Shakirah Hunter

Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala has indeed favored the Muslim Ummah in that He has created special days to gain a closeness to Allah Ta’ala and special months to earn more rewards. The Ashurul Hurum , the four sacred months are a special bounty of Allah upon us. In these months Allah Ta’ala has made fighting haram, and this was as a special favor to the believers so that they could travel in safety to the Holy Lands without any fear of attack as they travelled.

Allah Ta’ala describes these months in the following words:

﴿ إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَقَاتِلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَافَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَافَّةً وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ ﴾ [التوبة: [36].

“Most Certainly the number of months according to Allah are twelve in the book of Allah, on the day that He created the skies and the earth. From amongst them four are sacred. That is the upright Deen so do not wrong yourselves in these months…”

Nabie (S) explains to us that three of these Sacred months appear consecutively after each other whilst one of the stands alone later in the year.

قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: “إِنَّ الزَّمَانَ قَدِ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ، السَّنَةُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ، ثَلَاثَةٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ: ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ، وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ، وَالْمُحَرَّمُ، وَرَجَبٌ شَهْرُ مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى وَشَعْبَانَ”

The Holy Prophet (s) has said: Time has completed its cycle and has come to the state of the day when Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year consists of twelve months of which four are inviolable: three of them are consecutive – Dhul Qa’dah , Dhul- Hijjah and Muharram. And rajab the month of mudar (a tribe) which comes between the Jumada and Sha’ban”.

 The sacred months became a time that peace reigned in order for people to make the lengthy travel to Makkah for the season of Hajj and then back home. This journey used to take months due to being done by camel, or ship. Alhamdulillah today travel to the Holy lands has become extremely easy and at times we overlook these blessed months.

However, besides the safety factor these months are sacred within themselves due to their intrinsic virtue and the increase in reward for actions done in this time. Allah Ta’ala gives us a unique advice for these months. He says: ﴿ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنْفُسَكُمْ ﴾ [التوبة: 36] “Do not oppress yourselves in these months”. This is because just as good deeds are increased in reward in these months, so too are bad actions increased in their effect and in their sin.

Qatadah (ra) explains to us that this ayah means do not cause oppression to any person in these months, zulm or oppression is wrong and a great cause of sin – but specifically in these months it becomes even more severe because Allah Ta’ala specifies it as such.

: “إن الله اصطفى صفايا من خلقه، اصطفى من الملائكة رسلًا، ومن الناس رسلًا، واصطفى من الكلام ذكره، واصطفى من الأرض المساجد، واصطفى من الشهور رمضان والأشهر الحرم، واصطفى من الأيام يوم الجمعة، واصطفى من الليالي ليلة القدر، فعظِّموا ما عظَّم الله، فإنما تعظيم الأمور بما عظَّمها الله به عند أهل الفهم وأهل العقل

Most certainly Allah has chosen certain chosen ones from amongst His creation. He chose certain Angels to be messengers and from amongst the people messengers. And He chose from the best of speech to be– His mention (zikr). And He chose from the best places on earth to be the Masaajid. And He chose from the best of months to be Ramadhan and the sacred months. And He chose from the best of days to be the Day of Jumu’ah. And He chose from the best of nights to be Laylatul Qadr. So, show respect to that which Allah has venerated because the only things that have to be venerated are those things that Allah Ta’ala has venerated.

Amongst the virtuous days in these sacred months are :

• The Day of Arafah
• The Day of sacrifice – Eid ul Adha
• The Days after Eidul Adha
• The days of Tashreeq
• The Days of Eid
• The Night of Me’raaj

Our focus as believers should be:

1. To optimize our good actions in these months
2. To stay away from bad actions
3. To evaluate our dealings with people so that we are not oppressive in any way.
4. To venerate these days with the worship of Allah Ta’ala