16 things you can do on the Night of Power (Laylatul Qadr)

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Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power) is described in the Quran as, "better than a thousand months" (97:3). Any action done on this night such as reciting the Quran, remembering Allah, etc. is better than acting for one thousand months which do not contain the night of Qadr.

Allah's Messenger used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time." (Muslim). Allah's peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet.

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, related that the Prophet said: Look for Laylatul Qadr on an odd-numbered night during the last ten nights of Ramadan (Bukhari).

The Prophet said: "Whoever prays during the night of Qadr with faith and hoping for its reward will have all of his previous sins forgiven." (Bukhari and Muslim recorded from Abu Huraira).

Here are some tips of things we can do on the Night of Power and the time before and after it.

1. Take a vacation for AllahWe take a break from our jobs for almost everything in life. Why not this time to focus on worshiping and thanking our Creator.

If this is not possible at least take a few days off if you can. This can make it easier to stay awake at night to do extra Ibadah, not having to worry about getting to work the next day.

It will also facilitate doing Itikaf.

2. Do ItikafIt was a practice of the Prophet to spend the last ten days and nights of Ramadan in the masjid for Itikaf.

Those in Itikaf stay in the masjid all this time, performing various forms of zikr (the remembrance of Allah), like doing extra Salat, recitation and study of the Quran. They do not go outside the masjid except in case of emergencies, therefore, they sleep in the masjid. Their families or the masjid administration takes care of their food needs.

Itikaf of a shorter period of time, like one night, a day or a couple of days is encouraged as well.

3. Make this special DuaAisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: I asked the Messenger of Allah: 'O Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is the night of Qadr, what should I say during it?' He said: 'Say: O Allah, You are pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.' "(Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Tirmidhi).

The transliteration of this Dua is "Allahumma innaka `afuwwun tuhibbul `afwa fa`fu `annee"

4. Recite the Quran

Perhaps you can choose Surahs or passages from the Quran which you have heard in Tarawih this past Ramadan to recite.

If you attend a class where the recitation of the Quran is taught, this is a great time to put your knowledge into practice.

5. Reflect on the meaning of the Quran

Choose the latest Surah or Surahs you've heard in Tarawih and read their translation and Tafseer. Then think deeply about their meaning and how it affects you on a personal level.

6. Get your sins wiped out

Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger said: Whoever stands (in prayer) in Laylatul Qadr while nourishing his faith with self-evaluation, expecting reward from Allah, will have all of his previous sins forgiven. [Bukhari and Muslim).

Don't just pray using the shorter Surahs that you know. Try to make your prayers longer, deeper and meaningful. If you are familiar with longer Surahs, read the translation and explanation and then pray reciting these Surahs, carefully reflecting on the meaning while you pray.

Even if you are only familiar with the shorter Surahs, read the translation and explanation beforehand, and then pray reflecting on the message of the Surahs.

This is a good way to develop the habit of concentration, even in regular prayers, where many of us tend to be fidgety and/or easily distracted.

7. Make a personal Dua list.

Ask yourself what you really want from Allah. Make a list of each and everything, no matter how small or how big it is, whether it deals with this world or not. Allah loves to hear from us. Once this list is ready, you can do three things:

• Ask Allah to give you those things
• Think about what actions you have taken to get those things
• Develop a work plan to get those things in future.

8. Evaluate yourself.

Ask yourself those questions that need to be asked. Do an evaluation of where you are and where you are going. Let this evaluation lead you to feel happiness for the good you have done and remorse for the bad you have done. (see a short and a long evaluation guide) This latter feeling should make it easier to seek Allah's sincere forgiveness when making the Dua mentioned in tip number one above.

9. Make long, sincere and deep Duas

One of the best times to do this is during the last part of the night.

Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, related that the Prophet said: When the last one-third of the night remains, our Lord, the Glorious One descends towards the heaven of the earth and proclaims: Who is that who supplicates for Me, and I grant his supplication? Who is that who begs Me for anything and I grant it to him? And who is that who seeks My forgiveness, and I forgive him? (Bukhari, Muslim).

That means for instance, waking up one hour before Suhoor time to ask Allah for anything and everything you want that is Halal. This can be done using the Duas of the Sunnah, but also Dua in your own language, with sincerity and conviction.

For some tips on making Dua please see the article Some personal Duas you can make.

10. Memorize a different Dua every night

They don't have to be long. They can be just one line. And be sure to know what they mean generally at least, even if you don't know the exact translation in English.

You can put them on index cards (or and keep them with you during the day, glancing at them during work, while driving, waiting in line, etc.) Then practice them at night in prayer.

11. Have Iftar with the family

If you've spent Iftar time on weekdays in your cubicle at work alone with a couple of dates, now is the last few days you'll have this Ramadan to spend with your family. Use it wisely.

12. Take the family to Tarawih

Have your spouse and kids missed Tarawih most of Ramadan because you weren't there to drive them to the Masjid, which is too far away to walk to? If so, do all of yourselves a favor and bring everyone for Tarawih in these last ten nights.

13. Attend the Dua after the completion of Quran recitation

Almost all Masjids where the Imam aims to finish an entire reading of the Quran in Tarawih prayers in Ramadan will be completing their recitation in these last ten nights. They may try to end on one of the odd nights and read the Dua at the end of a reading of the Quran. Attend this particular night's Tarawih prayer with your family. See if you can attend different Masjids' Tarawih prayers the night they finish reading the Quran.

14. Finish reading a book on the Prophet

Read about the Prophet's life, which can increase your love for him and Islam by seeing how much he struggled for Allah's sake. It may inspire you to push yourself even harder during these last ten nights.

15. Plan for the next year

Once you've done a self-evaluation, you can plan on where you want to go, at least in the next 12 months. Laylatul Qadr is a great night to be thinking about this (without taking away from your worship), since you'll Insha Allah, be in a more contemplative state. You may choose to dedicate one night of power for evaluation and one night for planning for the next year.

16. To do list for the Night of Power

Make a to do checklist for each Night of Power. This should define how you would like your night, the one better than a thousand months, to be used. Pick things from this list and define the sequence you would like to do things in. This will help you avoid wasting your time in unproductive chats which common in the festive atmosphere of Masjids at the Night of Power.

