The Ruling on Singling Out the Month of Rajab with Worship

The question: Is it true that the month of Rajab is singled out with specific acts of worship? I hope you can benefit us, as this matter has become unclear to us. Also, should the month be singled out with doing ‘Umrah or visiting Masjid An-Nabawi? The answer: The month of Rajab is the same as other months; it is not specified/singled out with acts of worship. This is because it was not proven from the Prophet ﷺ that he used to single it out with prayer, fasting, Umrah, sacrifice, or anything else. These things were only done in Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic period) and Islam abolished it. So, the month of Rajab is the same as the other months; no specific acts of worship have been established from the Prophet ﷺ in it. So, whoever innovates and singles out an act of worship in it becomes a Mubtadi’ (innovator in the religion). This is because he innovated something in the religion which doesn’t belong in it, and acts of worships are Tawqifiyyah (restricted); none of them should be performed except with evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah, and no specific, reliable evidence has been reported regarding the month of Rajab. Everything that was reported regarding it is not proven from the Prophet ﷺ, rather the Sahabah used to forbid people and warn them against fasting in Rajab specifically. As for the person who has a continuous (habit) of praying or fasting, then there’s no problem. This is because Rajab is like other months and it falls under them. As for the month of Rajab being singled out with separate acts of worship and not other months, then this is from the prohibited Bida’ (innovations in the religion) for which one is sinful and is not rewarded for, yes.