The Virtue of the Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah
Since 2012-11-24
It is Allah’s favor upon us that He made seasons for His righteous worshippers to increase in their pious deeds. from these seasons: The ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.
All praise is due to Allah, and prayer and peace of Allah be upon the master of all the Messengers.
It is Allah’s favor upon us that He made seasons for His righteous worshippers to increase in their pious deeds. from these seasons:
The ten days of Dhul-Hijjah:
There are some evidences about their virtue that were mentioned in Qur’an and the Sunnah, some of them are:
1- Allah the Exalted says: {By the dawn;(1) By the ten nights (i.e. the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah)} [Surah Al-Fajr 89:1-2]
{وَالفَجرِ (1) وَلَيَالٍ عَشرٍ} الفجر: 1-2
Transliteration: Wa Al-Fajri (1) Wa Layālin `Ashrin
Ibn Katheer, may Allah have mercy on his soul, said: “It means the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah as it is said by Ibn Abbas, Ibn Az-Zobair, Mujahid and others and it is reported by Al-Imam Al-Bukhari”
2- Narrated by Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, the Messenger of Allah (prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There are no days in which the righteous deeds are preferred to Allah but these ten days” They said: Even the Jihad for the sake of Allah? He said: “Even the Jihad for the sake of Allah except a man who exerted his soul and all his money for the sake of Allah and never returned with any of that.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
«ما العملُ في أيامِ العشْرِ أفضلَ من العملِ في هذه . قالوا: ولا الجهادُ؟ قال: ولا الجهادُ، إلا رجلٌ خرجَ يخاطِرُ بنفسِه ومالِه، فلم يرجِعْ بشيءٍ» رواه البخاري
3- Allah says: {and mention the Name of Allâh on appointed days (i.e. 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah.)} [Surah Al-Hajj 22:28]
{وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ} الحج:28
Transliteration: Wa Yadhkurū Asma Al-Lahi Fī ‘Ayyāmin Ma`lūmāt
Ibn Abbas said: “The ten days”. [Interpretation of Ibn-Katheer]
4- Sa’eed Ibn Jobair, may Allah has mercy on his soul, used to exert his utmost effort in making righteous deeds on these ten days to the point that no one could surpass him.
5- Ibn Hajar said in the Al Fath (Fath al-Bary): “It appears that the preference of these days is due to the gathering of the main acts of worship in Dhul-Hijjah which are praying, fasting, giving charity and pilgrimage which are restricted to these days.
What is preferred to do on these days:
1- Praying: Praying of obligatory prayers on its due times is preferable and also the increasing of Nawafel (supererogatory prayer which were performed by Prophet Muhammad (prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) are the best way to make good deeds with Allah. Narrated by Thawban: I heard the Messenger of Allah, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him saying: “You should prostrate a lot to Allah as with every prostration you make, He raises your rank for one degree and drops one of your sins.” [Reported by Muslim] and this is appropriate at any time.
«عليك بكثرة السجود لله، فإنك لا تسجد لله سجدة إلا رفعك الله بها درجة، وحطَّ عنك بها خطيئة» رواه مسلم
2- Fasting: as it is from the good deeds.
3- At-Takbeer (saying Allah is the Greatest), At-Tahlil (saying there is no God except Allah) and praising Allah.
Imam Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on his soul, said: “Omar was saying: Lâ Ilaha Ila Allah “There is no God except Allah” in his dome in Mina, therefore, the people of Mina heard and repeated after him and so did the people in the markets till the whole city of Mina shook out of their takbeer”.
Ibn Omar was saying: Lâ Ilaha Ila Allah “There is no God except Allah” in Mina on these days and also after prayers, on his bed, in his tent, while sitting or walking all these days. It is preferable to say it loudly as Omar, his son and Abu-Huraira did.
We should, as Muslims, revive this Sunnah which is lost these days and is about to be forgotten even among the righteous people – regrettably – which is unlike what the ancestors were doing.
