By HARUN RAZAQ

Innovation in religion is one of the serious matters which go against the Book of Allah and the Sunnah. The Prophet (s.a.w) did not die until after the religion had been perfected. Allah says: “…This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…” (5: 3) It was reported that ‘A’isha, (r.a), narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: “Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours which is not a part of it, will have it rejected.” (Bukhaari & Muslim).

According to a report by Muslim: “Whoever does an action which is not a part of this matter of ours, will have it rejected.”

The believe that the great event of Mi’raj (ascension of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) to the heavens) took place in the night of 27th of Rajab; a renounced Islamic Scholar Shaykh Safur -Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri in his book entitled: “Ar-Raheeq Al- Makhtum (the Sealed Nectar)” award winning book that was awarded first prize by the Muslim World League in a worldwide competition on the biography of the prophet held at Makkah Mukaram in 1399 AH (1979 CE), page 178, presented six different views of scholars concerning the Miraj date. Also, a professors of Islamic History Muhammad Mohar Ali in his book entitled “Surat Al-Nabi and the orientalists”, published in Madinah in (1997CE) page 826 concurred with the aforementioned scholar that opinions differ among scholars concerning the actual date of Miraj.

Attaching special merit to ibadah such as fasting, tilawah, tahjud etc on the 27th of Rajab.According to Hadith scholars, there is no proof in the Shari‘ah to support these practices. Although, all the recognized modes of ‘ibadah are commendable any time, and obviously the 27th night of Rajab is not an exception.

Performing of Ibadah

Therefore, if someone performs any recognized ‘ibadah in this night from this point of view, nothing can stop him from doing so, and he will be entitled to the reward allocated for that recognized ‘ibadah insha-Allah. But it is not permissible to believe that performing ‘ibadah on this day is more meritorious or carries more reward like ‘Lailatul-qadr’ etc.

The great scholar of Islam Shaykh Ibn Bazz has this to say “It is an act of bid‘ah to single out the month of Rajab for offering Salat-ul-Ragha’ib or for celebrating the 27th night, which people believe to have been the night when Isra’ and Mi‘raj took place. These are invented practices that have no basis in Shari‘ah. Analytical scholars have warned against them and we have written and stressed that Salat-ul-Ragha’ib, which is offered on the first Friday night of Rajab, is a bid‘ah. It is also a bid‘ah to celebrate the 27th night of Rajab believing it was the Night of Isra’ and Mi‘raj. There is no proof in the Shari‘ah to support these practices. There is no report specifying the exact night when Isra’ and Mi‘raj took place.

Even if such a night had been specified, it still would not be permissible to celebrate it, since neither the Prophet (s.a.w), nor his Sahabah, nor the Rightly-Guided Caliph are known to have celebrated this night. If celebrating it was Sunnah, they would have done so.”