Virtues Of The First Ten Days Of The Month Of Hajj
In brief – What to do in the month of Hajj
Fasting – Keep fast on the 9th day of the month of Hajj
Glorification of Allah Almighty – From the Fajr prayer of 9th till the Asr prayer of 13th day of the month of Hajj, recite the following words 3 times after every fard prayer:
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,
La Ilaha Illallahu, Wallahu Akbar
Allahu Akbar wa lillahilhamd.
Sacrifice (Qurbani) – Offer sacrifice of a sheep, lamb or a share in a cow or camel on 10th, 11th or 12th of this month
The month of Hajj, Dhul-hijjah, is the last month of the Islamic calendar. The first ten days of Dhul-hijjah are among the most magnificent days in Islamic calendar.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has 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 jihad 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, 2/457).
The virtue of these ten days is based on many things, including:
Allah swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “By the dawn; by the ten nights” [al-Fajr 89:1-2]. Many commentators of the Holy Qur’an have said that this verse of the Holy Qu’ran refers to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) testified that these are the best days of this world, as has been noted above.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded us to devote time to recite Tasbeeh (“Subhan-Allah”), Tahmeed (“Al-hamdu Lillah”) and Takbeer (“Allahu akbar”) during these ten days. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has 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-Allaah”), Takbeer and Tahmeed.” (Reported by Ahmad, 7/224; Ahmad Shaakir stated that it is saheeh).
These ten days include Yawm ‘Arafaah (the Day on which the pilgrims stand in the plain of ‘Arafaah), on which Allah perfected His Religion. According to a hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) “Fasting on this day will expiate for the sins of two years”.
These days also include Yawm al-Nahar (the Day of Sacrifice).
Among the good deeds which a Muslim, who has not gone to perform Hajj, during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, should strive to do are:
Fasting
It is Sunnah to fast on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) urged us to do good deeds during this time, and fasting is one of the best of deeds. Allah has chosen fasting for Himself, as is stated in the hadeeth qudsi: “Allah 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 Allah be upon him) used to fast on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah. It is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast on the ninth of Dhul-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). According to a hadith, the fast on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah becomes a cause, hopefully so, of forgiveness for sins committed in one year.
Takbir-ut-tashriq
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 Dhul-Hijjah. In particular, it is obligatory (wajib) on each Muslim to recite the Takbir of Tashriq after every fard prayer beginning from the Fajr of the 9th Zulhijjah (the month of Hajj) up to the ‘Asr prayer of the 13th Zulhijjah.
The words to be recited are as follows:
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,
La Ilaha Illallahu, Wallahu Akbar
Allahu Akbar wa lillahilhamd.
(Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, There is no god but Allah, and Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, and to Allah belongs all praise.)
According to authentic Islamic sources, it is wajib on each Muslim, to recite this Takbir after every fard salah, whether one is performing salah with Jama’ah (collectively) or on own (individually). Muslim brothers should recite it in a loud voice, while sisters should recite it in a low voice.
Sacrifice
One of the good deeds that will bring a Muslim closer to Allah during these ten days is offering a sacrifice, by choosing a healthy animal. Sacrifice (or Qurbani, as is known in Urdu) can only be performed during the three days of Eid-ul-Adha, namely the 10th, Ilth and 12th of Dhul-Hijjah. It is only in these days that slaughtering of an animal is recognized as an act of worship. Although sacrifice is permissible on each of the three aforesaid days, it is preferable to perform it on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah.
Repentance
Repentance means returning to Allah 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. We must hasten to repent at once when we have committed a sin, in open or in secret.
A Muslim should ensure that he makes use of this golden opportunity provided by Allah. May Allah enable us to make use of this opportunity.
