Rajab

Rajab (Arabic: رَجَب) is the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. The lexical definition of the classical Arabic verb rajaba is "to respect", which could also mean "be awe or be in fear", of which Rajab is a derivative. 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.