The Takbeer form:
A)-((Allah is the Greatest, God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest ever)).
Transliteration: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Kabeera.
B)-((God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest, there is no God but Allah, and God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest and praise be to Allah)).
Transliteration: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Lâ Ilaha Ila Allah, WAllahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Wa Lillahi-l-hamd
C)-(( God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest, there is no God except Allah, God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest ,God is the Greatest and praise be to Allah)).
Transliteration: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Lâ Ilaha Ila Allah, WAllahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Wa Lillahi-l-hamd
4-Fasting the day of Arafat: Fasting the day of Arafat is ascertained as it is attested that the Messenger of Allah, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, said about fasting it: “I rely on Allah that He forgives the sins of the year before it and of the year after it”. [Reported by Muslim]
«أحتسب على الله أن يكفر السنة التي قبله والسنة التي بعده» رواه مسلم
On the other hand, it is not preferable for the one that is present in Arafat performing pilgrimage to fast because the Prophet, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, did not fast in these circumstances.
5-The virtue of the day of the sacrifice: A lot of Muslims forget about that great day, and also about its great rank and virtue, despite the point of view of some scholars who believe that it is the best day ever of the year, even better than Arafat day. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on his soul, said: “The best day to Allah is the day of sacrifice. It is the day of Al Hajj Al Akbar (the greatest pilgrimage)”.
It is said that the day of Arafa is better than the day of residing (the day of residing means the brief dwelling in Mina, and it is the eleventh day of the month) because fasting on the day of Arafa expiates two years of sins, Allah rids people from Hell in this day more than on any other day, and also because Allah is closer to His worshippers on it and He is proud of them before His angels. But the first saying is the right one because no one and nothing contradicted the speech identifying it.
Whether it is better or not than Arafa, the Muslim whether he is performing pilgrimage or is residing in Mina should benefit from its virtue and to seize the opportunity of obtaining its rewards.
By what can you receive the good seasons?
1-The Muslim should receive the good seasons in general by the honest, sincere repentance, quitting sins and wrongdoings, for the sins deprive the human from his Lord’s grace and keep his heart away from Him.
2-In addition, the good seasons should be received, generally, with the serious and persisting intention to gain the satisfaction of Allah Almighty, for that the one who is honest with Allah, Allah is honest with him: {As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide them to Our Paths (i.e. Allâh’s religion - Islâmic Monotheism).} [Surat Al-’Ankabut 29:69]
{وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُواْ فِينَا لَنَهدِيَنَّهُمّ سُبُلَنَا} العنكبوت: 69
Transliteration: Wa Al-Ladhīna Jāhadū Fīnā Lanahdiyannahum Subulanā
My Muslim brother, seek taking this sizable chance before you miss it and regret that.
May Allah guide me and you to the path by which we can gain the good seasons’ virtues and we ask Him to help us to obey Him and guide us to the best worship.
Some of the ordinances concerning the sacrifice and its legitimacy:
The sacrifice is originally permissible for living people, as the Messenger of Allah, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, and his companions sacrificed for themselves and their relatives, but there is no origin of the idea of the common who think that it is dedicated to the dead people. The sacrifice for the dead is divided into three parts:
The first: The one can sacrifice for the dead as a subordinate for his sacrifice for himself and all his family, which include the living, and dead. The origin of that is the sacrifice of the Prophet, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, for Himself and His family which included the dead.
