Ṣalāt ar-Raghā`ib, An Evil Innovation
Ṣalāt ar-Raghā`ib, a prayer that is said on the night of first Friday of the month of Rajab is an evil Bid’ah, so be warned and warn others, below are the statements of the Imāms of Ahlus-Sunnah concerning this innovation:
Imām an-Nawawī رحمه الله said: “May Allāh kill the one who introduced (this Bid’ah) and fabricated it, for it is an evil Bid’ah, a Bid’ah that (constitutes of) misguidance and ignorance and in it is open opposition (to Sharī’ah).”
● [شرح مسلم]
Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله was asked: “Is it permissible to pray Ṣalāt ar-Raghā`ib in congregation or not?”, he said: “.. It is an innovation which is disliked and condemned, the Ḥadīth regarding it is fabricated and it is not permissible to act upon it (i.e pray it) be it individually or in congregation.”
● [الفتاوى الفقهية الكبرى ١٢١٦]
Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله: “This (Ṣalāt ar-Raghā`ib) is not prescribed in Islām, that is is the agreement of the Imāms of Islām and also this is what has been stated by the respected scholars of this Ummah, no one allowed it except for an ignorant innovator, for innovations as such open the door to altering the Sharī’ah of Deen, this prayer was not offered by the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ nor any Companion nor any Tabi’ī nor any Imām, the scholar have a consensus upon it that the Ḥadīth regarding this prayer that has been narrated from the Prophet ﷺ is a fabricated lie, hence ‘Ulamā said it is *forbidden* (to offer this prayer) and it is not recommended.”
● [الفتاوى الكبرى ٢٢٣٩-٢٦٢]
Ibn al-Jawzī رحمه الله: “Ṣalāt ar-Raghā`ib is a fabricated lie upon the Prophet ﷺ, had it been prescribed the Salaf would not be unaware of it, and it (this innovation) was introduced after 400 Ḥijrī.”
● [الموسوعة الفقهية ٢٢٦٢]
Shaykh al-‘Uthaymīn رحمه الله said: As for what is called Salāh ar-Raghā’ib which comprises of 1000 rak’ah that is prayed on the first night of Rajab or the first friday nightnof Rajab, then this is also not correct and it is not legislated (by the Sharī’ah).“
● [لقاء الباب المفتوح ٢١٧]
Ibn Rajab رحمه الله said: “As for salāh, then there is nothing authentic confirmed in the month of Rajab that is specific and specified to this month. And the ahādīth that were reported about the eminence of Salāh at-Ragā’ib on the first Friday night in the month of Rajab are lies and falsehood – they are not authentic. And this salāh is an innovation, as deemed by the majority of the ‘Ulamā’.”
● [لطائف المعارف ص ١١٨]