To You Be Your Celebrations, And To Me Mine;

Introduction

Alamdu li 'Llaah. Indeed, all glory and praise is due to Allaah. We glorify and praise Him and we ask Him for help and forgiveness. In Allaah we seek refuge from the evils in ourselves and from our wrong doings. He whom Allaah guides shall not be misguided, and he whom He misguides shall never be guided. I bear witness that there is no [true] god except Allaah, alone without any partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam is His Abd (Devoted servant and worshipper) and Messenger. Verily, the best words are those of Allaah ta'ala; the best guidance is that of Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam; the worst matters [in creed or worships] are those innovated [by people], for every such innovated matter is a bid'ah (Innovation in the creed or in acts of worship), and every bid'ah is a misguidance which shall reside in the Fire (The foregoing paragraphs are a translation of Khutbat ul-Haajah (the Sermon of Need) with which the Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam used to start his speeches and which he was keen to teach hs companions).

To many people, celebrating Eids (Holidays and other recurring events) is a non-religious matter, and one has the choice to participate in celebrating any Eid, for any nation or religion, as long as that does not involve engaging in araam (prohibited) actions. This view is the basis for what we witness repeatedly of Muslims engaging in various celebrations and in sharing in the holidays of other nations. This article is meant to present, based on the Qur aan and the authentic Sunnah, guidelines for evaluating holidays and other related practices. This should enable one to reach a quick and sound conclusion when faced with such events.

Completeness of the Deen (The religion of Islaam practised as a complete way of life)

By Allaah's blessing and mercy, Islaam is complete, perfect, and universal in nature. Allaah ta'ala said (what means): This day I have perfected your religion for you, have completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion. [Al-Maa idah (5) 3] It is narrated by Muslim that some mushrikoon (idol worshipers) tried to mock of Islaam by saying, "It seems as if your prophet has taught you everything, even how to defecate!" When Salmaan radiallaahu 'anhu heard this he responded with the strong dignity of a true believer: "Yes indeed! He prohibited us from turning our faces or backs to the Qiblah (The Direction (of Al-Ka'bah) faced by Muslims in prayer) when defecating or urinating, from using the right hand to cleanse ourselves, from using less than three stones to cleanse ourselves [in the absence of water], and from using animal waste or bones to cleanse with."

Allaah's mercy has required that people be informed of all what would save them from the Fire and what would let them into the Gardens of the Hereafter. This was the mission of all prophets, as declared by Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam: There was never any prophet before me but that his duty was to reveal to his people what he knew to be best for them, and to warn them of what he knew to be evil for them. [Narrated by Muslim] And this was certainly the mission of the Final Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam as he said:Nothing of what would bring you closer to the Jannah (Gardens of Paradise) and further away from the Fire but have been clarified [through me] to you. [Authentic; narrated by Ahmad].

With His encompassing Wisdom, Allaah ta'ala made His Final Revelation, Islaam, a universal message meant for all peoples, at all times, without any distinction: We have not sent you [Muhammad] otherwise than to mankind at large, to be a herald of glad tidings and a warner. [Saba (34) 28] Furthermore, this most important Message is preserved intact through the centuries, as is clearly observed today by any impartial examiner. This is in fulfillment of Allaah's promise: It is We Ourselves who have sent down the dthikr (the Message), and it is We who shall surely guard it [from corruption]. [Al-Hijr (14) 9] We conclude then that:

1. 1. Islaam contains the complete and perfect guidance for humanity.
   2. Islaam did not neglect any information that would be needed by people to reach happiness and to avoid harm, in all matters, whether minute or large.
   3. Islaam is the only guidance tailored for all peoples at all times.
   4. Islaam has been preserved, and will remain intact through the ages, as the only true guidance capable of helping and saving people.

Completing That Which Had Been Completed?

The completeness of Islaam obviously means that it cannot be completed further. Whether people realize it or not, believing otherwise would imply one or more of the following dangerous conclusions:

1. 1. that Allaah ta'ala was not truthful in declaring this completeness (I seek refuge in Allaah from such a blasphemous thought.)
   2. that Allaah ta'ala has forgotten or missed some details needed to complete the Deen (again, I seek refuge in Allaah from such a blasphemous thought.)
   3. that Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam has neglected or forgotten to convey to us some matters needed to complete the Deen (and again, I seek refuge in Allaah from such a blasphemous thought.)

This shows why Islaam warned so strongly against introducing bid'ahs into the Deen. We have cited in the Introduction above the Prophet's sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam words warning of bid'ahs. Imaam Maalik radiallaahu 'anhu said, Whoever innovates in Islaam what he believes to be a good bid'ah would be [implicitly] claiming that Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam has betrayed the trust (of delivering the full Message) He then recited the above aayah (A portion of the Qur'aan which is usually about one sentence long) from al-Maaidah.

Distinct Muslim Identity - Is there a Choice?

To some people, the universality of Islaam means that Muslims have the full choice to resemble and behave in coherence with other people in their localities (or in other locations as well). You continue to hear questions like the following: Is it all that important for a Muslim to have a clear distinctive identity? Is it not sufficient to have a strong belief within the heart and to perform Islaam fully but privately? Based on simple Islaamic principles, we can immediately conclude that the answer to the first question is, simply, yes! And the answer to the second question is, simply, no! A true Muslim is always eager to associate with his fellow believers: If anyone contends with the Messenger even after the Guidance has been plainly conveyed to him, and follows a path other than that of the believers, We shall leave him in the path he has chosen, and land him in Hell: What an evil abode! [An-Nisaa (4:115)]. And a true Muslim is very anxious to be distinctive and different from the non-believers. This attitude follows from the repeated instructions of the Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam: Be different from the Jews and the Christians [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim], Be different from the disbelievers [Al- Bukhaaree and Muslim], and: Whoever imitates a people is one of them. [Authentic; narrated by Ahmad] Why is it so important to be distinctive and different from the disbelievers? For the following reasons:

1. 1. We Muslims are blessed with the best guidance. The Guidance from the Lord of lords, from Allaah ta'ala. This gives us true dignity and pride that no one else has a claim to: Honor belongs to Allaah, to the Messenger, and to the Believers.[Al- Munaafiqoon (63) 8]
   2. The disbelievers are misguided, and their ways are based on sick or deviant views concerning their societies, the universe, and their very existence. Their actions frequently reflect their deviant opinions. Why then would anyone ever think of imitating them? Yet Muslims sometimes do just that - they imitate them in their most unintelligible acts! The Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam: You [Muslims] will [in future times] follow the ways of those [disbelieving] nations who preceded you very closely; even if they enter into the hole of a lizard you would follow them into it. [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]
   3. There is a substantial amount of evidence in Islaam leading to the important rule: external agreement or similarity results in real similarity and agreement of the hearts. Thus, resembling disbelievers is Satan's first step in leading Muslims to behave and believe like the kuffaar (Those who reject Islam - disbelievers). Differing from the kuffaar is of different levels or types, some of which are more important than others. They can be broadly classified as follows: Islaam requires us to be different from non-Muslims in matters which are particular to their beliefs or worships, such as: wearing a cross, attending their religious services, wearing monks' attires, displaying or valuing their idols, etc. Imitating the kuffaar in such matters constitutes a major sin which is most possibly a form of disbelief that leads to permanent abode in the Hell Fire (may Allaah ta'ala save us). Islaam requires us to be different from the kuffaar in matters which are representative of them or are characteristic of their identity, even if the religious aspect were not apparant in such matters. Examples of this type of requirements: growing beards and trimming moustaches, dying white hair, not to totally abandon women in their menses, etc. Matters which can be classified under the above two types should be treated similarly, even if there is no specific text to require such treatment. Examples: wearing the Western hat or wedding bands, carrying pictures of family members, walking dogs, wasting time in watching sports games and soap operas, etc. As for other matters which are done by the kuffaar but are not specific to them, the above texts inform us that we should still try to be distinctive from them as much as possible. What is stated above should not be taken to mean, for instance, that we should not learn the sciences or use technology because the kuffaar are currently its leaders. Islaam requires us to learn and benefit from such forms knowledge, and this does not have to do with the subject of being different from the disbelievers.

Holidays Are Part of the Complete Deen

After the above lengthy discussion which, as stated earlier, is meant to provide general guidelines concerning celebrations and other related matters, we come back to apply what we have learnt so far to the subject at hand.

Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam once saw the Ansaar celebrating a certain day. He inquired about that and was informed: This is one of two days that we used to celebrate in Jaahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic ignorance) and we continue to do so. He replied: Nay! Allaah has substituted for you two better days: the day of al-Fitr and the day of al-Adhhaa.[Authentic; narrated by Ahmad, an-Nasaaee, and others]

In addition to these two days, the Jumu'ah (Friday) is an Eid day. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: This is a day which Allaah has designated as an Eid for Muslims.[Authentic] From this and the previous hadeeth, we conclude that Muslims have only three eid days, a weekly eid every Friday, and two annual eids, al-Fitr and al-Adhhaa.

Also, Islaam instructs us as to how to celebrate our Eids. No fasting is allowed on these days (Friday is excepted under certain conditions). On eid days, Muslims take a bath and wear their best clothes. They avoid all forms of sinning which people tend to commit when they are in a state of rejoice. The major part of the celebration is not eating or drinking. Rather, it is a prayer which gathers Muslims together to remember Allaah's bounties and to chant His glory and greatness. It becomes clear then that Allaah alone has the right:

1. 1. to prescribe eids and to set their dates, and
   2. to prescribe the manner of celebrating them.

Imitating Non-Muslims in Celebrations

The evidence from the Qur'aan and the Sunnah is quite clear in that eids are distinctive features for every nation. Allaah ta'ala said (what means): To every people we have appointed [its own] rites and ceremonies. [al-Hajj (22) 34/67] And it was shown in the previous section that eids are purely religious occasions for Muslims.

As discussed earlier, Allaah ta'ala and His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam have warned us against following or imitating non-Muslims in things which are characteristic of their religions or beliefs. This is more emphasized in the case of their eids or occasions, which always hold some religious or ideological non-Islaamic meanings, and on which the kuffaar indulge in many evil practices. Differing from them on such occasions includes the following:

Staying completely away from the kuffaar's celebrations. This means to avoid places where they perform their holiday practices and to avoid participating with them in such practices (Christmas and New Year parties, Halloween trick-and-treat nonsense, Thanksgiving celebration and dinner, Fourth of July fireworks, First of April lies, birthday parties, anniversaries, etc).

Avoiding doing, ourselves, things which pertain to the practices of the kuffaar on such occasions (allowing Christmas trees in our homes or offices, inviting our friends to a Turkey dinner on Thanksgiving day, allowing members of our families to purchase or borrow Halloween attires, holding birthday or anniversary parties for our family members, etc). Avoiding to congratulate the kuffaar on their occasions. For, How can we bring ourselves to congratulate or wish people well for their disobedience to Allaah ta'ala? Thus expressions such as: happy Thanksgiving, happy birthday, happy New Year, etc, are completely out. The only possible happiness is in true imaan! Avoiding to celebrate our eids in a way which is meant to copy the ways of the kuffaar (mingling and shaking hands between men and women, improper cover for both genders, etc). Avoiding to initiate certain occasions or eids in imitation to theirs (the Day of the Earth, the Day of Iowa Muslims, etc.)

Bid'ahs and Sinning on Eids

It has been shown above that eids are meant to be purely Islaamic occasions and practices. They are not liable to the innovation or disobedience of people. The warnings concerning bid'ahs (and sinning in general) clearly applies to them. Thus:

Celebrating so called Islaamic occasions other than the three days prescribed by Allaah is a bid'ah which is rejected by Islaam, because it consists of introducing new rites and worships which only Allaah or His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam have the right to do. This applies to occasions like the Prophet's Birthday, the Hijri New Year's Day , the Middle of Sha'baan and the like.

Introducing certain baseless practices during the three legitimate days is also a bid'ah. On these days, people choose, for instance, to visit graveyards and distribute sweets there, to read specific portions of the Qur aan, to specify the preceding night for extended worship, and to do other things which have no valid evidence. Committing all sorts of innovations and sins in imitation to the kuffaar and the ignorant Muslims is obviously a combination of bid'ahs and other forms of disobedience which are emphasized by that people get involved in them at the time when they are supposed to be performing a purely religious worship.

Conclusion

To preserve our identity and our dignity, and to attain Allaah's love and acceptance (which means peace and happiness in this life and ultimate prosperity in the Hereafter), let us adhere to what pleases Him as he instructed in His Book or in His Messenger's Sunnah; and remember: eids and celebrations are no exception to that. We ask Allaah for guidance.