The second: To sacrifice for the dead in order to fulfill their will. The origin for this is Allah’s saying: {Then whoever changes the bequest after hearing it, the sin shall be on those who make the change. Truly, Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.} [Surat Al-Baqarah 2:181]
{فَمَن بَدَّلَهُ بَعدَمَا سَمِعَهُ فَإِنَّمَا إِثمُهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يُبَدِلُونَهُ إِنَّ اللهَ سَمِيع عَلِيمٌ} البقرة: 181
Transliteration: Faman Baddalahu Ba`damā Sami`ahu Fa’innamā ‘Ithmuhu `Ala Al-Ladhīna Yubaddilūnahu ‘Inna Al-Laha Samī`un `Alīm
The third: It is permitted to sacrifice for the dead as a grant, independently from the living. The Hanbali jurists stated that its reward reaches the dead and he benefits from it just like paying charity for him. But we do not see that the specification of the sacrifice to the dead is from the Sunnah because the Prophet, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, did not sacrifice for any of his dead relatives like his uncle Hamza, although he was one of his dearest relatives or for his children who died during his life, who were three married daughters and three young boys, or his wife Khadija, may Allah gratifies her, who was his most beloved wife and it is not mentioned that any of his companions did that.
And we also see that what some people do is wrong regarding sacrificing for the dead in the first year and call it Udhiyat al-Hufrah (the sacrifice of the grave), and they think that they should not include anyone with the dead when denoting it is reward to him, or they sacrifice for their dead as a grant or according to their wills but do not sacrifice for themselves or their living relatives. Moreover, if they had known that the man’s sacrifice for the living people include also the dead, they would not have done that.
Things to avoid when sacrificing:
When anyone intends to sacrifice and Dhul Hijjah month has begun either by seeing its crescent or the completion of Dhul Qa’da month thirty days, it is prohibited for him to cut anything from his hair or nails or skin till he slaughters his sacrifice, for the hadîth narrated byUmm-Salama, may Allah gratifies her, that the Messenger of Allah, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, said: “If the ten days have begun, and a man wants to sacrifice, he should not touch his hair or skin till he sacrifices.” [Reported by Ahmad and Muslim] And in another form: “he should not cut from his hair or nails”,
«إذا دخلت العشر، وأراد أحدكم أن يُضحي، فلا يمسَّ من شعرِهِ وبشرِهِ شيئًا، وفي لفظ: فليُمسك عن شعرِهِ وأظفارِهِ» رواه مسلم
and if he intends to sacrifice during the ten days he should not do so starting from the time of his intention, but before that no sins are recorded against him related to that issue.
The reason for that prohibition is that the one making the sacrifice participates with the pilgrim in some rituals to try to be closer to Allah by slaughtering the sacrifice, and he participates with him in some properties of consecration like stopping cutting hair and the like. Thus, the relatives of the one sacrificing can cut their hair, nails and skins during the ten days.
This ordinance is limited only to the one scarifying, and not to those whom he sacrifices for, as the Prophet, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, said: “If anyone wants to sacrifice...” He did not say: the one that the sacrifice is for him, and also for that the Prophet, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, was sacrificing for his relatives and he did not ask them to restrain on doing that.
If the one scarifying cuts anything from his hair or nails or skin, he should repent to Allah and not to do that again, and there is not atonement on him and this will not make him ineligible to carry out the sacrifice rituals, as some common think.
If he forgot or he was ignorant about that, and cuts anything, or his hair fell without purpose, then, he is not a sinner. Also if he needs to cut it he can do it and he is not a sinner too, that happens when the broken nail of anyone hurts him or when some hair falls in one’s eyes so he should remove it or when someone needs to cut his hair for recovery and so on.
The ordinances and ethics of ‘Eid Al-Adha:
Dear brother: We greet you with the Islam greeting and say to you: peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you. And we congratulate you in advance for ‘Eid Al-Adha and say to you: may Allah accept from you and us our good deeds, and we hope that you would accept our message to you which we invoke Allah to be useful for you and for all the Muslims everywhere.
Dear Muslim: It is for our good to follow the Prophet’s, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, guidance in all our lives’ affairs, and the whole evil lies in disobeying Him, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him. Therefore, we would like to remind you of some things that are preferable to do or to say in the night of ‘Eid Al-Adha and the day of sacrifice and the three days of Tashreeq. They are briefly:
Takbeer (saying Allah is the Greatest): This is legitimated from the dawn of ‘Arafa day to the afternoon of the last day of Tashreeq or the thirteenth day of Dhul-Hijjah month. Allah says: {And remember Allâh during the appointed Days.} [Surat Al Baqarah 2:203]
{وَاذكُرُواْ اللهَ فِي أَيَامٍ مَعدُودَاتٍ} البقرة: 203
Transliteration: Wa Adhkurū Al-Laha Fī ‘Ayyāmin Ma`dūdāt
It’s form is: “Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, there is no God except Allah, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest and praise be to Allah.”
