As the blessed month of Rajab dawns upon us, we enter the first of the three spiritual seasons leading to Ramadan. For Muslim African Americans, this sacred time resonates deeply with our dual heritage, a legacy of faith intertwined with a relentless struggle for justice and human dignity.
The Spiritual Seasons: Sowing Seeds of Goodness
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) beautifully delineated these months: “Rajab is Allah’s month, Sha’ban is my month and Ramadan is the month of my Community.” Building on this, the wise Imam Abu Bakr al-Warraq illustrated, “In Rajab you sow the seeds, in Sha’ban you irrigate them and in Ramadan you reap the harvest.” Rajab, therefore, is our time to begin the spiritual cultivation, through increased dhikr, seeking forgiveness (istighfar), and a conscious commitment to the justice our souls crave.
Known as Rajab al-Asabb (the Pouring Rajab), it is a month where Allah’s mercy and blessings are abundantly poured forth. It is also one of the Four Sacred Months (Al-Ash-hurul Hurum) ordained by Allah in the Quran (9:36), during which warfare is traditionally prohibited. This sanctity amplifies both the rewards for good deeds and the gravity of wrongdoing. The core feature of Rajab is a conscious commitment to peace, self-restraint, and opposing oppression, a principle etched into our history and struggle.
A Legacy of Global Solidarity: From Our Struggle to Palestine
Our connection to the cause of Palestine is not new; it is a cornerstone of our modern African American Muslim identity. Our brother and teacher, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X), forged this link unbreakably. After his Hajj in 1964, he wrote, “The Muslim world is forced to concern itself, from the moral point of view in its religious concepts, with the fact that our beloved brothers and sisters in Arabia, in Asia, in Africa, and in Latin America are being victimized by the American dollar.”
He saw clearly the shared enemy of racism, colonialism, and oppression. In a powerful speech, he declared, “You can’t separate racism from colonialism. And you can’t separate colonialism from Zionism. It’s one evil that takes different forms.” In Rajab, a month that condemns injustice, we hear his call to recognize the interconnected struggle. He taught us that our fight for civil rights is incomplete without solidarity with the oppressed worldwide, stating, “We have to keep in mind at all times that we are not fighting for integration, nor are we fighting for separation. We are fighting for recognition as human beings.” This is the very fight of siblings, the Palestinian people.
A Month of Sacred History and Connection to Al-Aqsa
Rajab is the month of the miraculous Night Journey and Ascension (Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj), where the Prophet (SAAWS) was taken from the Kaabah in Makkah, to Masjid Nabaweeh in Median and onto Al-Aqsa Mosque in Al-Quds, Jerusalem. Allah declares:
“Glorified be He Who took His servant for a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose precincts We have blessed…” (Al-Isra 17:1)
This event forever linked the heart of every believer to Al-Quds. It was in Rajab that the Ansar pledged to defend the Prophet (SAAWS) at all costs, a lesson in commitment. It was also in Rajab that Salahuddin al-Ayyubi liberated Jerusalem.
Today, as we honor Rajab, we must actively honor what it signifies: peace through justice. We cannot speak of this sacred, peaceful month while remaining silent about the genocide in Gaza. The occupation and apartheid stand in stark violation of the sanctity Rajab upholds and the human dignity Malcolm X championed.
Our Triple Obligation: Faith, Heritage, and Citizenship
As African American Muslims, we carry a triple obligation drawn from our Islam, our history, and our citizenship.
- Stand for Palestine as an Act of Faith and Legacy: To support Palestine is to fulfill the Prophetic connection to Al-Aqsa and to answer Malcolm X’s call for global brotherhood against oppression. We must educate, advocate for a real ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, and support accountability at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).
- Defend Our Rights to Speak Truth: We must vigorously oppose laws that falsely equate anti-Zionism with antisemitism. These bills are a direct assault on the free speech our community has fought for. We stand against all bigotry, but we defend our right, as Malcolm X did, to critique oppressive systems without censorship.
The Prophet (SAAWS) said, “Do not undertake a journey to visit any Mosque, but three: this Mosque of mine, the Mosque of al-Haram, and the Mosque of Aqsa.” If we cannot go, we can support its people. We can also follow the tradition of sending charity to maintain Al-Aqsa, for “whoever sends oil for its lamps, it is as if they went there.”
A Call to Action and Repentance
Rajab is a prime time for sincere repentance (tawbah). Let us cleanse our hearts and renew our intentions toward active righteousness.
Let the “seeds” we sow this Rajab include:
- The Seed of Inherited Solidarity: Teach our youth the words of Malcolm X, and Imam Jamil Al-Amin, Imam Talib and others of pious forebears linking our history to global justice.
- The Seed of Advocacy: Call elected officials. Demand an end to funding genocide.
- The Seed of Unified Protest: Join peaceful marches, and protests embodying the collective power our legacy teaches.
- The Seed of Community Strength: Fortify our institutions to be pillars of this work.
The Prophet (SAAWS) taught us, “Verily, the (results of) deeds done, depend upon the final acts.” Let our final acts be those of unwavering faith, courageous speech, and principled action, in the tradition of those who came before us.
May Allah accept our repentance in Rajab, bless us in Sha’ban, and allow us to reach Ramadan, the Dua of the Prophet (SAAWS) as stronger, more conscientious believers. May He grant victory to the oppressed and make us instruments of His peace and justice on earth-AMEEN.