If a Muslim wants to offer a sacrifice, he/she should avoid the following things during first ten days of the month of Hajj:
It is a saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that: “When you see the new moon of Dhul-Hijjah, if anyone 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 wisdom behind this prohibition mentioned by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is so that a Muslim who has not gone to perform Hajj may resemble those in ihram in some aspects of the rituals performed, and so that he may draw closer to Allah by offering the sacrifice. So he leaves his hair and nails alone until the time when he has offered his sacrifice.
Ambiya-e-Ikram Ki Zindagi Bandagi
The Night of Hijrat(Migration)-Suraqa bin Malik And The Deviation
The Night of Hijrat was a night which reflected the extreme love and obedience of Hazrat Abu bakr Siddique radiallahu taala anhu who accompanied the Holy Prophet Muhammed Salalaahu Alaihi wassallam and Hazrat Maula Ali radiallahu taala anhu who slept on the bed of the Holy Prophet Muhammed Salalaahu Alaihi wassallam
When the Holy prophet Muhammed salalaahu alaihi wasallam was with his Khaleel, Abu Bakr radiallahu taala anhu a person Suraqa bin Malik followed the Holy prophet Muhammed Salalaahu Alaihi wasallam and when Hazrat Abu bakr siddique got worried that they have been discovered, The Holy Prophet Muhammed Salalaahu Alaihi wasallam consoled Syaddina Abu Bakr Siddique radiallahu taala anhu and then invoked evil on Suraqa bin Malik , and Suraqa bin Malik’s horse sunk in the earth till its belly , then Suraqa repented to the Holy prophet Muhammed Salalaahu Alaihi wassalam and supplicated
‘I see that you have invoked evil on me. Please invoke good on me, and by Allah, I will cause those who are seeking after you to return.’
The Holy Prophet Muhammed accepted his repentance and invoked good to him and he was saved, and then he deviated all people away from the Holy Prophet Muhammed Salalaahu Alaihi wasallam
‘” I have looked for him here in vain.’ So he caused whomever he met to return”
This incident is narrated beautifully in Sahih Bukhari.
Sahih Bukhari – Volume 4, Book 56, Number 812 :
Narrated by Al-Bara’ bin ‘Azib
Abu bakr came to my father who was at home and purchased a saddle from him. He said to ‘Azib. “Tell your son to carry it with me.” So I carried it with him and my father followed us so as to take the price (of the saddle). My father said, “O Abu bakr! Tell me what happened to you on your night journey with Allah’s Apostle (during Migration).” He said, “Yes, we traveled the whole night and also the next day till midday. when nobody could be seen on the way ( because of the severe heat) . Then there appeared a long rock having shade beneath it, and the sunshine had not come to it yet. So we dismounted there and I leveled a place and covered it with an animal hide or dry grass for the Prophet to sleep on (for a while). I then said, ‘Sleep, O Allah’s Apostle, and I will guard you.’ So he slept and I went out to guard him. Suddenly I saw a shepherd coming with his sheep to that rock with the same intention we had when we came to it. I asked (him). ‘To whom do you belong, O boy?’ He replied, ‘I belong to a man from Medina or Mecca.’ I said, ‘Do your sheep have milk?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘Will you milk for us?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ He caught hold of a sheep and I asked him to clean its teat from dust, hairs and dirt. (The sub-narrator said that he saw Al-Bara’ striking one of his hands with the other, demonstrating how the shepherd removed the dust.) The shepherd milked a little milk in a wooden container and I had a leather container which I carried for the Prophet to drink and perform the ablution from. I went to the Prophet, hating to wake him up, but when I reached there, the Prophet had already awakened; so I poured water over the middle part of the milk container, till the milk was cold. Then I said, ‘Drink, O Allah’s Apostle!’ He drank till I was pleased. Then he asked, ‘Has the time for our departure come?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ So we departed after midday. Suraqa bin Malik followed us and I said, ‘We have been discovered, O Allah’s Apostle!’ He said, Don’t grieve for Allah is with us.’ The Prophet invoked evil on him (i.e. Suraqa) and so the legs of his horse sank into the earth up to its belly. (The subnarrator, Zuhair is not sure whether Abu bakr said, “(It sank) into solid earth.”) Suraqa said, ‘I see that you have invoked evil on me. Please invoke good on me, and by Allah, I will cause those who are seeking after you to return.’ The Prophet invoked good on him and he was saved. Then, whenever he met somebody on the way, he would say, ‘I have looked for him here in vain.’ So he caused whomever he met to return. Thus Suraqa fulfilled his promise.
