وَالْفَجْرِ ﴿١﴾ وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ ﴿٢﴾ وَالشَّفْعِ وَالْوَتْرِ ﴿٣﴾ وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ ﴿٤﴾ هَلْ فِي ذَٰلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِّذِي حِجْرٍ ﴿٥

By the dawn. By the ten nights. By the even and the odd. By the night when it passes. Is this not enough oath for intelligent people. [89:1-5]

Give to get

The days we will soon be going through are very special in the Islamic calendar. Before discussing these days, if we look at the sequence of ibadat (worship) in the past few months:

  1. Rajab – We had the night of Mi’raj.
  2. Shaban – We had the special night on 15th of Shaban.
  3. Ramadhan – We had the entire blessed month of fasting.

After increasing in ibadat in Rajab, Shaban and then fasting the entire month of Ramadhan all for the sake of Allah, in return Allah gave us a day of happiness, and that was Eidul -Fitr.

As soon as Eid starts on the 1st Shawwal, that is also the beginning of Hajj season as stated in the Quran الْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌ مَّعْلُومَاتٌ Hajj is during the well-known months [2:197]. This means a person can come into the state of ihram for Hajj from 1st Shawwal although the actual rites are from 8th Dhul-Hijjah. After fulfilling all the rites of Hajj and increasing in ibadat for the sake of Allah, in return Allah gives us a day of happiness, and that is Eidul-Adha.

At the end of fasting, we are given Eidul-Fitr. At the end of Hajj, we are given Eidul-Adha.

The lesson we learn is; you will get something after you give something. You will get days of celebration after you work for Allah.

First 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah

The month of Dhul-Hijjah will commence from tomorrow. It is a virtuous month in the Islamic calendar, such that Allah took an oath by it in the Quran; وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ ‘and (By)ten nights’.

Scholars have stated the ‘ten nights’ is referred to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.

Allama Ibn Qayyim r.a mentioned; Last ten nights of Ramadhan are greater than any other nights as you have Laylatul Qadr. First ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are greater (as there is the day of Arafah) than the last ten days of Ramadhan. In other words;

  • If you compare nights of Ramadhan & Dhul-Hijjah = Ramadhan nights are better.
  • If you compare days of Ramadhan & Dhul-Hijjah = Dhul-Hijjah days are better.

This is arguably due to the hadith;

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ‏:  ما من أيام أحب إلى الله أن يتعبد له فيها من عشر ذي الحجة  … [1]‏

“There are no days more beloved to Allah during which He is worshipped than the ten days of Dhul Hijjah …”

We will be going through great days very soon; we can attain a lot to make our akhirah. There is no guarantee of death. Allah is giving us the opportunity to turn to Him and become close to Him. If you cannot do additional good deeds, then at least refrain from sins.

What to do during the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah

  • Increase in good – Just as we increase in good deeds in the last 10 days of Ramadhan, we should do the same for the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah. Allah has given us many opportunities during the year in which deeds are multiplied. We should cherish these days, it maybe we do not see the next Dhul-Hijjah.
  • Fast – Try to fast for the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah. Do not fast on the 10th day because it is Eidul-Adha. There is extra reward and virtue in fasting on the 9th (Day of Arafah) due to the hadith:

عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ قَالَ، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ :‏ صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ إِنِّي أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ وَالَّتِي بَعْدَهُ.

Rasulullah ﷺ said: “To fast on the day of Arafah, I have hope from Allah that He will compensate for the year before and after.” [Muslim]

  • Read Takbir-e-Tashriq –

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَّهُ وَاَللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْد

This is to be recited from Fajr 9th Dhul-Hijjah until Asr on the 13th Dhul-Hijjah after every fard salah.

We should increase in Tasbeeh, Tahlil, Tahmeed and Takbeer, in other words the third kalimah. Try and incorporate it within daily actions. The more that is read, the greater the reward!

It is best to read the fourth kalimah excessively on the day of Arafah.

  • Do not cut hair or nails until qurbani is done –

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ :‏إذا رأيتم هلال ذي الحجة وأراد أحدكم أن يضحي فليمسك عن شعره وأظفار رواه الرمذي و ابن ماجة

It is mustahab for one who will be doing qurbani, to refrain from cutting hair and nails from the beginning of the month. This is, in condition the nails are not excessively long otherwise cleanliness overpowers the mustahab. Refraining from cutting hair and nails resembles those gone for Hajj. 

Those who have gone to meet Allah (for Hajj) wear specific clothing, they refrain from perfume, from cutting their nails, their hair etc. It’s like Allah is saying, if you imitate them, then from what I give them I will give you a portion too. The way Allah forgives those in Hajj, there is hope Allah will forgive us in the same manner too, (even though we didn’t go but we are imitating those gone for Hajj.)

Dr Abdul Hayy Al-Arifi r.a mentioned; The mercy of Allah, is looking for an excuse to have us forgiven.

  • Give Qurbani – This is for those upon whom qurbani is wajib. An action is worship, when Allah tells us to do it. When Allah tells us to do something, we do it and when Allah tells us to stop, we stop e.g. Going to Arafah during Hajj on the 9th Dhul-Hijjah is immensely rewarding and the fard is complete. If a person goes to Arafah any other day of the year then it has no significance and a person won’t be classed as a haji. Similarly, qurbani, which must be done before 12th Dhul-Hijjah. If someone sacrifices after the 12th then all you get is the meat and no reward of qurbani.

Look at the incident of Ibrahim a.s when he saw he was sacrificing his son Ismaeel a.s, he asked his son for his opinion to which the reply was ‘Oh my father! Do as Allah has commanded’. This is Islam – total submission to the will of Allah regardless if we understand the wisdom or not.

[1] رواه الترمذي و ابن ماجة. وقد تكلم فيه بسبب مسعود بن واصل و نهاس بن قهم في السند. لكن له الشواهد و روي البخاري مثله

Above is a summary from Shaykh’s jumuah speech on 26/07/19 and 17-07-20 in Harlow Islamic Centre. Click here to listen to the full audio (Audio no.41, 75 and 116)