The Virtues of the first 10 days of Dhul Hijja:

1. Ahadith of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam):

قال النبي –صلى الله عليه وسلم-( مامن أيام العمل الصالح فيها أحب إلى الله من هذه الأيام قالوا يا رسول الله : ولا الجهاد في سبيل الله قال ولا الجهاد في سبيل الله إلا رجل خرج بنفسه وماله فلم يرجع من ذلك بشئ) رواه البخاري

The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “There are no days in which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than during these days. The Sahaba said: Oh Rasul Allah, not even jihad in the path of Allah? He (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: Not even jihad in the path of Allah except for the man who goes out in the path of Allah with his life and his wealth and returns with neither of them.”

وقال ( أفضل أيام الدنيا أيام العشر) رواه البزار وصححه الالبانى.

And he (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “The best days of this world are these ten.”

2. Allah swears by these 10 days in the Qur’an:

قول الله تعالى: ((وَالْفَجْرِ، وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ)) سورة الفجر (1-2)، قال ابن كثير رحمه الله: المراد بها عشر ذي الحجة

Allah says: “By the dawn, and by the 10 nights” [al-Fajr 89:1-2]. Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Mujahid and others of the earlier and later generations said that this refers to the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. Ibn Katheer said: “This is the correct opinion.”

قال تعالى: ((وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ)) سورة الحج(28)، قال ابن عباس: أيام العشر

Allah says: “…and mention the name of Allah on appointed days…” [al-Hajj 22:28] Ibn ‘Abbas said these are the ten days.

3. These ten days are better than Ramadaan:

قال المحققون من أهل العلم: أيام عشر ذي الحجة أفضل الأيام، وليالي العشر الأواخر من رمضان أفضل الليالي.

Most scholars adopt the opinion that these days are better than the last ten days of Ramadan. However, what holds the last ten days of Ramadan at a higher status is the night of Power (Laylatul Qadr) which is equivalent to one thousand months (83.33 years).

تضاعف فيها الحسنات قال ابن عباس”: العمل فيهن بسبعمائة ضعف”

The rewards are multiplied in these days. Ibn ‘Abbas said: “(The reward for good) deeds are multiplied seven hundred times in these days.”

قال الاوزاعى: “بلغني أن العمل في أيام العشر كقدر غزوة في سبيل الله يصام نهارها ويحرس ليلها إلا أن يختص امرء بشهادة”

Al Awzaa’i said: I was informed that good deeds during the ten days are the equivalent (in reward) to a battle in the path of Allah, in which the day is spent in fasting and the night in safeguarding, except if one is bestowed with martyrdom.”

In Ramdaan doing good deeds and struggling in worship, especially during the last ten nights, is easier than during these days for a few reasons. Firstly, the atmosphere of the month of Ramadaan, whether culturally, spiritually, or traditionally, makes it easier to focus and strive. Secondly, the shayateen are chained. So, to get that drive and direction we had in Ramadaan, is much harder when we have most likely fallen out of “Ramadaan mode.” However, since the ‘ibada is more difficult, the reward is greater. So let’s keep this in mind and get ready to really work hard.

The Plan of Action for these 10 days:

1. Really feel this blessing and realize that it is an opportunity of a lifetime, because none of us know if we will witness these 10 days again.

كان خالد بن معدان يقول( إذا فتح لأحدكم باب للخير فليسرع فاءنه لا يدرى متى يغلق عنه)

Khalid bin mi’dan used to say: “If the door for good is opened for one of you, then rush (to take advantage) because you don’t know when it will close.”

2. Have high aspirations in your worship and use the examples of the ijtihad of the saliheen as motivation.

3. Take advantage of the opportunities to get the reward of hajj while being elsewhere.

قال-صلى الله عليه وسلم-( من صلى الفجر في جماعة ثم قعد يذكر الله حتى تطلع الشمس ثم صلى ركعتين كانت له كأجر حجة وعمرة تامة تامة تامة)

The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever prays fajr in congregation and then sits in remembrance of Allah until the sun rises, then prays two rak’aat, he has the full reward of hajj and ‘umrah.”

4. Perfecting the faraa’idh (obligatory actions):

Often times we become busy trying to do extra deeds, but neglect the fact that perhaps maybe what is obligatory upon us is not at the level it should be. There is no way for a person to become close to Allah other than through the obligatory actions, as is apparent in the famous hadith qudsi in which Allah says: “My servant does not become closer to me by anything more beloved to me than what I have obligated upon him.”

