Virtues of Blessed Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah
The month of Dhul Hijjah is the last month of the Islamic calendar and is one of the four months that are called sacred in the Holy Qur’an. Allah Ta’ala states in the Holy Qur’an :
Indeed the number of months before Allah is twelve - in the Book of Allah - since the day He created the heavens and the earth, of which four are sacred; this the straight religion; so do not wrong yourselves in those months; and constantly fight against the polytheists as they constantly fight against you; and know well that Allah is with the pious. (Section 10, Surah Taubah Verse 36)
Commenting on the afore-mentioned verse, Sayyiduna Moulana Naeem-ud-Deen Muradabadi Rehmatullah Alaihi writes in ‘Khazain-ul-Irfan’, “(Out of the four sacred months) 3 are consecutive: Zil-Qa’dah, Zil-Hijja and Muharram and one is separate which is Rajab. Even in the era of ignorance, Arabs would consider killing each other Haram in these months. Islam further enhanced the significance and sacredness of these months.” (Khazain-ul-Irfan, P309)
This is the month of the great gathering as this is the month is which Muslims from all over the world enter into the precincts of the Haram to perform Hajj and visit the House of Allah Ta’ala. This is the month of patience as Muslims stand on the plains of Arafat in the scorching heat and endure many difficulties purely for the Pleasure of Allah Ta’ala. They proclaim ‘Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik” and testify to His Purity and Oneness. This is the month is which Muslims remember Hazrat Hajirah Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anha by running between the hills of Safa and Marwa.
First 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah
Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhuma narrates that the Beloved Prophet Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “No good deeds are more liked than the good deeds that are done in the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.” The Companions asked, “Not even Jihad in the Path of Allah Ta’ala?” Rasool Allah Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam replied, “Not even Jihad in the Path of Allah Ta’ala unless a person leaves with his life and his wealth and returns with neither.” (Mishkaat Shareef)
Fast During the Day, Stand in Prayer at Night
Hazrat Abu Hurairah Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah allalahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “The day’s most loved by Allah Ta’ala for His worship are the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. The fast of one day (in the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah) is like fasting for a whole year and the worship of one night is like the worship of Shab e Qadr.” (Mishkaat Shareef)
Hazrat Shaikh Abul Barkaat reports that Hazrat ‘Aisha Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anha narrated that Rasool Allah allalahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “The person who worships on any of the nights of the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, it is as though he performed Hajj and ‘Umra for the whole year. The person who fasts in the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, it is as though he worshipped for the whole year.”
The Reward of 2 Years
Sayyiduna Anas RadiAllahu Anhu narrates that Beloved Rasul Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “The one fasting 3 days (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) in the sacred months will get the reward of 2 years' worship.” (Majma-’uz-Zawaid, V3, P438, Hadith 5151)
4 things that the Rasool Allah Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam never missed:
Sayyidatuna Aisha Siddiqa RadiAllahu Anha narrates that there were 4 things that the Beloved of Allah Rasul Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam never missed:
(1) The fast of ’Ashura and
(2) The fast of (first) ten days of Zul-Hijja,
(3) 3 fasts in every month and
(4) 2-rak’at (sunnah) before (the fard of) Fajr. (Sunan Nasai, V4, P220)
Of all the days of this world, the most excellent are the Blessed Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah.
Allah has preferred the Ten Days Dhul-Hijjah over All the other Days of the year.
"By the dawn, By the ten nights And by the even and the odd" surah al-Fajr 89:1-2
The virtue of these ten days is confirmed in the Qu'ran that Allah swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something is suggestive of its importance and great benefit. Allah azwajal says: "By the dawn; by the Ten nights" Surah Fajr 89:1-2 in the opening above verse of Qu'ran.
There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the hellfire than on the day of Arafah; on this day sins are forgiven, Allah Taala becomes closer to his slaves, His Angels boast of the people standing on the plain of Arafah, as they stand, humbly, sacrificing, remembering Allah azwajal and seeking His forgiveness. This is the day of the Great Pilgrimage; a day of praise for Allah azwajal, a day of remembrance and repentance.
Prophets and the First Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah
Shaikh Abul Barkaat reports that Hazrat ‘Abbas Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that,
“In the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, Allah Ta‘ala accepted the repentance of Hazrat Adam ‘Alaihis Salaam and showered him with His Mercy when he was in Arafat. It was in Arafat that Hazrat Adam ‘Alaihis Salaam admitted to and repented from his oversight.”
It was in these days that Allah Ta‘ala blessed Hazrat Ibrahim ‘Alaihis Salaam with His closeness and friendship. It was in these days that Hazrat Ibrahim ‘Alaihis Salaam laid the foundations for the Holy Ka‘aba, that Hazrat Moosa ‘Alaihis Salaamwas blessed with conversing with Allah Ta‘ala and it was in these days that Hazrat Dawood ‘Alaihis Salaam‘s oversight was forgiven. (Ghunyatut Taalibeen)
Included among the Ten Days;
8 th of Dhul-Hijjah Day of Tarwiyya ;
9 th of Dhul-Hijjah Day of ‘Arafa Yawm -‘Arafa – day on which Allah perfected His Religion
10 th of Dhul-Hijjah Day of sacrifice- Qurbani [Yawm an-Nahr ] day of 'Eid al-Adha. the greatest day of the entire year and the greatest day of Hajj, which combines acts of worship in a way unlike any other day.
Of all the days, there are none in which Allah (Exalted is He) more dearly loves to have worshipful service performed for His sake, other than the Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah.
