بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم
25-11-1437H
The 10 Days of Dhul-Hijjah are the greatest days of the entire year. Allah swore by them in Surah AlFajr [89:2]:
"By the ten nights (i.e. the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah)."
The commentators of the Qur'an agreed that this refers to the 10 Days of Dhul-Hijjah.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَا الْعَمَلُ فِي أَيَّامِ الْعَشْرِ أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ فِي هَذِهِ ". قَالُوا وَلاَ الْجِهَادُ قَالَ " وَلاَ الْجِهَادُ، إِلاَّ رَجُلٌ خَرَجَ يُخَاطِرُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ فَلَمْ يَرْجِعْ بِشَىْءٍ "
"No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these (first ten days of Dhul Hijja)." Then some companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Not even Jihad?" He replied, "Not even Jihad, except that of a man who does it by putting himself and his property in danger (for Allah's sake) and does not return with any of those things." [Bukhari]
And in another Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"ما من أيام أعظم عند الله ولا أحب إليه العمل فيهن من هذه الأيام العشر فأكثروا فيهن من التهليل والتكبير والتحميد"
“There are no days that are greater before Allaah or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days, so recite a great deal of tahleel, takbeer and tahmeed during them.” [Ahmad]
The days are passing quickly. It felt like we finished Ramadan a few days ago and now we are approaching this great season. Because we are traveling to Allah; with every day that passes, we are getting closer to meeting Allah. That is the destination.
We do not travel walking, we travel by every day and night that passes by us. Our goal is to reach Allah with a قلب سليم - A pure heart. Allah will guide those who are sincere in their intention to be guided.
During this journey to Allah there are obstacles and struggles. You want to pray the night prayer, and your self will say 10 minutes more, 15 minutes more, until the time has passed. You want to fast, and your self will tell you that you have a headache, thirsty, it is too hot, to skip today and start tomorrow. And every time the season of worship arrives, your self tells you later, next time, until your life finishes and you have not done a thing. How do you want Allah to guide you if you neglect these special times? If you always listen to your body, your heart will be a slave to it. You will always think about how to fulfill your desires and pleasures, and you will be too lazy to think about doing good deeds. And this same body witness against you on the Day of Judgement. In [41:21]:
"And they will say to their skins, "Why do you testify against us?" They will say: "Allah has caused us to speak, as He causes all things to speak, and He created you the first time, and to Him you are made to return."
This season is an opportunity for you to train your heart to take control over your body. You order your body to fast, to say Dhikr, etc.
What to do before and during this Season of Worship:
1) Precede it with Repentance
Your heart needs to be washed and pure so that worship can affect your heart. Your heart is like a vessel, if it is unclean and you pour water into it, the water will get dirty.
The Prophet ﷺ used to say أستغفر الله و أتوب إليه at least 70 times in every sitting.
2) Ask Allah to grant you success during these days
Because success is from Allah.
If you have a medical test you would precede it making lots of Dua, asking Allah to make it easy for you, etc. Because your concern is about that test.
So make your concern be that Allah helps you perform righteous deeds during these 10 days. When you are turning in your bed, wake up during your sleep, in prostration , ask Allah to make it easy for you, to save you from the Hellfire on the Day of Arafah.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"ما من يوم أكثر من أن يعتق الله فيه عبدًا من النار من يوم عرفة"
"There is no day on which Allah sets free more slaves from Hell than He does on the Day of 'Arafah." [Muslim]
And this is not just something limited to the pilgrims.
The more sincere and truthful you are, the more Allah will give you. But if you are heedless and do not ask Allah, then how can you expect Him to help you? Ask Allah all the time to help you increase in faith during these days, in performing good deeds, etc.
3) Know that these are the greatest days of the entire year
Allah swore by these days, and He does not swear by something unless it is a great matter. Enter these days worshipping Allah by magnifying these days.
How do you magnify these days?
When it is exam time, you do not let your children go anywhere, you switch of TV and mobiles, the children are busy studying, barely sleep. We are 100% with regards to the Dunya, and yet when it comes to the 10 Days of Dhul-Hijjah we fast and sleep throughout the day, with our excuse being that we are fasting. The Prophet ﷺ specified these ten days out with Dhikr - With Takbir, Tahmeed, Tahlil. And these are only 10 Days. And you will benefit from these 10 Days when you go to your grave; when you meet Allah.