Reasonable Goals:

1. Khatm of Qur’an: equivalent to more than half a million hasanaat during these days. Let’s try to complete the recitation of the Qur’an during these days, ending by ‘Asr time on the day of ‘Arafah and spending from ‘Asr to Magrhib in du’aa.

2. Qiyaam al- layl:

قال رسول الله –صلى الله عليه وسلم-( من قام بألف آية كتب من المقنطرين) روى الدارمى عن مجاهد( أن القنطار سبعين ألف دينار(

Rasul Allah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever stands in prayer, reciting 1,000 verses is written among the muqantareen.” A qintar is equal to 70,000 dinar.

The recitation of the last two ajzaa’ of the Qur’an is equivalent to 1,000 verses.

Extra Salah during the day:

قال رسول الله –صلى الله عليه وسلم- ((مامن عبد مسلم يصلى لله في كل يوم ثنتى عشر ركعة تطوعا من غير الفريضة إلا بنى الله له بيت في الجنة))

The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is not a Muslim who prays twelve raka’at per day, other than the obligatory prayers, except that a palace is built for him in paradise.”

6. Dhikr: The best form of worship to do in these ten days as apparent in the hadith:

قال رسول الله- صلى الله عليه وسلم- ( مامن أيام أحب إلى الله العمل الصالح فيها من هذه العشر فأكثروا فيه من التسبيح والتحميد والتهليل والتكبير)

Ibn ‘Umar said that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “There is no day more honorable in Allah ’s sight and no acts more beloved therein to Allah than those in these ten days. So say tahlil (There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah : La ilaha illAllah ), takbir (Allah is the greatest : Allahu akbar ) and tahmid (All praise is due to Allah : alhumdulillah) a lot [on those days].” [Reported by Ahmad, 7/224; Ahmad Shakir stated it is saheeh]

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ziyad ibn Abi Ziyad from Talha ibn Ubaydullah ibn Kariz that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The best du’aa is du’aa on the day of ‘Arafah, and the best thing that I or the Prophets before me have said is ‘There is no god but Allah, alone, without any partner’ (La ilaha illa’llah, wahdahu la sharika lah.)” [Muwatta imam Malik]

7. Reviving the Sunnah of Takbir:

عن ابن عمر وأبى هريرة أنهما كانا يقولان في أيام العشر الله اكبر الله اكبر الله اكبر لا اله إلا الله والله اكبر الله اكبر ولله الحمد)) رواه البخاري

Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurairah (radhi Allahu anhuma) used to go out in the marketplace during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, reciting Takbeer, and the people would recite Takbeer when they heard them.

8. Fasting:

The reward of fasting is great, so imagine how much that reward would be multiplied in these days. If one can’t fast all of the 9 days, then at least on the day of ‘Arafah as it is the greatest day.

يتأكد صوم يوم عرفة، لما ثبت عنه صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال عن صوم يوم عرفة: « أحتسب على الله أن يُكفر السنة التي قبله والسنة التي بعده ». (رواه مسلم)

Abu Qatadah reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah is an expiation for two years, the year preceding it and the year following it. Fasting the day of ‘Ashuraa’ is an expiation for the year preceding it.” [This is related by "the group," except for al-Bukhari and at-Tirmidhi]

قال صلى الله عليه وسلم-( مامن يوم أكثر من أن يعتق الله فيه عبادا من النار من يوم عرفه)

كان على يوصى أن يقول العبد يوم عرفة كثيرا( اللهم اعتق رقبتي من النار)

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said “There is no day that Allah will free people more than the day of ‘Arafah.”

‘Ali (R) used to advise people to say “Oh Allah free my neck from the fire.” On the day of ‘Arafah.

قال –صلى الله عليه وسلم-( خير الدعاء دعاء يوم عرفة)

The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said the best du’aa is the du’aa on the day of ‘Arafah.

9. Du’aa:

Especially on the day of ‘Arafah, but also at anytime. Keep in mind the times where du’aa is more likely to be accepted and ask during those times.

-The last third of the night

-Between the adhaan and iqaamah

-During the rain

-In sujood

-Friday

-While fasting

10. Sadaqa:

Give sadaqa during these days, since the reward is multiplied tremendously.

11. Tawba: continually renew repentance

12. Establish ikhlas in ‘ibada

13. Check and renew intentions at all times

The Day of ‘Eid

The greatest day: remained focused as it is still part of the first 10 days which are the best days of the year! Try not to get too caught up in celebrating that you stop doing the worship that you were doing the first 9 days.

The day of ‘Eid: A day for visiting family (silat ar rahm) and performing the sacrifice for one who is able.