Rajab is the 7th Hijri month of the lunar calendar. It’s regarded as one of the four sacred months in Islam in which warfare is prohibited.
The month is very special to Muslims, being a prelude to, and an occasion to prepare for, Ramadan, the 9th Hijri month.
When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) sighted the moon of Rajab, he used to pray to Allah in the following words: “O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Sha’ban blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadan (i.e. prolong our life up to Ramadan, so that we may benefit from its merits and blessings).”
The Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar. Its months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. Since the lunar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year, Rajab migrates throughout the seasons.
The Astronomical New Moon (conjunction) is on February 23, 2020 (Sunday) at 15:32 UT. On that day, the moon can not be seen anywhere by even binoculars, according to Moonsighting.com.
On February 24, the moon can be seen with difficulty in India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. It can be easily seen in parts of Africa, and the Americas. On February 25 it can be easily seen in the rest of the world.