::The Days of Tashreeq(11th, 12th and 13th of Dhu’l-Hijjah.)::

What are the days of Tashreeq? What is special about them and distinguishes them from other days?

Praise be to Allaah
The days of Tashreeq are the 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhu’l-Hijjah.
There are several verses and ahaadeeth which speak of their virtue:


1 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And remember Allaah during the appointed Days”

[Surah al-Baqarah 2:203]

These are the days of Tashreeq. This was the view of Ibn ‘Umar and most of the scholar

2 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning the days of Tashreeq:

“They are days of eating, drinking and remembering Allaah.” Dhikr (remembering Allaah) is enjoined during the days of tashreeq in several ways:

Remembering Allaah immediately after the prescribed prayers by reciting Takbeer. This is prescribed until the end of the days of Tashreeq according to the majority of scholars.

Remembering Him by saying Bismillaah and Allaahu akbar when slaughtering the sacrificial animal. The time for slaughtering the hadiy and udhiyah lasts until the end of days of Tashreeq.

Remembering Allaah when eating and drinking. It is prescribed when eating and drinking to say Bismillaah at the beginning, and to praise Him (say Al-hamdu Lillaah) at the end. According to the hadeeth narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Allaah likes His slave when he eats something to praise Him for it, and when he drinks something to praise Him for it.” Narrated by Muslim, 2734.

Remembering Him by saying Takbeer when stoning the Jamaraat on the days of Tashreeq. This applies only to the pilgrims on Hajj.

Remembering Allaah in general. It is mustahabb to make a lot of dhikr during the days of Tashreeq. ‘Umar used to recite Takbeer in Mina in his tent, and when the people heard him they recited Takbeer too and Mina echoed with the sound of their Takbeer. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“So when you have accomplished your Manaasik [rituals of Hajj], remember Allaah as you remember your forefathers or with a far more remembrance. But of mankind there are some who say: “Our Lord! Give us (Your Bounties) in this world!” and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter.

201. And of them there are some who say: “Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!””

[Surah al-Baqarah 2:200-201]

Many of the salaf regarded it as mustahabb to make a lot of du’aa’ during the days of tashreeq.

The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “These are days of eating, drinking and remembering Allaah” indicate that eating and drinking during the days of Eid are means that help one to remember Allaah and obey Him; perfect gratitude for the blessing means using it to help one obey and worship Allaah,

In His Book Allaah commands us to eat of good things and thank Him for them. So whoever uses Allaah’s blessings to commit sin is showing ingratitude for the blessing of Allaah, so he deserves to have it taken away from him.

3 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade fasting on these days:

“Do not fast on these days, for they are the days of eating, drinking and remembering Allaah.” Narrated by Ahmad, 10286; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 3573.

See Lataa’if al-Ma’aarif by Ibn Rajab, p. 500.

O Allaah, help us to do righteous deeds and make us steadfast until death; have mercy on us, O Most Generous Giver. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the World.

::Virtues of the Day of Arafaah(9th Zil-Hajj)::

9th of Dhul Hijjah is the Day of Arafaah

Praise be to Allaah.

1. It is the day on which the religion was perfected and Allaah’s Favour was completed.

In Al-Saheehayn it was reported from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a Jewish man said to him,

“O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, there is an aayah in your Book which you recite; if it had come to us Jews, we would have taken that day as an ‘Eid (festival).” ‘Umar said, “Which aayah?” He said: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [al-Maa’idah 5:3 – interpretation of the meaning]. ‘Umar said, “We know on which day and in which place that was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It was when he was standing in ‘Arafaah on a Friday.” 2. It is a day of Eid for the people who are in that place.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Yawm ‘Arafaah (the day of ‘Arafaah), Yawm al-Nahr (the Day of Sacrifice) and Ayyaam al-Tashreeq (the 3 days following Yawm al-Nahr) are Eid (festival) for us, the people of Islam. These are days of eating and drinking.” This was narrated by the authors of al-Sunan. It was reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab said: “It – i.e., the aayah ‘This day I have perfected…’ was revealed on a Friday, the Day of ‘Arafaah, both of which – praise be to Allaah – are Eids for us.” 3. It is a day by which Allaah swore an oath.

The Almighty cannot swear by anything except that which is mighty. Yawm ‘Arafaah is the “witnessed day” mentioned in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“By the witnessing day [Friday] and by the witnessed day [the Day of ‘Arafaah].” [al-Burooj 85:3].

It was reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“The promised day is the Day of Resurrection, the witnessed day is the Day of ‘Arafaah, and the witnessing day is Friday.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.

It is the “odd” [i.e., odd-numbered, Witr] by which Allaah swore in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“And by the even and the odd” [al-Fajr 89:3]. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “The even is the Day of al-Adhaa [i.e., 10th Dhoo’l-Hijjah] and the odd is the Day of ‘Arafaah [i.e., 9th Dhoo’l-Hijjah] This is also the view of ‘Ikrimah and al-Dahhaak.

4. Fasting on this day is an expiation for two years.

It was reported from Abu Qutaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the Day of ‘Arafaah. He said,

“It expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year.”Narrated by Muslim.

This (fasting) is mustahabb for those who are not on Hajj. In the case of the one who is on Hajj, it is not Sunnah for him to fast on the Day of ‘Arafaah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not fast on this day in ‘Arafaah. It was narrated that he forbade fasting on the Day of ‘Arafaah in ‘Arafaah.

5. It is the day on which Allaah took the covenant from the progeny of Adam.

It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Allaah took the covenant from the loins of Adam in Na’maan, i.e., ‘Arafaah. He brought forth from his loins all his offspring and spread them before Him, then He addressed them, and said: ‘Am I not your Lord? They said, ‘Yes, we testify,’ let you should say on the Day of Resurrection: ‘Verily, we have been unaware of this.’ Or lest you should say: ‘It was only our fathers aforetime who took others as partners in worship along with Allaah, and we were (merely their) descendents after them; will You then destroy us because of the deeds of men who practised Al-Baatil (i.e., ploytheism and committing crimes and sins, invoking and worshipping others besides Allaah)?’ [al-A’raaf 7:172-173 – interpretation of the meaning].” Narrated by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. And there is no greater day than this and no greater covenant than this. 6. It is the day of forgiveness of sins, freedom from the Fire and pride in the people who are there:

In Saheeh Muslim it was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:“There is no day on which Allaah frees more people from the Fire than the Day of ‘Arafaah. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels, saying, ‘What do these people want?’”

