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Rajab

Seventh month of the Islamic calendar

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Through Pre-Islamic Arabia, Muhammad and Lunar calendar

This month is regarded as one of the four sacred months (including Muharram, Dhu'l-Qa'da and Dhu'l-Hijja) in Islam in which battles are prohibited. The pre-Islamic Arabs also considered warfare to be blasphemous during these four months.

Muslims believe Rajab is the month in which ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib, the first Shia Imam and the fourth Rashidun caliph, was born.

Rajab is also the month during which Isra and Mi'raj (Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and then through the seven Heavens) took place.

Rajab and Shaʿbān are a prelude to the holy month of Ramaḍān.

Name

The word "Rajab" came from rajūb (رجوب), the sense of veneration or glorification, and Rajab was also formerly called Mudhar because the tribe of Mudhar did not change it but rather expected its time to be different than the rest of the Arabs, who changed and altered the months according to the state of war.

The name of Rajab literally means respected, regarded, and admired. It seems that the word is originally a Semitic one. There are two important events during the month, namely the birthday of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Muhammad's first revelation in Shia tradition. There are other names for the month, such as Rajab Al-Morrajjab, Rajab Al-Asab, and Rajab Sharif.

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