BISMIHI TA`ALA

ZUL QA`DAH: ENTERING THE SACRED MONTHS SPAN.

Allah Taala created the earth and preferred the land of Makkah. And Allah Taala created time and created the moon and the sun for a reference of time. He set two calendars, the solar and the lunar calendar. And Allah Ta`ala preferred the lunar calendar:’’ Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein.’’(9:36)

The Sunnah defines these 4 months described by the Qur-aan. Nowhere in the Qur-aan you will find which these 4 months are. So the beloved prophet SAW said: ‘’ …the four sacred months are: the three consecutives are Zul Qa`dah, Zul Hijjah, Muharram and then RAJAB.’’(Bukhari)

عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ الزَّمَانُ قَدْ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ السَّنَةُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ثَلَاثَةٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ وَرَجَبُ مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى وَشَعْبَانَ
بخاري

THE SACREDNESS OF THESE FOUR MONTHS:

Because sanctity of a place or a time increases its value, then it increases the gravity of sins or disrespect committed by that place or during that time. That is why Allah Ta`ala stresses in the above ayah that during these 4 sacred months ‘’..wrong not yourselves therein.’’(9:36) And the beloved prophet SAW delivering the Khutbah in Hajj explained the last definition of the sanctity of these 4 sacred months:

عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ
ذَكَرَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَعَدَ عَلَى بَعِيرِهِ وَأَمْسَكَ إِنْسَانٌ بِخِطَامِهِ أَوْ بِزِمَامِهِ قَالَ أَيُّ يَوْمٍ هَذَا فَسَكَتْنَا حَتَّى ظَنَنَّا أَنَّهُ سَيُسَمِّيهِ سِوَى اسْمِهِ قَالَ أَلَيْسَ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ قُلْنَا بَلَى قَالَ فَأَيُّ شَهْرٍ هَذَا فَسَكَتْنَا حَتَّى ظَنَنَّا أَنَّهُ سَيُسَمِّيهِ بِغَيْرِ اسْمِهِ فَقَالَ أَلَيْسَ بِذِي الْحِجَّةِ قُلْنَا بَلَى قَالَ فَإِنَّ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَأَمْوَالَكُمْ وَأَعْرَاضَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ حَرَامٌ كَحُرْمَةِ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا فِي شَهْرِكُمْ هَذَا فِي بَلَدِكُمْ هَذَا لِيُبَلِّغ الشَّاهِدُ الْغَائِبَ فَإِنَّ الشَّاهِدَ عَسَى أَنْ يُبَلِّغَ مَنْ هُوَ أَوْعَى لَهُ مِنْهُ
بخاري
The beloved prophet SAW stressed about the 10th Zil Hijjah, the month of Zul Hijjah and Makkah Mukarramah as sacred and he said: ‘’Your blood, your wealth and your honour are all sacred upon each other, like this day is sacred(10th of Zul Hijjah), like this month is sacred(Zul Hijjah) and this city is sacred(Makkah).’’(Bukhari) This is important for muslims to know that during these months, muslims should take absolute care not to spill the honour of the other fellow muslim. Also one should take care of not offending, taking the money or right and also not killing any fellow muslim. Although all these are always haraam, but the gravity of these sins increases during these months.

In fact note that the more sacred a place or a time is, the more it would be grave to sin therein. That i why Hajis going harams should take more care not to sin therein. The respect of the sanctity of Makkah Mukarramah requires that we do not shout anyone, nor offend or hurt anyone in therein.

So the sanctity of these months calls us to be more careful in not hurting someone with the tongue, with the hands or to take someone`s possessions. Although these are always haraam, but the sacred months brings more importance of avoiding the sins of causing harm to anyone. In fact some sahabas used to fast all the sacred months. Note that the military truce that some ayahs of the Qur-aan induces for these 4 months have been abrogated and cancelled.

Tonight or whenever sighting the moon of Zul Qa`dah, do read the masnoon duas of sighting the moon:

أَللّهُمَّ أَهِلَّه عَلَيْنَا بِالْيُمْنِ وَاْلإِيْمَانِ وَالسَّلاَمَةِ وَاْلإِسْلاَمِ رَبِّىْ ورَبُّكَ الله

Allahoumma ahillahou `alainaa bil youmni wal imaani wassalaamati wal islaami rabbi wa rabbukallah. (Tirmizi )

And know that we have entered the span of months that are sacred: Zul Qa`dah, Zul Hijjah and Muharram. During these months and also Rajab, be more careful against sins during that month and do not oppress anyone with your tongue or your hands. And take more care of not taking the right of others or offending someone.

Mufti Mackoojee