Transliteration: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Lâ Ilaha Ila Allah, WAllahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Wa Lillahi-l-hamd
It is of the Sunnah to men to say them in the Masajid, markets and homes and after prayers to assert the Magnificence of Allah and to show Him worship and thanks.
The slaughtering of sacrifice: It is done after the ‘Eid prayer, as the Messenger of Allah, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, said: “If someone slaughters before praying, he must slaughter again and if he did not slaughter, he must do after it (the ‘Eid prayer).” [Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
«من ذبح قبل أن يصلي فليعد مكانها أخرى، ومن لم يذبح فليذبح» رواه البخاري ومسلم
The time of sacrifice is four days: the sacrifice day and the three days of Tashreeq.
Showering, wearing perfume and wearing the best clothes: Without exaggeration or being too long (for clothes), or shave the beard as it is prohibited. As for women, they can go to the ‘Eid prayer in the Masjid without using makeup or wearing perfumes for that it is not suitable for them to go for praying and showing obedience to Allah while doing these sins.
Eating from the sacrifice: The Messenger of Allah, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, did not eat till he returned from the ‘Eid prayer to eat from his sacrifice [Zad Al-Mi’ad: 441/1].
Going to the place of the feast prayer on foot, if possible.
It is from the Sunnah to pray in the place of the ‘Eid prayers except when there is an excuse like rain, so you can pray in the Masjid as the Messenger did.
Praying with Muslims in congregation and attending the ‘Eid sermon is preferable: That is advised by the incontestable scholars like Ibn-Taymiyyah who said that the ‘Eid prayer is compulsory as Allah says: {Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only).} [Surah Al-Kauthar 108:2], and it cannot be dropped except if there is an excuse.
{فَصَلِّ لِرَبِكَ وَانحَر} الكوثر: 2
Transliteration: Faşalli Lirabbika Wa Anĥar
Women witness the feast with men even during their menstruation and the emancipated slaves, but women on their menstruation period should not perform the prayer.
Changing the route to the prayer: It is preferable to go to pray along a route and to return from a different one as the Prophet, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, did.
Congratulating for the feast: As it is ascertained by the companions of the Messenger, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him.
Beware, my Muslim brother, to do the mistakes that a lot of people do, some of which are:
- The Takbeer (saying Allah is the Greatest) in groups or repeating it after one person.
- Amusement with the prohibited means as listening to songs, watching films or the intermingling of men and women which are not prohibited and doing any other evil actions.
- Cutting anything from hair or nails before sacrificing only for those who sacrifice as the Prophet, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, prohibited that.
- Useless extravagance or spendthrift for Allah’s Saying: {and waste not by extravagance. Verily, He likes not Al-Musrifûn (those who waste by extravagance).} [Surat Al-`An’âm 6:141]
{وَلا تُسرِفُوا إِنّهُ لا يُحِبُّ المُسرِفِينَ} الأنعام: 141
Transliteration: Wa Lā Tusrifū ‘Innahu Lā Yuĥibbu Al-Musrifīn
Finally, don’t forget, my Muslim brother, to comply with good deeds like keeping good relations with relatives and visiting them, leaving hatred and envy and purifying one’s heart from them, helping orphans and the poor, making them happy and being kind to them.
We ask Allah to guide us to what He likes and Be satisfied with us, help us know our religion well, and to make us from those who do righteous deeds on the ten days of Dhul Hijjah purely for Him.
Prayer and Peace of Allah be upon our Prophet, His family and all His companions.
Muhammad Ibn Saleh Al-Othaimeen
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