It was reported from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Allaah expresses His pride to His angels at the time of ‘Ishaa’ on the Day of ‘Arafaah, about the people of ‘Arafaah. He says, ‘Look at My slaves who have come unkempt and dusty.’” Narrated by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.

And Allaah knows best.

What should the one who wants to offer a Sacrifice refrain from doing?

Question: With regard to a Muslim who is not performing Hajj, what should he do during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah? Is cutting the nails and hair not permissible? Is putting on henna or wearing new clothes not permitted until after the sacrifice has been slaughtered?

Answer: If the onset of Dhu’l-Hijjah has been proven and a person wants to offer a sacrifice, it is haraam for him to remove anything from the hair on his body or to cut his nails or any part of his skin. It is not forbidden for him to wear new clothes or to put on henna or perfume, or to be intimate with his wife or have intercourse with her.

This ruling applies only to the one who is going to offer the sacrifice, and not to the rest of his family, and not to the one whom he appoints to slaughter the sacrifice on his behalf. None of these things are forbidden for his wife or children, or for his deputy.

No differentiation is made between men and women with regard to this ruling. If a woman wants to offer a sacrifice on her own behalf, whether she is married or not, then she should refrain from removing any hair from her body or cutting her nails, because of the general meaning of the texts which state that that is not allowed.

This is not called ihraam, because there is no ihraam except during the rituals of Hajj and ‘Umrah, and the one who is in ihraam wears the ihraam garments and refrains from wearing perfume, having intercourse, and hunting, but all of these things are permissible for the one who wants to offer a sacrifice after the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah begins. He is not forbidden to do anything except cut his hair, trim his nails or remove anything from his skin.

It was narrated from Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah, and one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him refrain from (removing anything) from his hair or nails.” Narrated by Muslim, 1977. According to another version: “Let him not remove anything of his hair or skin.”

The scholars of the Standing Committee said; It is prescribed for the one who wants to offer a sacrifice, when the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah begins, that he should not remove anything from his hair, nails or skin until he has offered the sacrifice, because of the report narrated by the group apart from al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on them), from Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her), that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah, and one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him refrain from (removing anything) from his hair or nails.” According to a version narrated by Abu Dawood, Muslim and al-Nasaa’i: “Whoever has a sacrifice to offer, when the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah begins, let him not remove anything from his hair or nails until he has offered the sacrifice” – whether he is going to slaughter the sacrifice himself or has asked someone else to slaughter it on his behalf. As for the one on whose behalf the sacrifice is being offered, that is not prescribed in his case, because there is no report to that effect. That is not called ihraam, rather ihraam refers to the one who enters ihraam for Hajj or ‘Umrah or both. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 11/397, 398

The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: In the hadeeth it says, “Whoever wants to offer a sacrifice or appoint some else to slaughter the sacrifice for him, from the beginning of the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah, let him not remove anything from his hair, skin or nails, until he has offered the sacrifice.” Does this prohibition apply to all the members of a household, old and young, or does it apply to the adults only and not the children?

They replied: We do not know of a version of the hadeeth which appears as mentioned in the question. The version which we know is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as reported by the group apart from al-Bukhaari from Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her), according to which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah, and one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him refrain from (removing anything) from his hair or nails.” According to a version narrated by Abu Dawood – which was also narrated by Muslim and al-Nasaa’i – “Whoever has a sacrifice to offer, when the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah begins, let him not remove anything from his hair or nails until he has offered the sacrifice.” This hadeeth indicates that it is not allowed to remove anything from the hair or nails after the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah begin, for the one who wants to offer a sacrifice. The first report includes a command to refrain, which basically implies that refraining is obligatory, and we do not know of any reason to interpret it otherwise. The second report includes the prohibition on removing anything, which basically implies that it is haraam, and we do not know of any reason to interpret it otherwise. Thus it is clear that this hadeeth applies only to the one who wants to offer the sacrifice. As for the one on whose behalf the sacrifice is being offered, whether he is old or young he is not forbidden to remove anything from his hair, skin or nails, based on the basic principle, which is that these actions are permitted. We do not know of any evidence to the contrary. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-‘Daa’imah, 11/426, 427

Secondly: None of these things are haraam for the one who does not intend to offer a sacrifice because he is unable to. Whoever removes anything from his hair or nails although he plans to offer a sacrifice does not have to offer any fidyah (ransom), but he has to repent and seek forgiveness.

Ibn Hazm (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Whoever wants to offer a sacrifice, it is obligatory for him, once the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah begins, not to remove anything from his hair or nails until he has offered the sacrifice, whether that is by shaving, trimming or any other means. Whoever does not plan to offer a sacrifice is not obliged to adhere to that. Al-Muhallah, 6/3

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Once this is established, then he should forego cutting his hair or clipping his nails. If he does that, he should ask Allaah for forgiveness, but he does not have to offer any fidyah, according to scholarly consensus, whether he did that deliberately or out of forgetfulness. Al-Mughni, 9/346

Note:

Al-Shawkaani said: The reason behind this prohibition is so that all parts will remain to be ransomed from the Fire, or it was said that it is so that he will resemble the one who is in ihraam. Both views were narrated by al-Nawawi, but he narrated from the companions of al-Shaafa’i that the second view is a mistake, because (the person who wants to offer a sacrifice) does not keep away from women or stop putting on perfume or wearing regular clothes, and other things which the person in ihraam refrains from. Nayl al-Awtaar, 5/133

And Allaah knows best.

The reason why it is prescribed for Muslims to perform Hajj once in a Lifetime

We Muslims feel honoured and proud to be the slaves of Allaah, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who begets not nor was He begotten, and there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him; He is our Lord and we have no Lord besides Him. Hence we respond to the commands of our Lord with the utmost humility and submit to His commands, for we know that He is the All-Wise and no wisdom is greater than His. We know that He is the Most-Merciful and there is none more merciful than Him, may He be glorified and praised. Hence we love Him in a way that demands that we obey His commands even if that is somewhat difficult for us. We feel proud, happy and content when we do that which He commands us to do.

