Dua Qadah Benefits

[Sadoth Royer]

And We certainly sent Musa with Our signs, [saying], "Bring out your people from layers of darkness into the light and remind them of the days of Allah". Indeed in that are surely signs for everyone who is patient and grateful'. [Qur'an, 14:5]

Thursday 9th May 2024 will most likely mark the first day of Dhul-Qa'dah, one of the divinely ordained sacred months. In this article, we'll discuss why Dhul-Qa'dah is special in Islam, its historical significance, its characteristics and benefits, tips for maximising your rewards, and why it's important to keep track of the Islamic year. Happy reading!

Thus, Dhul-Qa'dah is an elite month simply because Allah (swt) has chosen it to be so. As He says in the Qur'an, 'And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses; not for them was the choice. Exalted is Allah and high above what they associate with Him'. [Qur'an, 28:68]

Since fighting is forbidden in sacred months, historically, pilgrims could travel to Hajj safely during Dhul-Qa'dah without worrying about banditry or war. The words 'Dhul-Qa'dah' literally mean '[the month which is] the possessor of sitting' - a month in which you are supposed to stay sitting in place instead of going out to fight.

Ibn Abbas (ra) said, 'In all (twelve) months, Allah then chose four out of these months and made them sacred, emphasising their sanctity, making sinning in them greater, in addition to multiplying the rewards of righteous deeds during them'. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

Qatadah (rh) said, 'Injustice during the sacred months is worse and graver than injustice in other months. Verily, injustice is always wrong, but Allah makes things graver than others as He wills'. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

The sacred months thus give us the opportunity to gain more reward every day; but there is also the danger of gaining more sins with our bad deeds. This means we should be extra-vigilant in increasing our good deeds and seeking forgiveness.

1) Don't harm others. Dhul-Qa'dah is a sacred month in which we are encouraged to be at peace with each other. Let Dhul-Qa'dah be a month of healing your relationships, whether at home, work or social media. Try not to be irritable, short-tempered or resentful. Be someone who stays in a place of peace rather than participating in negativity, even if it's just by saying salam to people.

2) Take care of your health. On the flip side, don't harm yourself either! Your body is an amanah (trust) from Allah so it is important to improve your diet, exercise regularly and take time to de-stress. Practice self-care this Dhul-Qa'dah with the intention of earning reward!

4) Read more Qur'an. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, 'Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will receive one good deed as ten good deeds like it. I do not say that Alif Lam Mim is one letter, but rather Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter, and Mim is a letter'. [Tirmidhi]

5) Observe Sunnah fasts. Fasting increases your taqwa (consciousness of Allah), which is even more important in the sacred months. It is Sunnah to fast on Mondays and Thursdays, and also on the three middle days of the lunar months. (The middle days of Dhul-Qa'dah fall on 2nd, 3rd and 4th June 2023).

3) Give charity as often as you can. It's a good idea to set up a regular payment to the needy. The Prophet (saw) said, 'Charity extinguishes sinful deeds just as water extinguishes fire'. [Ibn Majah]

Dividing our months according to the way Allah has chosen can only bring barakah and benefits. Allah has created for us a year divided into lunar months, many of which have special virtues and offer a unique way for us to draw closer to Allah and spend our time usefully:

We tend to pour all of our spiritual energy into Ramadan, but Allah has filled the year with blessed months! The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, 'Surely your Lord has Nafahaat (winds of mercy) in the days of your time, so expose yourself to them. For perhaps you will attain a breeze from them and thereafter you will never be unhappy'. [Tabarani]

Now is the time to evaluate what we've achieved since Ramadan and set some more goals to draw closer to Allah. Are there any bad habits we've fallen into, any areas in our lives which are lacking or any goals we're not achieving? Dhul-Qa'dah is the perfect time to set some positive resolutions and seek forgiveness for our mistakes.

