The Month of RABI-UL-THANI

This month is also called “Rabi’ul-‘akhir”. No spe¬cific function or worship has been prescribed by the Shari’ah in this month. However, some people take the llth of this month as the anniversary of Shaikh Abdulqadir al-Jilani رحمة الله عليه , the great sufi and one of the most pious persons of our history. On this as¬sumption, these people cook some special types of meals and distribute them among their acquaintants. Some of them believe that this practice pleases the soul of the Shaikh رحمة الله عليه and he will help us in ful¬filling our worldly needs or in reaching our mundane or spiritual goals.
This practice is totaly baseless for a number of reasons:
Firstly, it is not historically proved with certainty that the Shaikh رحمة الله عليه died on the 11th of this month. Some historians claim that he died on 9th and some of them hold that he died on 17th.
Secondly, even if it is proved that he had died on llth of this month, the observation of anniversaries is not recognized by the Shari’ah, as we have explained it with more details earlier while discussing the month of Rabi’ul-awwal.
Thirdly, if the practice is based on the belief that the soul of the Shaikh will be pleased by it and will help us in our worldly affairs, it is totally an erroneous idea and may amount to ‘shirk’.
Fourthly, even if these acts are performed for the purpose of ‘Isdl-al-thawab only, there is no reason why a specific date is fixed for this purpose, and why the people not observing it are blamed and reproached.
Fifthly, the ‘Isal-al-thawab’ can be conceived where an ‘ibadah (act of worship) is done like sada-qah, but here in this practice normally the meal is dis¬tributed among the well-off relatives or friends and not among the poor. It means that there is no inten¬tion to perform an ‘ibadah.
Sixthly, if some mundane benefits are sought by this practice, no thawab is supposed to be achieved. How can it be an act of’lsal-al-thawdb?
In short, looked at from any angle, this custom does not fit in the recognized principles of Shari’ah. Therefore, it should be abandoned in any case.
It must be remembered, however, that what we have said does not mean that one cannot make an ‘lsal-al-thawab to the Shaikh Abdulqadir Jilani. In fact the ‘isal-al-thawab is a recognized practice in Sha¬ri’ah. It becomes more commendable if it is done in fa¬vor of a pious person, like Shaikh Abdulqadir Jilani. But it should not be restricted to a particular date or a particular act. A Muslim can make ‘isal-al-thawab to the Shaikh any day and through any act of worship, like salah, fasting, charity etc.