For if a human loves another person, he loves to serve him and that may make him happy. So what do you think about the Almighty Lord Who created us and grants us provision, and everything that we have is a blessing from Him? And His is the highest description. We owe everything to our Lord, so we must hasten to do all that He commands us to do, so that we might give back some small thanks for His great blessings. We can never thank Him enough, but by His grace Allaah the Most Generous accepts our small efforts and rewards us for them greatly.

For example, Hajj or pilgrimage. If a Muslim does Hajj in the manner required by his Lord, then Allaah has promised to forgive him his sins and admit him to Paradise, on condition that he does not spoil this action by committing any major action that would invalidate it and earn the anger of Allaah.

One of the great mercies that Allaah has bestowed upon this ummah (nation, i.e., the Muslims), is that Allaah has made obedience to His commands and the commands of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) subject to the condition that one be able to do them. So long as a person is able to do them, then it is obligatory for him to do what is required of him, otherwise he is not obliged to do so and he is excused. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope” [al-Baqarah 2:286] – i.e., He does not ask him to do more than he can bear.

Concerning Hajj in particular, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allaah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence)” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:97]

By His mercy He has enjoined this upon His slaves once in a lifetime, so that it will not be too difficult for them, but He urges those who are able to do Hajj and ‘Umrah more than once to do so. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Keep on doing Hajj and ‘Umrah, for they take away poverty and sins as the bellows takes away the impurity from iron.” (Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2/4; this is a saheeh hadeeth as was stated by al-Albaani in al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 1200).

This great act of worship was prescribed by Allaah so that we might praise Him and glorify Him, and thank Him for His great blessings and bounty. The purpose of Tawaaf around the Ka’bah is not simply to go around these stones! No, rather the reason is that Allaah has commanded us to go around it seven times and we obey Allaah by going around it seven times, no more and no less; rather we do what He has commanded us and we feel that we are His slaves, humbling ourselves before Him and praising Him and thanking Him for choosing us to be His slaves out of all of mankind who worship various gods, and may even worship themselves or their own desires.

The same applies to all the rituals of Hajj, and indeed to all the acts of worship that Allaah has prescribed for us. Praise be to Allaah, Who has honoured us with this great religion.

Moreover, your interest in asking about the Hajj at your young age indicates that you are keen to learn and find out. We advise you to learn more about Islam and to read about it, and to find out for yourself that it is the religion that suits the natural inclinations of man. This will set you on the path towards pleasing your Almighty Lord, Who created you and Who provides for you, and Who deserves that you should worship Him alone and none other.

Perhaps you know that our prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that his fellow-Prophet ‘Eesa (Jesus – peace be upon him) will come down at the end of time and will perform pilgrimage to this House, and he will declare his belief in Allah alone (Tawheed). We believe that this will happen as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us, just as we believe that the sun rises in the morning. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, the son of Maryam (the son of Mary, i.e. Jesus) will certainly pronounce the Talbiyah for Hajj or for ‘Umrah, or for both in the valley of Rawha.” (Narrated by Muslim, 1252). The valley of Rawha’ is a place between Makkah and Madeenah.

[Translator’s note: The Talbiyah is a prayer recited by pilgrims going to Makkah. It may be translated as follows: “Here I am at your service, O Allaah, here I am. Here I am at Your Service, You have no partner, here I am. All praise and blessings are Yours, and all dominion. You have no partner.”]

We ask Allaah to open your heart to true guidance… Ameen.

Making The Most Of The Blessed Days Of Dhul-Hijjah and its Virtues

Dhul-Hijjah will start from 7 November 2010, Let us hasten to make the most of these great days, before the negligent regrets what he did, and before he asks to go back and receives no response.

Virtues of the Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah

The first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah:

Days of virtue and righteous deeds

Praise be to Allaah Who has created Time and has made some times better than others, some months and days and nights better than others, when rewards are multiplied many times, as a mercy towards His slaves. This encourages them to do more righteous deeds and makes them more eager to worship Him, so that the Muslim renews his efforts to gain a greater share of reward, prepare himself for death and supply himself in readiness for the Day of Judgement.

This season of worship brings many benefits, such as the opportunity to correct one’s faults and make up for any shortcomings or anything that one might have missed. Every one of these special occasions involves some kind of worship through which the slaves may draw closer to Allaah, and some kind of blessing though which Allaah bestows His favour and mercy upon whomsoever He will. The happy person is the one who makes the most of these special months, days and hours and draws nearer to his Lord during these times through acts of worship; he will most likely be touched by the blessing of Allaah and will feel the joy of knowing that he is safe from the flames of Hell. (Ibn Rajab, al-Lataa’if, p.8)

The Muslim must understand the value of his life, increase his worship of Allaah and persist in doing good deeds until the moment of death. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty." [al-Hijr 15:99] The mufassireen (commentators) said: "‘The certainty’ means death."

Among the special seasons of worship are the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, which Allaah has preferred over all the other days of the year. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these ten days." The people asked, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?" He said, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2/457).

Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) also reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There is no deed more precious in the sight of Allaah, nor greater in reward, than a good deed done during the ten days of Sacrifice." He was asked, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?" He said, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing." (Reported by al-Daarimi, 1/357; its isnaad is hasan as stated in al-Irwaa’, 3/398).

These texts and others indicate that these ten days are better than all the other days of the year, with no exceptions, not even the last ten days of Ramadaan. But the last ten nights of Ramadaan are better, because they include Laylat al-Qadr ("the Night of Power"), which is better than a thousand months. Thus the various reports may be reconciled. (See Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 5/412).

You should know, my brothers in Islaam, that the virtue of these ten days is based on many things:

Allaah swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "By the dawn; by the ten nights" [al-Fajr 89:1-2]. Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Mujaahid and others of the earlier and later generations said that this refers to the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Ibn Katheer said: "This is the correct opinion." (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/413)

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) testified that these are the best days of this world, as we have already quoted above from Saheeh ahaadeeth.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) encouraged people to do righteous deeds because of the virtue of this season for people throughout the world, and also because of the virtue of the place - for the Hujjaaj (pilgrims) to the Sacred House of Allaah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh ("Subhan-Allaah"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillaah") and Takbeer ("Allaahu akbar") during this time. ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are no days greater in the sight of Allaah and in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so during this time recite a great deal of Tahleel ("La ilaaha ill-Allaah"), Takbeer and Tahmeed." (Reported by Ahmad, 7/224; Ahmad Shaakir stated that it is saheeh).

