All thanks and praise to Allah ﷻ, we have reached the Three Holy Months. The Holy Months are Rajab, Shaban and Ramadan. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said in a prayer, “O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Shaban and bring us to Ramadan.” We have entered these holy months. May Allah ﷻ make them means for goodness. May we spend them wisely in doing good deeds and charity.

The fact the Prophet ﷺ drew our attention to these holy months reveals their importance. In the past, Muslims used to give these months more respect and increased their religious devotions and good deeds. Today, many have forgotten or simply don’t realise the value of these holy months. Each month comes and goes, one month to the next. For most people, this has little spiritual significance today. What they give value to are their business dealings and worldly matters. Only Ramadan today, still holds something of the significance these holy months used to hold in the hearts and minds of Muslims.

In the past, many Muslims used to have more respect for these holy months. People who were caught up in sins would out of respect for these months quit their bad and sinful habits. As a result, some would be able to quit their sins permanently, even after these holy months had passed. In a similar way, when I was younger, I learned how Christians during Lent would abstain from sinful habits during this holy period, and some might free themselves from these sins even after Easter. But today, many people of both faiths no longer make the effort, or give either the Three Holy Months or Lent the respect they’re due.

Rajab is the month of Allah ﷻ, in this month Allah is especially generous. Though of course, the generosity of Allah has no limits. We should therefore pray for whatever we need or want. The wealth of Allah ﷻ will never decrease from granting blessings or favours upon us, and Allah ﷻ loves when we call upon Him. Rajab is a beautiful and holy month, an opportunity to turn to our Lord and seek His blessings.

One particularly special night in this holy month is on the 27th Rajab. On this night Muslims remember, ‘Laylat ul-Isra wal-Miraj’, this was the night when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ascended to heavens. When the Prophet ﷺ entered the presence of Allah ﷻ by His secrets – free of place, time and direction. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was invited into the highest levels of the heavens, that no one else had ever been before or since.

We pray Allah ﷻ increases our iman (faith) during these holy months and inspires us to improve and deepen our spiritual devotions and understanding of Islam. We have been living in testing times and we pray these holy months open the door to us being relieved from the pandemic and Allah ﷻ grants us other openings and opportunities, as our economy and society continues to reopen. May we be protected. Amin.

Allah ﷻ gave us these holy nights and days, so let’s make the best of them. Try to increase the time we spend in prayers, meditation, reading Quran, and private reflection. Don’t let these special days just pass us by, or the opportunity is gone… We must make the best and most use of every opportunity in life, whether these be spiritual, or in the furtherance of our academic or material careers. When we lose opportunities, we don’t always get a second chance. Never take anything for granted. Every day we wake up is a blessing from Allah ﷻ, an opportunity to do some things worthwhile and beneficial. Therefore, we traditionally thank Allah ﷻ for giving us life every morning.

May Allah ﷻ not deprive us. May we be blessed, and may these special holy months be a blessing to everyone we love and care about. May the goodness of Rajab, Shaban, Ramadan be upon us all. Amin.

Paul Salahuddin Armstrong
Muslim Chaplain
University of Birmingham Multi-Faith Chaplaincy