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In Islam obedience is an inexhaustible helper
and the opportunities to get more good deeds are always revived and never
cease to exist. The first ten days of Dhull Hijjah come like a clear river
that helps Muslims to wash away the stains of sins and misdeeds. It is
important to exploit these first ten days, therefore it is even more
important to know the different ways and means for such investment. The
first ten days of Dhull Hijjah are considered to be the pinnacles of all
seasons of worship and every Muslim should perceive and feel the greatness
of these blessed days and must also try to get closer to Allah (swt) by
performing good deeds and abstaining from all abominable and unlawful
deeds. These days in Allah (swt)’s perspective are the best days known to
the world. They are the greatest days in our lives and this greatness is
clear through the fact that Allah (swt) swears by them and He, the
Almighty, never swears by anything unless it is of great value. Every
moment of these days is blessed and great as Allah (swt) says, “By the
Dawn. By the Ten Nights.” (Al Fajr 89:1-2).
Concerning the above ayat, Ibn Katheer said, “’The ten nights’ refers to
the (first) ten days of Dhull Hijjah.this was said by Ibn Abbas, Ibn
Zubays, Mujaahid, and others among the Salaf and the latter generations.”
(Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Abridged English Version). And we also see the
hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas, may Allah (swt) be pleased with him, that
Nabi (saw) said, “No good deeds done on other days are superior to
those done on these (ten days of Dhull Hijjah).” Then some Companions
of the Prophet said, “Not even Jihad?” And he (saw) 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.” (Sahih Bukhari). In another hadith Ibn Abbas narrated
from Umar, may Allah (swt) be pleased with them both, that Nabi (saw)
said, “No days are greater for Allah (swt) and no good deeds done on
other days are more beloved to Allah (swt) than (those done during) the
ten days (of Dhull Hijjah). So do much takbeer, tahleel and tahmeed.”
(Sahih Bukhari). The advantage that the ten days of Dhull Hijjah have is
that they are the days where the main acts of worship (like fasting,
charity and Hajj) take place, which is not the case for the rest of the
days of the year. Therefore, if these are the virtues of the first ten
days of Dhull Hijjah, then every Muslims should receive them with the
performance of good deeds like reciting the Quran, giving charity,
spending money on the needy, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil,
rushing to perform salat (prayer) on time, fasting, performing Hajj and
Umrah, and to engage in much takbeer, tahleel and istighfar (seeking
forgiveness) and all the lawful dhikr (remembrance).
It is important that every Muslim takes advantage of these special seasons
and accumulates as many good deeds as he/she is capable of, such as the
truthful taubah (repentance), constant obedience, the preservation of
family ties, feeding the hungry, the reconciling of people, disclosing the
salaam (saying: assalamu’alaikum), safeguarding one’s tongue, being
generous to one’s guests, spending on the family, sponsoring orphans,
being merciful to the one’s beneath your authority, making du’a for
Muslims, fulfilling the amaanah (trust), casting down one’s eyes,
performing the ablution correctly, invoking Allah (swt) between the Adhan
and Iqaamah, visiting the ill (patients), fulfilling the needs of others
and maintaining and reviving the Sunnah, and abstaining from sins and all
wrongdoings which cause the hearts to die and make the individual live in
total misery. Allah (swt) says, “Then whoever follows My guidance shall
neither go astray nor shall they be distressed. But whoever turns away
from My Reminder, verily, for him is the life of hardship, and we shall
raise him up blind on the Day of Ressurection. He will say, ‘O my Lord,
why have you raised me up blind, while I had sight (before)? (Allah) will
say, ‘Like this, Our ayat (signs, messages) came to you, but you
disregarded them and so, this Day, you will be neglected’.” (Ta Ha
20:123-125). What makes these ten days of Dhull Hijjah the most profitable
transaction with Allah (swt) is mentioned in the hadith recorded in Sahih
Muslim, “Whoever fasts the day of Arafah (the eve of Eid), then Allah (swt)
will forgive his sins of the previous year and the year to come.”
Another hadeeth which also points out this advantage of these ten days of
Dhull Hijjah is the hadeeth narrated by Hafsa, may Allah (swt) be pleased
with her, that she said, “Four were never missed by our Prophet; the
fasting of Ashoorah, the ten days (of Dhull Hijjah), three days from every
month, and the two rakat before the early morning.”
There are however many different types of takbeer which may be made;
Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is
the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest), Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar Laa Ilaha
Illallah Walahuakbar Walahuakbar Allahu Akbar Walillah Ilhamd (Allah is
the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, There is no object worthy of worship
but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest, and Allah is the Greatest, Allah is
the Greatest, and to Allah is all praise), Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar
Allahu Akbar Laa Ilaha Illallah Walahuakbar Allahu Akbar Walillah Ilhamd
(Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,
There is no object worthy of worship but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest,
and, Allah is the Greatest, and to Allah is all praise).
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