The righteous predecessors used to glorify the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah and appreciate their value. It was reported in Lataa’if Al-Ma‘aarif that Abu ‘Uthmaan An-Nahdi said, ”The righteous predecessors used to glorify three different ten days: the last ten days of Ramadan, the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah and the first ten days of Al-Muharram.”
It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said, ”It used to be said that every day of the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah equals one thousand days and that the day of ‘Arafah equals ten thousand days (i.e. in their virtue).”
It was narrated that Al-Awzaa‘i said, ”I was told that deeds on one day of the ten days (of Thul-Hijjah) are like going to a battle in the Cause of Allah where one fasts during the day and guards during the night, except if one was killed as a martyr.“
How great are these days for people to compete and how grave is the loss of those who turn their backs! O slaves of Allah, race to all that is good and hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth and be wary of laziness.
Recommended Actions During these Days:
1- Performing Hajj:
One of the most virtuous acts of worship that is performed during these days is Hajj that Allah The Almighty ordained on every Muslim who meets the conditions of Hajj obligation. The Prophet said: “Whoever performs Hajj and does not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commits sin, nor disputes unjustly (during Hajj), then he returns from Hajj as pure and free from sins as on the day his mother gave birth to him.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] The Prophet also said: “Perform Hajj and ‘Umrah alternately, for they remove poverty and sins as a blacksmith’s bellows remove impurities from iron, gold and silver; and Hajj which is accepted receives no less a reward than Paradise.” [At-Tirmithi and An-Nasaa’i: Saheeh]
2- Fasting:
It is favorable to fast a lot during the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah. It is permissible to fast the first nine days of Thul-Hijjah as fasting is one of the good deeds. The Prophet said: “Anyone who fasts one day for the Sake of Allah, Allah will keep him away from Hell for a distance covered in seventy years.” [Al Bukhari and Muslim]
The reward of fasting is multiplied when one fasts on these blessed days. An-Nawawi said, ”Observing fast on the first nine days of Thul-Hijjah is favorable to a great extent and it is not disliked.” [Sharh Saheeh Muslim]
Fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah expiates the sins of two years. The Prophet said: “I seek from Allah The Almighty that fasting the day of ‘Arafah would expiate the sins of the past year as well as the next year.” [Muslim]
The sins here mean the minor ones just as explained before regarding the expiation of sins through performing ablution. If there were no minor sins, one would hope that major sins would be alleviated or the rank would be elevated. [Sharh Muslim]
3- Reciting Quran:
The Quran is a profit that will never perish, so try to recite the whole Quran during these ten days. The Prophet said: “If anyone of you goes to the mosque and learns or recites two verses of the Book of Allah, this is better for him than two she-camels; three verses are better than three she-camels; four verses are better than four she-camels (and so on).” [Muslim] Dear Muslim brother and sister, you should know that the best way to draw closer to Allah The Almighty is to recite His Book and contemplate its meanings.
4- Performing Prayer:
The Prophet said: “Prayer is the best deed, so whoever could pray more, should do so.” [Saheeh Al-Jaami‘] It was also narrated that the Prophet said: “No deeds that a son of Aadam does are better than praying, reconciling people and having good morals.” [Saheeh Al-Jaami‘]
Dear brother and sister, do not forget that the reward of praying twelve Rak‘ahs (units) of voluntary prayer daily is to be granted a house in Paradise. Do not forget to pray Adh-Dhuha (Forenoon) prayer (two Rak‘ahs or more) and the night prayer. The Prophet said: “Three are Loved by Allah and Allah will smile at them …One of them is a man who has a beautiful wife and a soft bed, but he gets up during the night to pray. Allah The Almighty Says: ’He abandons his desire and remembers Me; if he wished, he would sleep.’” [At-Tabaraani: Hasan]
Observing voluntary prayers is one of the reasons of gaining the love of Allah The Almighty and whoever gains the love of Allah will be protected by Him, his invocations will be accepted and his rank will be elevated as these voluntary prayers perfect the deeds.
5- Thikr (Remembrance of Allah):
Thikr is the best things to say in the sight of Allah The Almighty and it is the reason for being saved in this life and the Hereafter as it results in being remembered by Allah and His angels. Thikr is the strongest weapon, the best deed, the most elevated one and it is better than spending in the Cause of Allah as it multiplies the reward, expiates sins and makes the scale heavy. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days over what He Has Provided for them of [sacrificial] animals…..} [Quran 22:28] It was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet said: “No good deeds done on any other days are superior to those done on these days (the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah), so perform Tahleel (i.e., say, ‘Laa Ilaaha illa Allah’ (there is no any other deity except Allah)) Takbeer (‘Allahu Akbar’ (Allah is The Greatest)) and Tahmeed (‘Alhamdulillaah’ (Praise be to Allah).” [Ahmad] When the ten days of Thul-Hijjah would begin, Abu Hurayrah and Ibn ‘Umar would go to the market and perform Takbeer and people would perform Takbeer with them. [Al-Bukhari]
Takbeer might be restricted or unrestricted. Unrestricted Takbeer can be performed at any time during the day or night during the ten days of Thul-Hijjah. Restricted Takbeer is that which is performed after the obligatory and voluntary prayers for both men and women.