These ten days include Yawm ‘Arafaah (the Day of ‘Arafaah), on which Allaah perfected His Religion. Fasting on this day will expiate for the sins of two years. These days also include Yawm al-Nahar (the Day of Sacrifice), the greatest day of the entire year and the greatest day of Hajj, which combines acts of worship in a way unlike any other day.

These ten days include the days of sacrifice and of Hajj.

Question: What must the Muslim avoid during these ten days if he wants to offer a sacrifice?

The Sunnah indicates that the one who wants to offer a sacrifice must stop cutting his hair and nails and removing anything from his skin, from the beginning of the ten days until after he has offered his sacrifice, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah, if any one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, then he should stop cutting his hair and nails until he has offered his sacrifice." According to another report he said: "He should not remove (literally, touch) anything from his hair or skin." (reported by Muslim with four isnaads, 13/146)

The Prophet’s instruction here makes one thing obligatory and his prohibition makes another haraam, according to the soundest opinion, because these commands and prohibitions are unconditional and unavoidable. However, if a person does any of these things deliberately, he must seek Allaah’s forgiveness but is not required to offer (an extra) sacrifice in expiation; his sacrifice will be acceptable. Whoever needs to remove some hair, nails, etc. because it is harming him, such as having a broken nail or a wound in a site where there is hair, should do so, and there is nothing wrong with that. The state of ihraam is so important that it is permitted to cut one’s hair if leaving it will cause harm. There is nothing wrong with men or women washing their heads during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) only forbade cutting the hair, not washing it.

The wisdom behind this prohibition of the one who wants to offer a sacrifice from cutting his hair etc., is so that he may resemble those in ihraam in some aspects of the rituals performed, and so that he may draw closer to Allaah by offering the sacrifice. So he leaves his hair and nails alone until the time when he has offered his sacrifice, in the hope that Allaah will save him in his entirety from the Fire. And Allaah knows best.

If a person has cut his hair or nails during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah because he was not planning to offer a sacrifice, then he decides later, during the ten days, to offer a sacrifice, then he must refrain from cutting his hair and nails from the moment he makes this decision.

Some women may delegate their brothers or sons to make the sacrifice on their behalf, then cut their hair during these ten days. This is not correct, because the ruling applies to the one who is offering the sacrifice, whether or not he (or she) delegates someone else to carry out the actual deed. The prohibition does not apply to the person delegated, only to the person who is making the sacrifice, as is indicated in the hadeeth. The person who is sacrificing on behalf of someone else, for whatever reason, does not have to adhere to this prohibition.

This prohibition appears to apply only to the one who is offering the sacrifice, not to his wife and children, unless any of them is offering a sacrifice in his or her own right, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to sacrifice "on behalf of the family of Muhammad," but there are no reports that say he forbade them to cut their hair or nails at that time.

If a person was planning to offer a sacrifice, then he decides to go and perform Hajj, he should not cut his hair or nails if he wants to enter ihraam, because the Sunnah is only to cut hair and nails when necessary. But if he is performing Tamattu’ [whereby he performs ‘Umrah, comes out of ihraam and enters ihraam anew for Hajj], he should trim his hair at the end of his ‘Umrah because this is part of the ritual.

The things that are described above as being prohibited for the person who is planning to offer a sacrifice are reported in the hadeeth quoted above; the person is not forbidden to wear perfume, have marital relations, wear sewn garments, etc.

Concerning the types of worship to be performed during these ten days: one must understand that these days are a great blessing from Allaah to His slave, which is appreciated properly by the actively righteous. It is the Muslim’s duty to appreciate this blessing and make the most of the opportunity, by devoting these ten days to paying more attention to striving hard in worship. Among His blessings to His slaves, Allaah has given us many ways in which to do good and worship Him, so that the Muslim may be constantly active and consistent in his worship of his Lord.

Among the good deeds which the Muslim should strive to do during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah are:

1) Fasting:

It is Sunnah to fast on the ninth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) urged us to do good deeds during this time, and fasting is one of the best of deeds. Allaah has chosen fasting for Himself, as is stated in the hadeeth qudsi: "Allaah says: ‘All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except for fasting, which is for Me and I am the One Who will reward him for it.’" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1805).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Hunaydah ibn Khaalid reported from his wife that some of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah, on the day of ‘Aashooraa’, on three days of each month, and on the first two Mondays and Thursdays of each month." (Reported by al-Nisaa’i, 4/205 and by Abu Dawud; classified by al-Albaani as saheeh in Saheeh Abi Dawud, 2/462).

2) Reciting Tahmeed, Tahleel and Takbeer a great deal:

It is Sunnah to say Takbeer ("Allaahu akbar"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillaah"), Tahleel ("La ilaha ill-Allaah") and Tasbeeh("Subhaan Allaah") during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, and to say it loudly in the mosque, the home, the street and every place where it is permitted to remember Allaah and mention His name out loud, as an act of worship and as a proclamation of the greatness of Allaah, may He be exalted.

Men should recite these phrases out loud, and women should recite them quietly.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"That they might witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e., reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade, etc.), and mention the name of Allaah on appointed days, over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice)..." [al-Hajj 22:28]

The majority of scholars agree that the "appointed days" are the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because of the words of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father): "The ‘appointed days’ are the first ten days (of Dhu’l-Hijjah)."

The Takbeer may include the words "Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, la ilaaha ill-Allaah; wa Allaahu akbar wa Lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god but Allaah; Allaah is Most Great and to Allaah be praise)," as well as other phrases.

Takbeer at this time is an aspect of the Sunnah that has been forgotten, especially during the early part of this period, so much so that one hardly ever hears Takbeer, except from a few people. This Takbeer should be pronounced loudly, in order to revive the Sunnah and as a reminder to the negligent. There is sound evidence that Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with them) used to go out in the marketplace during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, reciting Takbeer, and the people would recite Takbeer when they heard them. The idea behind reminding the people to recite Takbeer is that each one should recite it individually, not in unison, as there is no basis in Sharee’ah for doing this.

