O servants of Allah! We are on the threshold of great days!
Great days, which are among the best days of the year. Moreover, many scholars (ulama) say that these days are the best days of the year. And that they are better than the last days of Ramadan. We are talking about the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, on the threshold of which we are now.
Allah (pure and exalted is He) swore by these days and nights of these days and said:
وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ
and the ten nights
Quran, Surah Dawn, 89:2
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari, imam and interpreter of the Quran, says: “Ijma, the consensus among scholars is that we are talking about the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.”
And Allah (pure and exalted is He) says:
وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ
And pronounce the Name of Allah on appointed days:
Quran, Surah “Pilgrimage”, 22:28
Ibn Abbas says: “What are these famous days? These are ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.”
O servants of Allah!
Imam al-Bukhari reports a hadith from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
ما العَمَلُ في أيَّامٍ أفْضَلَ منها في هذه، قالوا: ولا الجِهادُ؟ قالَ: ولا الجِهادُ، إلَّا رَجُلٌ خَرَجَ يُخاطِرُ بنَفْسِه ومالِه، فلَمْ يَرْجِعْ بشَيءٍ
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “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.” (that is, died)
Reported by al-Bukhari (969)
Look, what kind of deed is this that is better than jihad in the path of Allah (pure and exalted is He)? Except for some special occasions. What an important period in our lives this is! Our predecessors understood this, unlike us.
As ad-Darimi reports, Sa’id ibn Jubeir, (may Allah be pleased with him), when ten days came, he showed such zeal that he did practically things that were almost impossible.
Therefore, O servants of Allah, let us try. Let us first of all put in order the obligatory requirements of religion (fards). Let’s perform more additional prayers, let’s constantly read the Quran and reflect on the Quran these days. Don’t forget dhikr in the morning and evening, don’t forget dhikr during the day. Be diligent, give sadaka. Fast, perform all kinds of acts of piety.
So know that there are seven acts that are intended specifically for these days, and they are collected in these ten days.
O servant of Allah!
First is the pillar of Islam – the Hajj.
Allah (pure and exalted is He) says:
وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا
Pilgrimage to this House is an obligation by Allah upon whoever is able among the people.
Quran, Surah “The Family of Imran”, 3:97
Al-Bayhaqi reports that al-Faruk ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, the Commander of the Faithful, said:
“Let a person die as a Jew or a Christian who did not perform the Hajj, although he had the opportunity to do so, his path was open.”
This indicates the danger of this. If a person can perform Hajj, he should do it, and should do it as soon as he has the opportunity. And Hajj is obligatory only once in a lifetime!
O servants of Allah!
If a person has the opportunity, but he hesitates, then he can fall into the very words that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said.
The second act is sacrifice (udhiya, qurban).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not miss this worship. Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, reports:
ضَحَّى النبيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ بكَبْشينِ أمْلَحَيْنِ أقْرَنَيْنِ، ذَبَحَهُما بيَدِهِ، وسَمَّى وكَبَّرَ، ووَضَعَ رِجْلَهُ علَى صِفَاحِهِمَا
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to offer as sacrifices, two horned rams, black and white in color, and used to put his foot on their sides and slaughter them with his own hands.
Reported by al-Bukhari (5565) and Muslim (1966)
Therefore, a person should try to find an opportunity to purchase an animal for Qurbani (al-udhiyyah). If anyone has the opportunity, let him not miss this great worship that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not miss. If you have the opportunity to do this at home, if you have your own yard, then it is better to do it at home, so that your children are present, so that this ritual of Islam is practiced, and they learn it.
And the third act is the prohibition of removing hair and nails and anything from the skin
You cannot cut your nails, you cannot cut your hair, you cannot remove any hair or anything from the skin of a person who is going to slaughter the Qurbani. As soon as ten days of Dhul-Hijjah begin, the first night of Dhul-Hijjah begins – that’s it, from now on it’s prohibited! Don’t touch your hair, nails, or anything made of skin!
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said about this:
“When the ten days (of Dhul-Hijjah) begin, and one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him not remove anything from his hair or skin.”
Reported by Muslim (1977), Ibn Majah (3149) and at-Tahawi (5511)
The fourth act is fasting (syyam). It is advisable to fast for the first nine days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah.
Narrated from one of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصُومُ تِسْعَ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ
“the Messenger of Allah used to fast nine days of Dhul-Hijjah”
Reported by Abu Dawud in his Sunan
This was also narrated from the Companions: from Abu Hurayrah and from others, that they practiced this, they fasted for nine days of Dhul-Hijjah.
