Dhul Hijjah - a reminder from a Leopard Seal
Kevin Gordon Barrow
I share this with you, my brothers and sisters, during this first day of the ten days of Dhul Hijjah. This is a period in which many of us will increase our fasting, prayers, Quran recitation, and thikr. Let us also remember, and I speak to myself here first, to engage in those practical manifestations of iman and taqwa that go beyond the self to others, particularly the needy, lonely, ignored and suffering in our communities. For those wishing to learn more about Dhul Hijjah, I have pasted below an email with some guidance from scholars as shared with me by a dear friend.
The first ten days of Dhu'l Hijjah are blessed days: Allah Most High Himself swore by them in the Qur'an:
"By the Dawn,
and the Ten Nights..."
[Qur'an, Surat al-Fajr, 89.1-2]
The commentators generally concur that the ten nights refers to, 'the first ten days of Dhu'l Hijjah,' as one may find in Shaykh al-Islam Abu Su`ud's Irshad al-`Aql al-Salim ila Mazaya al-Qur'an al-Karim [famous as Tafsir Abi al-Su`ud, 9.153] or in Tafsir al-Jalalayn.
Imam Ahmad and Nasa'i report from the Mother of Believers, Sayyida Hafsa (Allah be pleased with her) that, "The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) did not leave four matters: Fasting `Ashura [10th of Muharram], [during] the ten days [of Dhu'l Hijja], and three days of each month."
1. Fasting the First Nine Days, Especially the Day of `Arafah (9th)
The scholars concur that it is recommended to fast during the first nine days of Dhu'l Hijja. (The tenth day is the day of Eid, and is prohibitively disliked and sinful to fast this day.)
Of these, it is particularly recommended to fast the Day of `Arafah [9th of Dhu'l Hijjah]. This is because of the numerous hadiths that have come in praise of this day in particular and fasting in it. Among these is:
Abu Qatada (Allah be pleased with him) related that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) said, "Fasting the Day of `Arafah [9th of Dhu'l Hijjah] expiates for two years, one prior and one forthcoming. And fasting the Day of `Ashura [10 th of Muharram] expiates for the past year." [Reported by Muslim, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah]
2. Increasing One's Spiritual Works During these Ten Days
Similarly, it is recommended to busy oneself these days with worship of Allah. Imam Sharaf al-Din al-Hijjawi, the great Hanbali faqih, states in his primary text, al-Iqna`,:
"It is recommend to exert oneself in good works during the first ten days of Dhu'l Hijjah, such as remembrance of Allah (dhikr), fasting, charity, and other righteous actions, because they are the best of days." [Buhuti, Kashshaf al-Qina`, 2.60]
Many scholars even stated that daytimes of these ten days are more virtuous than the ten daytimes of the last ten days of Ramadan, because of the strength of the primary texts related to them.
3. Spending the Nights of These Days In Prayer and Worship
It is especially recommended to spend some part of each of the nights of these ten days in prayer and worship.
This was deduced by clear primary texts, such as Prophet's words (Allah bless him and give him peace) that, "There are no days in which good works are more beloved to Allah than these days – meaning the first ten days of Dhu'l Hijjah." The Companions asked, 'Not even jihad in the path of Allah, O Messenger of Allah?' He said (Allah bless him & give him peace), "Not even jihad in the path of Allah, except for the one who goes forth with his person and wealth and does not return with any of it." [Bukhari and others]
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First 10 Days of Dhul-Hijjah: What to Do? | |||
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The first ten days are a great blessing from Allah to His servants, which is appreciated properly by the righteous persons. It is the Muslim's duty to appreciate this blessing and seize the opportunity, by devoting these ten days to paying more attention to striving hard in worship. Among His blessings to His servants, Allah has given us many ways in which to do good and worship Him, so that the Muslim may be constantly active and consistent in his worship of his Lord. Among the good deeds which the Muslim should strive to do during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are: 1- Fasting: It is Sunnah to fast on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) urged us to do good deeds during this time, and fasting is one of the best of deeds. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah. Hunaydah Ibn Khalid quoted some of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah, on the day of `Ashurah, on three days of each month, and on the first two Mondays and Thursdays of each month." (Reported by An-Nisa'i, 4/205) |
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2- Takbir:
It is Sunnah to say takbir, tahmid, tahlil, and tasbih during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and to say it loudly in the mosque, the home, the street and every place where it is permitted to remember Allah and mention His name out loud, as an act of worship and as a proclamation of the greatness of Allah, may He be exalted. Allah says: (That they might witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e., reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade, etc.), and mention the name of Allah on appointed days, over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice)... ) (Al-Hajj 22:28) The majority of scholars agree that the "appointed days" are the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, because of the words of Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father): "The 'appointed days' are the first ten days (of Dhul-Hijjah)."There is sound evidence that Ibn `Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to go out in the marketplace during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, reciting takbir, and the people would recite it after him.
3- Performing Hajj and `Umrah:
One of the best deeds that one can do during these ten days is to perform Hajj to the Sacred House of Allah. The one whom Allah helps to offer Hajj to His House and to perform all the rituals properly is included in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "An accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise."
4- Doing more good deeds in general:
This is because good deeds are beloved by Allah and earn one a great reward. Whoever is not able to offer Hajj should occupy himself at this blessed time with acts of worship, offering Prayers, reading the Qur'an, remembering Allah, making supplications, giving in charity, showing dutifulness to parents, maintaining the ties of kinship, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and other good deeds and acts of worship.
5- Sacrifice:
One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer to Allah during these ten days is offering a sacrifice.
6- Sincere repentance:
One of the most important things to do during these ten days is to repent sincerely to Allah and to give up all kinds of disobedience and sin.
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