In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The blessed month of Dhu`l–Hijjah is fast approaching. Many Muslims have begun their journey for Hajj. May Allah make their journey safe and accept their Hajj. Those who are at home should begin to prepare themselves to do extra good deeds during the first ten days of Du'l-Hijjah.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) informed us that there are no days in which righteous actions are more beloved to Allah than the first ten days of this month. [Bukhari, Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that fasting one of these days is equal to the reward of fasting for a whole year and standing in one of these nights in prayer is equal to standing in prayer on Laylat al-Qadr. [Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah] It has also been narrated that the reward for actions in these days is multiplied seven hundred times.
This is not to mention the Day of Arafat (the 9th of Dhu’l-Hijjah) which is the greatest day of the year. Fasting that day wipes out the sins of the previous year and the year to come.
If we are unable to fast the first nine days of the month, we should at least fast the Day of Arafat. If we are able to fast two or three days then by fasting Monday or Thursday or both we will gain the reward of following the Sunnah. Likewise by fasting three of these days we will have performed the Sunnah of fasting three days in every month.
These are days in which we should remember Allah abundantly. Allah says that they remember the name of Allah on well-known days.
لِّيَشْهَدُوا۟ مَنَـٰفِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّـهِ فِىٓ أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَـٰتٍ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّنۢ بَهِيمَةِ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ ۖ فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا۟ ٱلْبَآئِسَ ٱلْفَقِيرَ ﴿٢٨[Qur'an, Al-Hajj 22:28]
That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on well known days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor. (28)
These “well known days” according to the majority of scholars are the ten days of Dhu’l–Hijjah. This is why the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that in these days we should make abundant tahlil (saying la ilaha ill’Allah), takbir (saying Allahu akbar) and tahmid (saying alhamdulillah). [Ahmad]
`Abdullah Ibn `Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) would go into the marketplace in these days and raise their voices with the takbir. The people in the marketplace would then raise their voices with the takbir in response. Thus the most hated place to Allah, a place where most people are heedless of Him, was filled with His remembrance.
Whether it be prayer, fasting, charity, remembrance, seeking knowledge, helping people, any righteous actions we do will be greatly rewarded and beyond that are beloved to Allah. This is also a time when prayers are answered by Allah.
Actions that Carry the Reward of Hajj
Nothing can equal actually performing the Hajj and worshiping Allah in those blessed places. Allah knows that many people long to make Hajj every year but are unable to do so. Out of His generosity, He made the reward for certain actions similar to the reward of a supererogatory Hajj.
1- Performing obligatory actions. The slave can only draw near to Allah by performing supererogatory actions after first having performed that which is obligatory. This includes purifying one’s heart from forbidden attributes and guarding one’s tongue and limbs from committing forbidden actions. All of this is much harder on the lower self than many supererogatory acts of worship
2- Being good to your parents. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) commanded one of the Companions to be good to his mother. If you do so, he said: “You are a Hajj pilgrim, a person performing `Umrah and someone striving for the sake of Allah (mujahid).”
3- Remembering Allah from Fajr until Ishraq. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Whoever prays Subh (Fajr) in congregation and then sits in the place where he prayed remembering Allah until the sun rises and then prays two rak'ats has the reward of a complete Hajj and `Umrah.” He repeated “complete” three times. [At-Tirmidhi]
4- Attending a gathering of knowledge. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The one who goes out to the mosque wanting only to learn good or teach it has the reward of a complete hajj.” [At-Tabarani]
5- Going to the mosque for the congregational prayer. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Whoever performs ablution in his house and then goes out to perform the obligatory prayer in the mosque has a reward similar to the reward of a Hajj pilgrim. Whoever goes out to perform the mid-morning prayer (Duha) has a reward similar to the reward of the one performing `Umrah.” [Abu Daud]
6- Performing the Friday Prayer. Sa`īd Ibn al-Musayyib said performing the Friday Prayer is “more beloved to me than a supererogatory hajj.”
7- Fulfilling the needs of your brother or sister. Hasan al-Basri said: “Going to fulfill the need of your brother is better for you than performing Hajj after Hajj.”
8- Performing the 'Eid Prayer. One of the Companions said: “Going out to pray 'Eid al-Fitr is equal to performing `Umrah and going out to pray 'Eid al-Adha is equal to performing hajj.”
9. Finally there is no action more beloved to Allah on the Day of 'Eid than making a sacrifice. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) told his beloved daughter, Fatimah al-Zahra’ (may Allah be pleased with her) that she would be forgiven for her previous wrongdoings with the first drop of blood to be shed from the sacrificed animal. She asked if this reward was specifically for the household of the Prophet and he replied: “For us and for all the Muslims.
Everything about us -- growth and development, movements, actions and morality, all take place within the space of 'Time'. Time passes quickly, our spiritual and material potentialities decline, and our abilities fade. We are like someone who possesses a great capital and, without Allah's permission and will, every moment, a portion of that capital is taken away. This is the nature of life in this world -- a continual loss. A poet once said, "Your life comprises a few breaths that can be counted; when one of them is sent out, a part of your life has diminished." Each moment that passes by is a moment closer to the end of your life in this world.
Opportunity knocks but once. You won't have this Dhu'l-Hijjah again. If you don't grab it when it comes, you lose it. What you miss out on doing at this moment, you can't do it later without losing the opportunity to do something else later.
So, grab the opportunity that Allah opens for us. May Allah grant us tawfiq. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Related Archive
Saving Up For Hajj
Adhkar for the First Ten Days of Dhu'l-Hijjah
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