Entry into Heaven Becomes Wajib
Sayyiduna Mu’az bin Jabal RadiAllahu Anhu says: The one spending the following five nights worshipping Allah, will surely enter the Heaven: the nights of the 8th, 9th, and 10th Zil-Hijjah (3 nights), the night of Eid-ul-Fitr, and the 15th night of Sha’ban (Shab-e-Bara’at). (At’targheeb Wat’tarheeb, V2, P98, Hadith 2)
Nights of Goodness
Sayyidatuna Aisha Siddiqa RadiAllahu Anha says that I heard Makki Madani Mustafa Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam saying, “Allah azwajal showers down goodness on four nights: (1) night of Eid-ul-Adha, (2) night of Eid-ul-Fitr, (3) night of the 15th of Sha’ban as the name of those going to die and performing Hajj and sustenance are written at this night (4) night of Arafat (9th Zil-Hijja) until the Azan of Fajr. (Dur-e-Mansoor, V7,P402)
* Those who perform Qurbani should not cut their hair, nail etc.
Those perform sacrifice should not get their hair, nail etc. cut during the first ten days of Zul-Hajjah, instead, they should get hair etc. cut on the Day of Eid after offering Qurbani (Get your hair cut according to Sunnah, not according to the English styles). This commandment is preferential, not essential
* Poor's Qurbani
Even those unable to perform sacrifice should not get their hair, nail etc. cut during the first ten days of Zul-Hajjah, instead, they should get hair etc. cut on the Day of Eid after offering Eid Salah.
Granted 10 things by Allah Ta‘ala
The person who respects and reveres these ten days is granted ten things by Allah Ta‘ala in order to elevate his status and increase his respect amongst others:
1. Blessed grace -baraka in his earthly life. (longer life).
2. Increase in his property and wealth.
3. Safekeeping for his dependents.
4. Decrease of his misdeeds.
5. Multiplication of his good deeds.
6. Easing of his agonies-Sakarat in the throes of death.
7. Illumination of his darkness and gloom in the grave.
8. Favourable weighting of his balance at the Resurrection.
9. Salvation from the descending layers-darakat of Hell.
10.Promotion to the ascending levels-darajat of Jannah (Paradise).
Good Deeds
If someone makes a charitable donation-sadaqah to a needy person-Miskin, during these Ten Days, it will be as if he had presented charitable donations to all His Prophets -Anbiya and His Messengers-Rusul (peace be upon them).
If someone visits a sick person, it will be as if he had paid such visits to all the saints-awliya of Allah, and to all His spiritual deputies-Abdals.
If someone attends a funeral service-Janaza, it will be as if he had attended the funeral services of all His martyrs-shuhada.
If someone clothes a true believer-mu'min, Allah will clothe him from His store of fine garments.
If someone treats an orphan kindly, Allah (Exalted is He) will treat him kindly on the Day of Resurrection-Yawm al-Qiyama, beneath the shadow of His Heavenly Throne-‘Arsh.
If someone attends one of the sessions of religious learning-majalis al'ilm, it will be as if he had attended the sessions held by all of Allah's Prophets-Ambiya and Messengers-Rusul (peace be upon them).
Ibadah-Worship
Ibadah-Worship to do on the blessed 1st Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah, Fasting - Salat and Dhikr for these Blessed Ten Days
1. As much Dhikr of :-Takbir,Tahmid,Tahleel and Tasbih in the 1st Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah Dhike below:-
"Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Lă ilăha illallăhu wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Walil lahil hamd."
"Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no deity besides Allah and Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest and all praises are for Allah only."
Fasting
If someone devotes the Ten Days to fasting, Allah will record a whole year of fasting in his credit column, for each and every one of those days.
For each and every day you devote to fasting , you will be credited with the freeing of a hundred slaves , with a hundred she-camels for you to guide in caravan, and with a hundred mares for you to ride in fighting for the cause of Allah.
Then, when it comes to the Day of Tarwiyya -8 th of Dhul-Hijjah , you will be credited with the freeing of a thousand slaves , with a thousand she-camels for you to guide in caravan, and with a thousand mares for you to ride in fighting for the cause of Allah.
Then, when it comes to the Day of ‘Arafa - 9 th of Dhul-Hijjah , you will be credited with the freeing of two thousand slaves , with two thousand she-camels for you to guide in caravan, and with two thousand mares for you to ride in fighting for the cause of Allah. Fasting on this day will forgive for the sins of two years, that is, You will also be credited with keeping the fast in the year before this one, and in the year to come after it .'
Also, Fasting any of the 1st Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah is equivalent to fasting one year and to offer salatul tahajjud (late-night prayer) during one of its nights is like performing the late night prayer on the night of power-Laylatul Qadr.
Nafil Namaz
Perform 2 Rakats every night during the 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah. In every Rakat after the recitation of Surah Fatihah read Surah Kausar 3 times & Surah Ikhlas 3 times (in each rakat).
Wazaif
* Recite Surah: Fajr everyday during the 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah
* Recite Surah: Duha (as much as you can) everyday during the 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah
We should all make sure that we not miss any of these important occasion, because time is passing quickly. So acted now for tomorrow we will surely die and our life in the next world maybe at a question mark? Did we do enough to pass is the Questions.
Pray for All Muslim Brothers & Sisters & also for me.
Month of Dhul-Hijjah will start Insha Allah Taala from 26th September (In Dubai & USA it's starts from 25th September)