But not all people can fast for all nine days. But at least do this:
The fifth act is fasting on the day of Arafah. This post is great in reward. Because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
صِيامُ يومِ عَرَفَةَ، إِنِّي أحْتَسِبُ على اللهِ أنْ يُكَفِّرَ السنَةَ التي قَبلَهُ، والسنَةَ التي بَعدَهُ
I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of ‘Arafa may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming years
Reported by Muslim (1162), Abu Dawud (2425), Ahmad (22650), at-Tirmidhi (749, 752), Ibn Majah (1730, 1738) and Ibn Hibban (3632)
SubhanAllah, the sins of two years in one day of sincere fasting!
O servant of Allah, do not miss this opportunity!
The sixth act is the festive prayer (salaat al-Eid)
This prayer is very important. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) encouraged and ordered even women who are menstruating to attend this prayer.
Umm Atiyah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
«يَخْرُجُ العَوَاتِقُ وَذَوَاتُ الخُدُورِ، أَوِ العَوَاتِقُ ذَوَاتُ الخُدُورِ، وَالحُيَّضُ، وَلْيَشْهَدْنَ الخَيْرَ، وَدَعْوَةَ المُؤْمِنِينَ، وَيَعْتَزِلُ الحُيَّضُ المُصَلَّى»
‘Virgin mature girls staying often screened (or said, ‘Mature girls and virgins staying often screened–Aiyub is not sure as which was right) and menstruating women should come out (on the `Id day). But the menstruating women should keep away from the Musalla. And all the women should participate in the good deeds and in the religious gatherings of the believers’.
Reported by al-Bukhari (980) and Muslim (890)
If women who are menstruating are ordered to go to Eid prayer, what can we say about others, O servants of Allah!
The gathering on this day is great worship, the manifest worship of Islam.
The seventh act is takbir – saying takbir in these ten days, and raising one’s voice, saying takbir in a loud voice. Unfortunately, this is the Sunnah that people ignore. Some are shy, some forget.
Al-Bukhari reports that Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hureyra went to the markets during these ten days and loudly proclaimed takbir. And people, seeing that they were proclaiming takbir, also began to pronounce takbir. Therefore, it is advisable to pronounce it loudly. Say takbir in these ten days, wherever you can: at home, on the road, when you go, when you return – wherever you can do it – do it!
How to pronounce takbir?
There are different forms. The most famous one you probably know is:
اللهُ أكبر اللهُ أكبر، لا إلهَ إلَّا الله، واللهُ أكبر اللهُ أكبر، ولله الحَمْد
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La illaha il Allah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, walilahil Hamd
Some people make a mistake and think: “If I have already cut my nails or some of my hair, then I can no longer slaughter the Qurbani.”
This is a mistake! If, when these ten days have arrived, you are going to slaughter the Qurbani, but you cut something from your hair or nails – yes, you made a mistake, you did the wrong thing. But this does not mean that you cannot slaughter Qurbani now. You can just go back to abstaining from cutting your nails and hair, and then, when it is the day of Qurbani, slaughter the sacrificial animal.
Next, O servants of Allah, one more question. Some say: “I had no intention of slaughtering the Qurbani. And only on the fifth or sixth day of Dhul-Hijjah, or two days before Kurban, did my intention to slaughter it. What do I do?”
From this day on, when you have an intention, begin to refrain from removing hair and nails.
O servants of Allah!
In conclusion I will tell you. Remember when the last ten days of Ramadan were, how zealous you were, how you tried, how you stood up for night prayers, tried to give sadaqa, remember Allah, read the Quran. It’s amazing why we feel lethargic these days? Why are we feeling lazy these days? Why do we neglect worship these days? After all, these days are even better than the last ten days of the month of Ramadan.
Therefore, let us not neglect, O servants of Allah, let us fear Allah (pure and exalted is He), remind ourselves, remind our brothers, remind our relatives, remind our wives, remind our children, so that you spend these days in the best worship of Allah (most pure and exalted is He), as we have missed so many of these opportunities over the past years. Ten days in the past years – how many have we missed? Let’s not miss this opportunity.
Allah allowed you to live, Allah extended your life until this moment. Do not neglect, O servant of Allah.
We ask Allah (pure and exalted is He), by His mercy, to grant us the opportunity to worship these days in the best way and accept it from us.
