Did you know that there are four sacred months in Islam? These months are so special to Allah ﷻ that fighting is not allowed during them! During these months, the reward for our good deeds are increased as well as the punishment for our sins. Each of these months have their own unique rights and by learning about them we can increase in maximizing our benefit from them. So, what are the virtues of the Islamic holy months?
Muharram
Remember to set your alarm clocks for suhoor! Our Prophet ﷺ taught us that:
“The most excellent fast after Ramadan is God’s month. al-Muharram”
Sahih Muslim
To take advantage of this virtue, we should try to implement as much of the sunnan of fasting as we can. This includes fasting during the three white days of the month, as well as on mondays and thursdays.
As well as this, we should also fast on the day of Ashura. Ashura occurs on the tenth of Muharram and commemorates the day when Musa(as) crossed the red sea with the Israelites. Fasting during Ashura carries the forgiveness of one’s entire sins for the previous year.
Rajab
“The best time to prepare was yesterday, the next best time is now” – unknown
The Sahaba used to prepare for Ramadan six months in advance! Being only two months from Ramadan, makes Rajab the next best time to prepare.
For this reasonImam Abu Bakr al-Warraq al Balkhi (rh) once said:
“The month of Rajab is the month of planting (your seeds), Sha’ban is the month of watering them and Ramadan is the month of harvesting the crop”.
We can prepare for Ramadan by increasing in our superogatory fasts and prayers.
Dhu al-Qa’dah
Dhu al-Qa’dah is a time for reflection. It is the beginning of the three consecutive holy months and the final month before the Hajj.
During Dhu al-Qa’dah we should reflect upon our spiritual achievements since Ramadan and how we might make any improvements.
Dhu al-Hijjah
The best days of the year are the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah. They are so virtuous that Allah ﷻ swears by them in the Quran
“By the dawn; And [by] the ten nights.”
Qur’an 89:1-2
These are the days of the Hajj, and during them we should strive to do as many good deeds as we can!
One of the best deeds we can do is fasting! This is especially the case for the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, Arafat.
Sahih Muslim
Abu Qatadah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked about fasting the day of Arafat and he said, “It will expiate the sins of the previous and upcoming years.”