Take the skin of the stems of fennel, the skin of the stems ofcelery, the skin of the roots of carrot and ...[three wordsmissing]... chicory and Mecca fig,[207]half a ratl each; three handfuls each of halhl(lavender?), cilantro of the spring [i.e., water source],dawmirn,[208]tamarisk, pennyroyal, ghfit, chicory, mint, clove basiland citron basil; two qiyas each of the seeds ofcelery, carrot and roses, fennel, and habba hulwa andnnkha [two names for, or perhaps twovarieties of, nigella seed], and half an qiya ofdodder seed. The bag: half an qiya each of cinnamon,flowers of cloves, ginger, Chinese rhubarb, Indian spikenard, mastic,nutmeg and aloe stems, a mithql of saffron, sixratls of honey, cleansed of its foam. Cook the herbs and seedsin water that covers them until their force comes out; then take theclean part of it [strain it] and throw it in honey. Put thison the fire, and leave the spices in the bag after they have becomemushy, throw them into the drink and macerate them time after time,until their force passes into the drink. Lay it aside and take itfrom the fire, let it cool, and keep until needed. Drink oneqiya of this with three of water on arising, and seethat the water is hot. Benefits: fortifies the stomach and the liver,opens blockages of the liver and spleen, cleans the stomach, and isbeneficial for the rest of the phlegmatic ailments of thebody.[209]

Take the skin of the stems of caper bush, the skin of the stems ofcelery, the skin of fennel root and the skin of wild carrots, twoqiyas of each; two handfuls each of halhl (lavender?), cilantro of the spring, dawmirn,ghfit,[210]chicory, pennyroyal and euphorbia. The bag: cinnamon, and flower ofcloves and ginger, an qiya of each; half amithql of saffron; three ratls of honey, cleanedof its foam. Cook the seeds and herbs, covered with water, untiltheir strength comes out. Then take the clean part, add to the honey,and take it to the fire, and put the bag in a kettle until it forms awell-made syrup. Take it from the fire and pour it into anearthenware vessel. The drink is made with two qiyas ofsyrup to three qiyas of hot water. Its benefits: itbenefits the liver and opens occlusions of it, it is useful for thespleen and cleanses the stomach of its extra phlegm wherever it isfound in the body, and it is of profit in diseases of dropsy, Godwilling.

Take half an qiya of aloe, a quarter qiya each of cinnamon, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Indian lavender,nutmeg, mastic and saffron, a ratl of sugar and the same ofrosewater. Close the roots in a bag and place them in the sugar androsewater. Bring all this to the fire until it takes the consistencyof syrups; then remove it from the fire, grind eight grams of musk,and throw it in an earthenware vessel. The drink is an qiya with two of hot water. Its benefits: it fortifies thestomach, the liver, and the other parts, cheers the heart, tempersthe constitution a bit, and helps in the beginning of dropsy.

Take fifty leaves and remove the dust on them with a cloth, thencover them all with water in a pot and cook it until the strengthcomes out. Then take the clean part of it and add a ratl ofsugar. The bag: half an qiya each of aloe stems,Chinese cinnamon, and cloves. Cook all this until it becomes good todrink. Drink one qiya with three of water. Itsbenefits: it cheers the heart with much gaiety, fortifies theinternal organs, and softens the bowels gently; it isextraordinary.

Take half a ratl each of borage, mint, and citron leaves,cook them in water to cover until their strength comes out, then takethe clean part and add it to a ratl of sugar. Then put in thebag: a spoonful each of aloe stems, Chinese rhubarb, Chinesecinnamon, cinnamon and clove flowers; pound all these coarsely, placethem in a cloth, tie it well, and place it in the kettle, macerate itagain and again until its substance passes out, and cook until[the liquid] takes the consistency of syrups. Take one qiya with three of hot water. Benefits: It profits[preceding two words apparently supplied; in parentheses inprinted Arabic text] weak stomachs, fortifies the liver andcheers the heart, digests foods, and lightens the constitutiongently, God willing.

Take a quarter qiya each of cinnamon, flower ofcloves and ginger, mastic, nutmeg, Chinese cinnamon, Sindi laurel,Indian lavender, Roman spikenard, elder twigs, elder seeds, oil ofnutmeg, bitter and sweet nuts, large and small cardamom, wildspikenard, galingale, aloe stems, saffron, and sedge. Pound all thiscoarsely, tie it in a cloth, and put it in the kettle with fifteenratls of water and five of honey, cleaned of its foam. Cookall this until it is at the point of drinking. Drink an qiya and a half, and up to two, with hot water. Its benefit isfor weak livers; it fortifies the stomach and benefits dropsy amongother ailments; it dissolves phlegm from all parts of the body andheats it a great deal, gives gaiety, lightens the body, and it wasused by the ancients like wine for weariness.

Take a ratl of honey and add five ratls of water,cook until the water departs and the honey remains, and clean off thefoam little by little. Pound half an qiya ofpellitory[211]and place it in a cloth, put it in the kettle and bruise it once andagain until its substance comes out. Remove it to an earthenwarevessel, and take it from it at the necessary time, for it makes upfor all that which detracts from this notable quality.

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