Reviving aspects of the Sunnah that have been virtually forgotten is a deed that will bring an immense reward, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "Whoever revives an aspect of my Sunnah that is forgotten after my death, he will have a reward equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without it detracting in the least from their reward." (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 7/443; this is a hasan hadeeth because of corroborating asaaneed).

3) Performing Hajj and ‘Umrah.

One of the best deeds that one can do during these ten days is to perform Hajj to the Sacred House of Allaah. The one whom Allaah helps to go on Hajj to His House and to perform all the rituals properly is included in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "An accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise."

Doing more good deeds in general, because good deeds are beloved by Allaah and will bring a great reward from Him. Whoever is not able to go to Hajj should occupy himself at this blessed time by worshipping Allaah, praying (salaat), reading Qur’an, remembering Allaah, making supplication (du’aa’), giving charity, honouring his parents, upholding the ties of kinship, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and other good deeds and acts of worship.

4) Udhiyah (Sacrifice)

One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer to Allaah during these ten days is offering a sacrifice, by choosing a high-quality animal and fattening it, spending money for the sake of Allaah. (more information to follow, in sha Allaah).

6) Sincere Repentance

One of the most important things to do during these ten days is to repent sincerely to Allaah and to give up all kinds of disobedience and sin. Repentance means coming back to Allaah and foregoing all the deeds, open and secret, that He dislikes, out of regret for what has passed, giving it up immediately and being determined never to return to it, but to adhere firmly to the Truth by doing what Allaah loves.
If a Muslim commits a sin, he must hasten to repent at once, without delay, firstly because he does not know when he will die, and secondly because one evil deed leads to another.

Repentance at special times is very important because in most cases people’s thoughts turn towards worship at these times, and they are keen to do good, which leads to them recognizing their sins and feeling regret for the past. Repentance is obligatory at all times, but when the Muslim combines sincere repentance with good deeds during the days of most virtue, this is a sign of success, in sha Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "But as for him who repented, believed and did righteous deeds, then he will be among those who are successful." [al-Qasas 28:67]

The Muslim should make sure that he does not miss any of these important occasion, because time is passing quickly. Let him prepare himself by doing good deeds which will bring him reward when he is most in need of it, for no matter how much reward he earns, he will find it is less than he needs; the time of departure is at hand, the journey is frightening, delusions are widespread, and the road is long, but Allaah is ever watchful, and to Him will we return and render account. As the Qur’aan says (interpretation of the meaning):

"So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it,

And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it."

[al-Zalzalah 99:7-8]

There is much to be gained, so make the most of the opportunity afforded by these invaluable and irreplaceable ten days. Hasten to do good works, before death strikes, before one can regret one’s negligence and failure to act, before one is asked to return to a place where no prayers will be answered, before death intervenes between the hopeful one and the things he hopes for, before you are trapped with your deeds in the grave.

O you whose hard heart is as dark as the night, is it not time that your heart was filled with light and became soft? Expose yourself to the gentle breeze of your Lord’s mercy during these ten days, for Allaah will cause this breeze to touch whomever He wills, and whoever is touched by it will be happy on the Day of Judgement. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his Family and Companions.

Let us hasten to make the most of these great days, before the negligent regrets what he did, and before he asks to go back and receives no response.

- The Virtues of Dhul Hijjah
Ibn Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: There are no days during which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days; meaning the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. They inquired: Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah? He said: Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah, unless one goes out for Jihad sacrificing both his life and property and returning with neither. (Al-Bukhaari)

: : True Essence of Hajj - An Amazing Explanation by Shaykh Junaid al-Baghdadi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho::

A man came to visit Sayyiduna Junaid Baghdadi, whose life reflected no change, even after having performed Hajj.

Sayyiduna Junaid asked him: “Where are you coming from?”

“Sir, I have returned after performing Hajj of the House of Allah”, was the reply.

“So, have you actually performed Hajj?”

“Yes, Sir, I have performed Hajj “, said the man.

“Did you pledge that you would give up sins when you left your home for Hajj?” asked Sayyiduna Junaid.

“No, Sir, I never thought of that”, said the man.


“Then, in fact, you did not even step out for Hajj. While you were on the sacred journey and making halts at places during the nights, did you ever think of attaining nearness to Allah?”

“Sir, I had no such idea.”

“Then you did not at all travel to the Ka’bah, nor did ever visit it. When you put on the Ihram garments, and discarded your ordinary dress, did you make up your mind to abandon your evil ways and attitudes in life as well ?”

“No, Sir, I had no idea of that.”

“Then, you did not even don the Ihram garments!” saidSayyiduna Junaid ruefully. Then he asked; “When you stood in the Plain of Arafat and were imploring Allah Almighty, did you have the feeling that you were standing in Divine Presence and having a vision of Him?”

“No, Sir, I had no such experience.

Sayyiduna Junaid then became a liltle upset and asked: “Well, when you came to Muzdalifah, did you promise that you would give up vain desires of the flesh?”

“Sir, I paid no heed to this.”

“You did not then come to Muzdalifah at all.” Then he asked: 0″Tell me, did you happen to catch glimpses of Divine Beauty when youmoved round the House of Allah?”

“No, Sir, I caught no such glimpses.”

“Then, you did not move around the Ka’bah at all.” Then he said: “When you made Sa’i (running) between the Safa and the Marwa, did you realize the wisdom, significance and objective of your effort?”

“Sir, I was not at all conscious of this.”

“Then you did not make any Sa’i!” Then he asked: “When you slaughtered an animal at the place of sacrifice, did you sacrifice your selfish desires as well in the way of Allah?”

“Sir, I failed to give any attention to that!”

“Then, in fact you offered no sacrifice whatever.”

“Then when you cast stones at the Jamarahs, did you make a resolve to get rid of your evil companions and friends and desires?”

“No, Sir, I didn’t do that.”

“Then, you did not cast stones at all”, remarked SayyidunaJunaid regretfully, and said:

“Go back and perform Hajj once again, giving due thought and attention to all the requirements, so that your Hajj may bear some resemblance with Prophet Ibrahim’s Hajj, whose faith and sincerity has been confirmed by the Qur’an: Ibrahim who carried out most faithfully the Commands (of his Lord).” (53:37)

GRAVE of Shaykh Junaid al-Baghdadi(Ramatul Allaha Alye)