Rajab

Rajab is the seventh month of the Islamic lunar calendar (Hijri). It is one of the four sacred months, during which armed conflict is traditionally discouraged and acts of piety are emphasized. The month’s position in the lunar year means it advances by about 10 or 11 days each solar year.

The name Rajab derives from Arabic roots associated with reverence or respect. In ancient Arabia the month was regarded as sacred, a status that carried into Islamic tradition and was maintained in the ritual calendar.

As a lunar month, Rajab has 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the moon. Because the Islamic year is shorter than the solar year, Rajab recurs earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar.

Religious significance and practice vary among Muslim communities. Many Muslims increase prayers, Qur’an recitation, and voluntary fasting during Rajab, while others focus on general devotion throughout the month. Some communities observe specific rites such as night prayers or supplications on particular nights within Rajab, known in various traditions as Laylat al-Ragha’ib, with timing differing by locality. In some traditions, events such as Isra and Mi’raj are associated with Rajab, though scholarly and communal opinions differ on the exact dating.

Historically, classical Islamic writings describe terms like Rajab al-Mu’azzam (the Great Rajab) and Rajab al-Fard, reflecting a cultural emphasis on the month’s sacred status. Overall, Rajab is viewed as a period of heightened spirituality, with observances that vary across cultures and denominations.