until they put them into the bowls, and he would say: ‘Eat, for it is only a month that the people of the pre-Islamic era used to venerate.’” See al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah (Vol.3/P.53).
The response is that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) intended to prevent Rajab from being likened to Ramadan, so that people would not believe that fasting it is obligatory like fasting Ramadan. Thus, he forbade some of those who were fasting out of fear that they might fall into that misconception. This was a form of Shar‘i policy (siyasah shar‘iyyah) on his part, may Allah be pleased with him.
For this reason, the Hanbalis said that the dislike is removed by breaking the fast for one day during it, or by fasting another month in full, so that Rajab is not singled out for fasting.
Therefore, whoever is accustomed to voluntary fasting and increases fasting in the month of Rajab seeking reward therein, no one from the four relied-upon schools of jurisprudence should object to him. And Allah the Almighty knows best.
