Kharashah ibn al-Hurr said:

I saw ‘Umar hitting the hands of the people [who fasted] in Rajab until they put them in bowls [of food] and he said: “Eat, as it is a month which used to be exalted by Ahlul-Jâhiliyyah.”

[Narrated by ibn Abî Shaybah, and it was accepted by al-Buhûtî, Shaykh Turkî al-Bin’alî and others]

Salât ar-Raghâ’ib in the month of Rajab

Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said in al -Fatâwâ al-Kubrâ:

This Salât (ar-Raghâ’ib) was not offered by the Prophet ﷺ, by any of the Sahâbah, the Tâbi’în or the Imâms of the Muslims. The Hadîth which is narrated regarding that from the Prophet ﷺ is false and fabricated according to scholarly consensus. Hence the scholars said that it is forbidden and not recommended.

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalî رحمه الله said in Latâ’if al-Ma’ârif:

And the Ahâdîth narrated about the virtue of Salât ar-Raghâ’ib in the first night of Jumu’ah from the month of Rajab are baseless lies and they are not authentic. This Salâh is a Bid’ah according to the majority of the scholars.

It’s attributed that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Rajab is the month of Allâh, Sha’bân is my month and Ramadân is the month of my Ummah.”

[Ibn al-Qayyim, ash-Shawkânî, ibn Hajr and as-Saghânî said it is fabricated]

Ibn al-Qayyim said in Al-Manâr al-Munîf:

Every Hadîth that mentions fasting in Rajab and praying some nights in it is a fabricated lie.

Like the Hadîth: “Whoever prays 20 Rak’ât after Salâh al-Maghrib on the first night of Rajab will pass through the Sirât without judgement.”

And the Hadîth: “Whoever fasts a day from Rajab, and prays 2 Rak’ât; reciting Âyat al-Kursî 100 times in the first Rak’ah, and [reciting] Sûrah al-Ikhlâs 100 times in the second [Rak’ah] will not die until he sees his seat in Jannah."

The Hadîth: Fasting the first day of Rajab is an expiation [of sins] for 3 years, and [fasting] the second [day] is an expiation [of sins] for 2 years, and [fasting] the third [day] is an expiation [of sins] for a year, then [fasting] every day is [like fasting] a month.

Imâm ash-Shawkânî رحمه الله said in al-Fat’h ar-Rabbânî: “It is baseless and has no origin.”

Imâm ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said in al-Manâr al-Munîf: “The Hadîth of whoever fasts from Rajab [is rewarded with] such and such; All of them are made up lies.”

Hadîth: When the Prophet ﷺ entered [the month] of Rajab he would say: “O Allâh bless us in Rajab and Sha’bân, and let us reach Ramadân.”

[Narrated by Ahmad, at-Tabarânî and others]

This Hadîth was weakened by al-Bayhaqî, ibn Rajab, adh-Dhahabî, an-Nawawî, al-Haythamî, Sulaymân al-‘Alwân, ‘Abdullâh as-Sa’d, Khâlid al-Hâyik, Abû ‘Alî al-Hasanî and others.

Shaykh Abû ‘Alî al-Hasanî said:

Everything that has been narrated regarding the virtues of the month of Rajab:

From congratulating its entrance, celebrating its start, fasting a specific day, praying a specific night, praying a specific Salâh; like Salât ar-Raghâ’ib, [performing] a specific I’tikâf, a specific ‘Umrah, the specification of giving out the Zakât, [performing] a specific slaughter, or taking it as an ‘Eid.

Or the occurrence of some events in it, like the birthday of the Prophet ﷺ, his mission [as a Messenger] or the night of al-Isrâ’ wal-Mi’râj.

It is fabricated, rejected, baseless and has no origin, not from the Prophet ﷺ, not from the Sahâbah رضي الله عنهم, and not from the Tâbi’în رحمهم الله.

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said regarding the Kâfir woman who dies with a Muslim child in her womb:

Imâm Ahmad was asked: “What do you say about a Christian woman who dies and has a Muslim child in her womb, where is she buried?” He said: “There are 3 opinions regarding it. [It’s narrated] from ‘Umar that she is buried with the Muslims, and [it’s narrated] from Wâthilah that she is buried between the cemetery of the Muslims and Christians.” Elsewhere he mentioned: “She is buried with the Christians.” He said: “I like that she is buried between them.” I said: “What if you cannot find except the cemetery of the Muslims? He smiled and did not dislike it.”

I say (meaning ibn al-Qayyim): As for the report of Wâthilah, then ibn Abî Shaybah said: Ja’far ibn ‘Awn narrated to us from ibn Jurayj, from Sulaymân ibn Mûsâ, from Wâthilah ibn al-Asqa’ regarding a Christian woman who has a Muslim child in her womb, he said: “Bury her in a grave between the cemetery of the Muslims and Christians.”

And as for the report of ‘Umar, then [ibn Abî Shaybah] said: Sufyân ibn ‘Uyaynah narrated to us from ‘Amr that he said: “A woman died in Shâm and she had a Muslim child in her womb and she was Christian, so ‘Umar commanded that she is buried with the Muslims for the sake of her child.”

[Ahkâm Ahlul-Dhimmah]

[2/2] Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said in his book Ahkâm Ahlul-Dhimmah:

The ruling on their slaughter (the people of the book)

Is’hâq ibn Mansûr said: Abû ‘Abdillâh [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] said: “There is no problem with Ahlul-Kitâb slaughtering for the Muslims, other than the ritual sacrifice.” (Meaning the slaughter for ‘Eid al-Adhâ)

Hanbal said: I heard Abû ‘Abdillâh [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] say: “There is no problem with the slaughtering of Ahlul-Kitâb if they devote it to Allâh, and [mention] His name upon it. Allâh said: ‘Do not eat of what is not slaughtered in Allâh’s name…’ [6:121] and the Muslim mentions the name of Allâh. As for what is devoted to other than Allâh, by what is slaughtered for their churches and festivals, then avoid that, and it is more beloved to me that Ahlul-Kitâb [mention] the name [of Allâh] on their slaughter.”

Muhannâ ibn Yahyâ said: “I asked Abû ‘Abdillâh [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] about the slaughter of as-Sâmirah.” He said: “Eat it, they are from Ahlul-Kitâb.”

‘Abdullâh ibn Ahmad said: My father [Imâm Ahmad] said: “There is no problem with the slaughter of Ahlul-Harb if they are from Ahlul-Kitâb.”

Ibn al-Mundhir said: This was unanimously agreed upon by every one of whom knowledge was taken from, from the people of knowledge.

[1/2] Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said in his book Ahkâm Ahlul-Dhimmah:

The ruling on their slaughter (the people of the book)

Allâh تعالى said: “…and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them…” [5:5]

The Salaf did not differ that the meaning of [food] in that [verse] is regarding the slaughter. Al-Bukhârî said that ibn ‘Abbâs said: “Their food is their slaughter.” This was also said by ibn Mas’ûd, Mujâhid, Ibrâhîm, Qatâdah, al-Hasan and others.

Ahmad ibn al-Hasan at-Tirmidhî said: “I asked Abû ‘Abdillâh [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] about the slaughter of Ahlul-Kitâb.” So he said: “There is no problem with it.” So I said: “Which proof do we go to regarding it?” He said: “The Hadîth of ‘Abdullâh ibn Mughaffal on the day of the conquest of Khaybar: [about] the bag of fat…” Ish’âq said: “He was proficient [in his Fatwâ].”

Hanbal said: I heard Abû ‘Abdillâh [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] saying: “Eat the slaughter of the Jew and Christian.”