As for what was reported about restricted Takbeer, it was narrated that ‘Ali and Ibn ‘Abbaas said that it starts from the morning of the Day of ‘Arafah up till the afternoon of the last day of Tashreeq (Thirteenth of Thul-Hijjah). As for pilgrims, restricted Takbeer starts after Thuhr prayer on the day of Nahr. It was narrated that ‘Umar and Ibn Mas‘ood used to say: ”Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar, Laa Ilaaha illa Allah. Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar wa lillaahi-lhamd. (Allah Is The Greatest, Allah Is The Greatest. There is no any other deity except Allah. Allah Is The Greatest, Allah Is The Greatest and praise be to Allah).”
6- Giving Charity:
Giving charity, helping the needy, feeding the hungry, relieving believers, making them happy and driving their distress away are all deeds that Allah The Almighty loves. When one gives charity, he gains Birr (righteousness), his reward is multiplied and Allah will shade him on the Day of Judgment. Charity opens the doors of goodness, closes the doors of evil and opens one of the doors of Paradise. One who spends in charity is loved by Allah The Almighty and by the people as they feel that he is merciful and kind towards them. Charity purifies one’s money and soul, brings forgiveness of sins, frees one’s heart from love for money and brings about the Protection of Allah in one’s self, property and children in this life and the Hereafter.
It was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar that a man asked the Messenger of Allah about the most loved deed and the most loved person by Allah and he replied saying: ”The most beloved person to Allah is he who brings most benefit, and the most beloved of deeds to Allah, is that you bring happiness to a fellow Muslim, or relieve him of distress, or pay off his debt or stave away hunger from him.” [At-Tabaraani] [Al-Albaani: Saheeh]
7- The Udh-hiyyah:
The Udh-hiyyah (i.e. the sacrificial animal) was legislated to bring the slave closer to Allah The Almighty and to feed the poor. The Udh-hiyyah is one of the rites of Islam and it is a symbol of sacrifice, and a Sunnah act of Prophet Ibraaheem . It is the most loved deed to Allah The Almighty on the day of ‘Eed. It was narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah that the Messenger of Allah said: “The son of Aadam had never done a deed on the Day of Nahr more beloved to Allah than shedding the blood (of a sacrifice). The sacrifice will come on the Day of Judgment with its horns, nails and hair. Its blood will fall in a place by Allah before it falls on the ground, so make the soul agreeable with it.” [Ibn Maajah and At-Tirmithi: Hasan] The Udh-hiyyah is a confirmed Sunnah for the one who can afford it and it is disliked not to offer it if one is capable of slaughtering it.
The sacrificial animals should have reached the age stated by Sharee‘ah, (Islamic Law) which is one year for a sheep, six months for a lamb, five years for a camel and two years for a cow. A camel or a cow can suffice for seven persons, that is, if seven persons shared a camel or a cow, that would be sufficient for them.
There are certain conditions for the validity of the Udh-hiyyah such as being free of the defects that were stipulated in the Sunnah (Prophetic tradition), slaughtering the sacrifice at the specified time which starts by the end of ‘Eed prayer and ends when the sun sets on the last day of Tashreeq (the thirteenth of Thul-Hijjah).
When one intends to offer a sacrifice, he should not cut his hair or nails, as Umm Salamah said that the Prophet said: “If you see the crescent of Thul-Hijjah and any one of you wants to sacrifice, let him hold off from cutting his hair and his nails until he sacrifices.” [Muslim] This ruling applies to the family man, not the children, but if they abide by this, they will receive the reward and if they cut their hair or nails, this will be alright.
8- Invoking Allah:
It was narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet said: “The best supplication is that of the Day of ‘Arafah, and the best thing that I and other Prophets before me said, is: “Laa Ilaaha Illa Allahu wahdahu laa Shareeka lah, lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in Qadeer (There is none worthy of worship except Allah Alone and He Has no partners, dominion and praise belong to Him, and He is over all things Omnipotent).” [At-Tirmithi in Ad-Da‘awaat]
Ibn ‘Abd Al-Barr said: “This Hadeeth indicates that invoking Allah on the day of ‘Arafah is better than invoking Allah on any other day and that the invocation on the day of ‘Arafah is most probably accepted.” [At-Tamheed]
9- Repenting and Avoiding Sins:
During these days and any other days, Muslims should repent sincerely to Allah and give up sins. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance….} [Quran 66:8] Thus, hasten to sincere repentance by avoiding what is prohibited, returning the rights and avoiding immorality.
Dear brother and sister, hasten during these ten days to the righteous deeds, invoke Allah The Almighty frequently, ask Him for forgiveness, draw closer to Him through all possible means so that you would attain a great reward and success.
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