Sunday, October 14, 2012

He is asking about the virtues of the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah

Are the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah more specialthan other days?
What are the righteous deeds that it is recommended to do a lot of
during these ten days?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Among the great seasonsof worship are the first ten days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah, which Allaah has favoured over other days. It was
narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are
no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these
ten days." They said: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allaah?" He
said: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allaah, unless a man goes out
himself for jihad taking his wealth with him and does not come back
with anything." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2/457
It was also narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There
is no deed that is better before Allaah or more greatly rewarded than
a good deed done in the (first) ten days of al-Adha." It was said:
"Not even jihad for the sake of Allaah?" He said: "Not even jihad for
the sake of Allaah, unless a man goes out himself forjihad taking his
wealth with him and does not come back with anything." Narrated by
al-Daarimi, 1/357; its isnaad is hasan as stated in al-Irwa', 3/398.
These texts and others indicate that these ten days are better than
all other days of the year, with no exception, even the last ten days
of Ramadaan. But the last ten nights of Ramadaan are better than the
first ten nights of Dhu'l-Hijjah, because they include Laylat al-Qadr,
which is better than a thousand months. See Tafseer Ibn Katheer,
5/412.
So the Muslim should start these days with sincere repentance to
Allaah, then he should do a lot of righteous deeds in general, then he
should pay attention to doing the following deeds:
1 – Fasting
It is Sunnah for the Muslim to fast on the first nine days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) encouraged us to do righteous deedsin the first ten days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah, and fasting is one of the best of deeds, which Allaah
has chosen for Himself as it says in the hadeeth qudsi: "Allaah says:
'All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, exceptfasting, which is
for Me and I shall reward for it."Narrated by al-Bukhaari,1805.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast
on the first nine days of Dhu'l-Hijjah. It was narrated from
Hunaydahibn Khaalid from his wife, that one of the wives of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The Prophet
(peaceand blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on the first
nine days of Dhu'l-Hijjah and the day of 'Ashoora', andthree days each
month, the first Monday of the month and two Thursdays. Narrated by
al-Nasaa'i, 4/205 and by Abu Dawood; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani
in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 2/462.
2 – Reciting tahmeed, tahleel and takbeer a great deal
It is Sunnah to recite takbeer (saying Allaahu akbar (Allaah is most
great)), tahmeed (sayingal-hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allaah)),
tahleel (saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (There is no god but Allaah))
and tasbeeh (saying Subhaan-Allaah (Glory be to Allaah)), during
thefirst ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, saying these words out loud in the
mosques, homes, streets and every place in whichit is permissible to
remember Allaah, to perform this act of worship openly and proclaim
the greatness of Allaah.
Men should recite out loud and women should recite quietly.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward
of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also someworldly gain from trade), and
mention the Name of Allaah on appointed days, over thebeast of cattle
that He has provided for them (for sacrifice)"
[al-Hajj 22:28]
The majority are of the view that the "appointed days" are the first
ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, because it was narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas
(may Allaah be pleased with him) that the appointed days are the first
ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah.
It was narrated from 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased
with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "There are no days that are greater before Allaah or in which
good deeds aremore beloved to Him, than these ten days, so recite a
great deal of tahleel, takbeer and tahmeed during them." Narrated by
Ahmad, 7/224; its isnaad was classed as saheeh by Ahmad Shaakir.
The takbeer is as follows:
Allaah akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, wa
Lillaah il-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is
no god but Allaah; Allaah is Most Great and to Allaah be praise).
And there are other versions.
This takbeer has becomea forsaken Sunnah nowadays, especially at the
beginning of these ten days. You can hardly hear it except from a few.
It should be recited out loud, so as to revive the Sunnah and remind
the heedless. It was proven that Ibn 'Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with them both) used to go out to the marketplace
during the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, reciting the takbeer our
loud, and the people would recite takbeer when they heard them, i.e.,
thepeople would rememberthe talkbeer and each one would recite it by
himself; it does not mean that they recited in unison – that is not
prescribed in sharee'ah.
Reviving Sunnahs that have been forgotten brings a great deal of
reward, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him): "Whoever revives one of my Sunnahs
that has died out after I am gone, will have a reward like that of
everyone who does it,without that detracting from their reward in the
slightest." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 7/443; this hadeeth is hasan
because of corroborating reports.
3 – Doing Hajj and 'Umrah
One of the greatest deeds that can be done during these ten days is
Hajj to the sacred House of Allaah. Whoever Allaah helps to go on Hajj
to His House and do the rituals in the required manner will – in sha
Allaah – be included in the words of the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "Anaccepted Hajj brings no less
a reward than Paradise."
4 – Udhiyah (sacrifice)
One of the righteous deeds that bring a person closer to Allaah
inthese ten days is to slaughter the sacrifice and to look for a good,
fat animal and to spend money on it for the sake of Allaah.
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.

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