Among the special seasons of worship are the first ten days of Dhu?l-Hijjah, which Allah has preferred over all the other days of the year.
Ibn ?Abbas reported that the Prophet Muhammad said: ?There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.? The people asked, ?Not even jihaad for the sake of Allah?? He said, ?Not even jihaad for the sake of Allah, 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,
This indicates that these ten days are better than all the other days of the year, with no exceptions, not even the last ten days of Ramadan. But the last ten nights of Ramadan are better, because they include Laylat al-Qadr (?the Night of Power?), which is better than a thousand months.
1. The Prophet commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh (?Subhan-Allah?), Tahmeed (?Al-hamdu Lillaah?) and Takbeer (?Allahu Akbar?) during this time.
2. ?Abdullaah ibn ?Umar reported that the Prophet said: ?There are no days greater in the sight of Allah 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-Allah?), Takbeer and Tahmeed.?
3. These ten days include Yawm Arafah , on which Allah 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.
4. These ten days include the days of sacrifice and of Hajj.
The Prophet 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.? 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 urged us to do good deeds during this time, and fasting is one of the best of deeds. The Prophet used to fast on the ninth of Dhu?l-Hijjah. Hunaydah ibn Khalid reported from his wife that some of the wives of the Prophet said: ?The Prophet used to fast on the ninth of Dhu?l-Hijjah, on the day of ?Aashooraa?, on three days of each month, and on Mondays and Thursdays of each month.?
2. Takbeer: 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 Allah and mention His name out loud, as an act of worship and as a proclamation of the greatness of Allah, may He be exalted. Men should recite these phrases out loud, and women should recite them quietly.
The Takbeer may include the words ?Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaaha illal-Allah; wa Allahu akbar wa Lillaahi?l-hamd
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 ?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.?
3. Sacrifice: One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer to Allah during these ten days is offering a sacrifice, by choosing a high-quality animal and fattening it, spending money for the sake of Allah.
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