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What date
According to tradition, all Muslim holidays are celebrated according to the lunar calendar. The night of Raghaib falls on the first Friday of the month of Rajab, in 2023 it is night from 26 to 27 January. It begins with sunset on Thursday and ends with sunrise and the first prayers of Friday.
Night Ragaib: the history of a memorable date
Like many other holidays, the Night of Raghaib is inextricably linked with the life story of the Prophet Muhammad. It is believed that it was on this night that the wedding of his parents, Abdullah and Amina, took place, on the same night he was conceived. Muslims believe that angels then descended from heaven to thank the future father and mother and bless the unborn boy.
The name “Ragaib” itself is translated from Arabic as “dreams” or “desires”. That is, on this night, according to traditions, it has always been customary to turn one’s good wishes to Allah, to think about the realization of really good dreams. Believers remember that Abdullah and Amina always wanted to give this world a child, and the blessing of the angels was not without reason.
The night of Raghaib, according to the documents, was not celebrated immediately. The first mention of this date comes from the XNUMXth century, while Muhammad himself lived in the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries. The tradition of the celebration was connected with the history of the month of Rajab itself. So, for example, in this month it was not customary to draw weapons and go to battle. Wars were stopped, and the parties agreed on a truce.
Traditions of Night Raghaib
Muslims believe that the Night of Raghaib is an unconditional stage of spiritual purification and an important preparation for the month of Ramadan – the most important fast for any devout Muslim. Surviving 30 days without food and water in the morning, afternoon and evening is not so easy, so believers prepare for Ramadan in advance, limiting themselves before major holidays and memorable dates.
It is customary to spend the Thursday before the Night of Raghaib in fasting, refusing food and water until sunset. It is believed that this preparation is both bodily and spiritual, that is, purification. Other important traditions of the Raghaib Night, dating back to the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, are obligatory dua prayers and desirable prayers.
What to do on Raghaib Night
As with other holidays and commemorations, Muslims usually pray and turn to God on this night. This feature unites almost all the important events of the year for believers. It is believed that for every prayer, dua or any other prayer, Allah rewards grace equal to prayers for several days.
Of course, preparations for the Night of Raghaib must begin on Thursday, with a voluntary fast from sunrise to sunset. Then, already on Friday itself, between the Maghreb and Isha prayers, 12 rak’ahs of prayer should be read. It is best if in each rakah a Muslim reads after the traditional surah Al-Fatiha, surah Al-Qadr, and this should be done three times in a row. Then you can read Surah Ikhlas aloud several times.
In addition, it is customary to do the following good deeds on the Night of Raghaib:
- read missed prayers;
- read the prayer “salavat”;
- ask Allah for the forgiveness of sins;
- help the poor, give alms, feed the hungry and help the poor;
- visit your relatives, and if they are no longer alive, then the day before you should visit their graves and remember their best deeds.
This holiday has a special side. Indeed, it was on this night that the prophet Muhammad, the founder of the religion of Islam, was conceived, which means that children become the main characters of this memorable date. Parents always take their young and adult children to the traditional prayer in the mosque, give them the first knowledge about religion, teach the suras of the Koran.
The day before the Night of Raghaib is quite suitable for learning. Muslims believe that this time is better spent with benefit – to pass on knowledge about the religion of their ancestors to their children.
What not to do on the Night of Raghaib
There are no special and special prohibitions for the Night of Raghaib. But, as with other observances, any restrictions that apply on ordinary days become more stringent. Muslims believe that Allah watches his followers especially closely during these days.
And this means that on the Night of Ragaib it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol, eat pork, forget about obligatory prayers. It is highly undesirable on the eve and during the night itself to swear, to do things for which a person will be ashamed later.