The First Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Dhul Hijjah is the last month of the Islamic calendar. Allah is so Merciful to us and He has given us so many opportunities in this year for extra reward:

·       The blessed month of Muharram

·       The night and day of the 15^th Shaban

·       The whole month of Ramadan

·       The night of Laylatul Qadr

·       The happiness of Eid ul Fitr

·       The six fasts of Shawwal

All these days and months are a blessing from Allah to help the neglectful ones to wake up to reality, and to give them more reward.

No matter how many times we forget about Allah and we love the world more than Him, Allah wants to remind us that there’s always a chance to make up for the loss of the past. There’s always a chance to get more reward.

But it is only the people who are wise that will take this chance! They are the ones who will secure a higher place in Paradise for themselves. On the other hand, if we decide to sit back and do nothing, then it’s only us that will suffer in the ultimate end.

What are the blessings of this great month of Dhul Hijjah, and how we can gain more reward in it?

·       The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are amongst the best days of the year. A hadith says, that the Prophet (saw) said, “On no day is the worship of Allah more beloved to Him than during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. The fast of each of these days is equal to the fast of the whole year, and the worship of each of these nights is equal to the worship of Laylatul Qadr”. (Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)

·       That means that if we fast on these 9 days before Eid day, we will be promised the reward of 9 years of fasting. Laylatul Qadr has the reward of more than a thousand months of worship! Even if we spend just a little part of these nights in worship – we will gain so much reward inshallah!

·       Look at the mercy of Allah – He offers us such a great reward for such a small sacrifice – the days are getting shorter and it will be easier to fast.

·       The Prophet (saw) said: “On no other days are good deeds more liked by Allah than on these ten days”.

·       We should increase our zikr of Allah in these days. Recite Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah, Allahu akbar as much as you can. We can do this in all states – working, walking, cooking, lying down etc.

The Day of Arafah

This is one of the most special days from these ten days – Yaum al Arafah – it falls on the day before Eid. This is when the Hajis spend most of the day at Arafah, and when they leave there, they can be sure that Allah has forgiven all their sins.

When the Prophet (saw) was asked about the fast of this day, he said: “It compensates for the minor sins of the previous year and the forth coming year”. (Muslim)

The Prophet (saw) also said, “Apart from the day of the Battle of Badr, there is no day on which Shaytan is seen to be more humiliated, more rejected, more depressed and more infuriated, than on the Day of Arafah, and indeed all this is only because of witnessing the abundance of mercy descending on that day, and Allah’s forgiveness of the great sins of His servants.” (Mishkat)

The Prophet (saw) said, “There is no day in which Allah sets free more souls from the fire of Hell than on the Day of Arafah; and on that day, Allah draws near to the earth, and by way of exhibiting his pride, remarks to the angels, “What is the desire of these servants of mine?” (Muslim)

So, whether we are sat on the plains of Arafah or sat in our very own homes, if we ask, Allah will give. Ask for the goodness of this world, but more importantly, the goodness of the Hereafter.

We should keep our qadha fasts before these nafl fasts. Speak to Allah, and tell Him with a sincere heart that if you didn't have qadha fasts, you would most definitely be keeping these nafl fasts. Pray that He gives you the same reward, inshallah.

May Allah give us all the ability to make the most of these blessed days - Ameen!

Wasalaam!