4) Fast during them
You can fast generally on any or all of the 9 days, and the day of Arafah in particular - as Allah specified a special reward for it:
عن أبي قتادة رضي الله عنه قال: سئل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: عن صوم يوم عرفة؟ قال: "يكفر السنة الماضية والباقية"
Abu Qatadah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about the observance of Saum (fasting) on the day of 'Arafah. He said, "It is an expiation for the sins of the preceding year and the current year." [Muslim]
This only refers to the minor sins; You have to repent from the Major Sins. But do not think that the minor sins do not matter. The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحَقَّرَاتِ الذُّنُوبِ كَقَوْمٍ نَزَلُوا فِي بَطْنِ وَادٍ فَجَاءَ ذَا بِعُودٍ وَجَاءَ ذَا بِعُودٍ حَتَّى أَنْضَجُوا خُبْزَتَهُمْ وَإِنَّ مُحَقَّرَاتِ الذُّنُوبِ مَتَى يُؤْخَذْ بِهَا صَاحِبُهَا تُهْلِكْهُ
"Beware of minor sins like a people who descend into the bottom of a valley, so one comes with a stick and another with a stick until they have fire to cook their bread. Verily, when a person is held accountable for these minor sins they will destroy him." [Musnad Ahmad]
Ask Allah to accept your fast during the Day of Arafah so that He expiates your sins and ask Him to free you from the Hellfire on the day.
5) Fill every moment during these days with worship and good deeds.
If you had a special, very beloved guest, whom you have been waiting a long time to visit you, would you let him sit in your dining room and go to sleep for three or four hours? These 10 Days are like a guest. They come and will go. They will not stay with us.
Fill your time with worship. If you feel weak say لا حول و لا قوة الا بالله (There is no power and might except with Allah). No that you do not worship with your own ability and will, it is by the help of Allah. Ask Allah by His Name الفتاح to open your heart.
6) Remember the following Hadith:
"ما من أيام أعظم عند الله ولا أحب إليه العمل فيهن من هذه الأيام العشر..."
“There are no days that are greater before Allaah or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him..." [Ahmad]
Allahs loves good deeds, but during these days, Allah loves them more. And from this comes sincerity: You perform good deeds knowing that Allah loves it, because you want Him to love you.
Allah is الرب، العظيم and you are a slave; weak, poor, needy - and He directs you to something He loves so you perform it hoping that He praises you and becomes pleased with you.
7) Perfect your obligatory prayers
Before you pray, stand up and think for two or three minutes. Collect your heart, and connect it with your tongue, so that you know what you are saying and can concentrate during the prayer. The more you struggle, the more you will be rewarded.
And do not neglect the voluntary prayers. Do not miss Duha prayer, the Witr, the Rawaatib, Qiyam Al-Layl. And remember that Allah said in [96:19]:
"Nay! (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him))! Do not obey him (Abu Jahl). Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah!"
The more you prostrate, the more you will come closer to Allah.
8) Dhikr
There are two kinds of Takbir
1) General - This begins from the 1st of Dhul-Hijjah until the Last Day of Tashreeq (13th of Dhul-Hijjah)
2) Restricted - This is said after every obligatory prayer (after you say اللهم أنت السلام...) and begins from the Fajr of the Day of Arafah until the Asr of the Last Day of Tashreeq (13th of Dhul-Hijjah). This is for those in their countries. For the Hujjaj it begins after they throw the pebbles on the first day of Eid.
There are various ways of saying the Takbir:
1) الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر لا اله الا الله الله أكبر الله أكبر و لله الحمد
2) الله أكبر الله أكبر لا إله الا الله الله أكبر الله أكبر و لله الحمد
3) الله أكبر كبيرا و الحمد لله كثيرا و سبحان الله بكرة و أصيلا
If your tongue is not used to Dhikr, it will be very difficult during these 10 Days. So get accustomed to it from now.
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