In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful…

Dear Muslim brothers and sisters,

The Mercy of the Glorified and Exalted Allah is so great – the Almighty once again gives us the opportunity to meet the three sacred months – Rajab, Sha’ban and Ramadan! It is for a reason that in a hadith (narration) the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) made dua (supplication) with the words: “Oh, Allah, bless us in the months of Rajab and Sha’ban and let us reach again the month of Ramadan!”

Rajab is the month in which Muslims make their preparation to meet the month of Ramadan. During the month of Sha’ban is the “general rehearsal” for Ramadan, so that people can meet the grace of Allah and turn to Him in the manner that befits a Muslim.

In this sense, I appeal to the entire Muslim community… Let us do our best for our good preparation during the month of Rajab, to do everything we can! Let us remember the past year and try to enrich the way in which we had spent those blessed days and nights then. Because the Prophet (pbuh) said: “One whose two days are equal is a loser.”

Let us try, as Muslims, every following day to be a better version of ourselves, and in this way in every following month, and in every following year… So our preparation during the month of Rajab of the present year should be better than that from the previous year. The “rehearsal” during the month of Sha’ban should be more successful than the one from the previous year and the acts of worship performed during the month of Ramadan should be more complete and profound!

It is a fact that every following year the month of Ramadan shifts in the time with 10-11 days earlier than the previous one. The day is getting shorter and the night – longer! In this way the time of the fast becomes shorter and the time for night worshipping (ibadah) starts earlier, and along with this – we have also the possibility for more acts of worship during the night. And this gives us the opportunity, as Muslims, to have a better communication with each other, to use the time more rationally in this month.

May Allah bestow on all people, without exceptions, the possibility to meet His Grace, to benefit from His Mercy! May Allah accept the ibadah (acts of worship) of everyone, Insha’Allah!

Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi – Grand Mufti of the Muslims in the Republic of Bulgaria