Islam Doesn’t Claim To Be A New Religion Revealed To Muhammad (pbuh)
ISLAM is an Arabic word that is linguistically derived from silm or salamah; it denotes peace, wholeness, and submission. As a religion, Islam teaches us that it is only through submission to God’s will that we can find true peace – peace within ourselves, peace with fellow humans, as well as peace with God’s creation.
Islam does not claim to be a new religion revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him). Rather it is essentially the same message revealed to all of God’s prophets and messengers from the beginning of time. Among these messengers were Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). A Muslim must believe in all of them as true messengers of God and must never discriminate between anyone of them.
The Qur’an states: “Say (O Muslims) we believe in Allah and in which was sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Yaqub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat [(the offspring of the twelve sons of Yaqub (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and ‘Isa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam). (Al-Baqarah 2:136)
The fundamental beliefs of Islam can be summed up as follows:
1. Belief in the oneness and unity of God. This entails belief in God as the one and only Creator, Cherisher, and Sovereign Lord of the entire universe.
2. Belief in God’s angels. Angels are spiritual beings who are engaged in glorifying God and doing His bidding.
3. Belief in the Scriptures (revelations) that contain God’s communications to His prophets and messengers. Among the scriptures are [the original] Torah, [the original] Gospel, and finally the Qur’an, which confirm and preserve intact the pristine, perennial religion revealed to all of God’s prophets and messengers.
4. Belief in prophets and messengers. These were message-bearers from God, who called mankind unto God; they were ideal Muslims ( i.e., they submitted themselves wholly and totally to the will of their Lord). In this sense, the prophets are our true role models, as they represent the best of what humanity can aspire to and become.
5. Belief that both good and bad are decreed by God, as He alone is in charge of the entire universe.
6. Belief in the Last Day when all of humanity will stand before their Lord for final reckoning, where one’s good as well bad deeds will be scrutinized by the One Who knows all.
Besides the above fundamental beliefs, a Muslim observes the five pillars, and lives a morally and ethically exemplary life, according to the best of his or her ability.
1. The first and foremost of these pillars is testifying to the oneness of God. By testifying to the divine oneness, one is recognizing God as the sole entity to worship, to attach to Him one’s ultimate loyalty. Such recognition frees one from bondage of matter and values that enslave, cripple, and dehumanize one.
2. The next most important pillar is offering five daily Prayers at the appointed times: dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, dusk, and before retiring to bed. Prayer in Islam is a direct communion with God, without any intermediary; it bestows on us grace, serenity, tranquility, and peace.
3. The next foremost pillar of Islam is offering charity. A believer parts with at least a minimum of two and a half percent of his or her wealth for the poor and needy, although he or she is encouraged to give more.
4. Fasting in the month of Ramadan closely follows charity as the fourth pillar. It is an institution intended to teach empathy with the poor, besides inculcating in us the need to overcome and transcend our physical desires in order to deepen our spiritual awareness.
5. Finally, pilgrimage (Haj) to the House of God in Makkah, the House built by God’s prophets Abraham and his son Ishmael. Pilgrimage brings us face to face with people of all races and colors, and challenges us to break the walls that separate us from one another and to embrace the true brotherhood of humanity as the sacred bond that unites all of us under the lordship of the one and only God.
The above cardinal tenets and practices of Islam are intended to instill, nurture, and deepen the basic attitudes and values of submission to the will of God. Islam essentially means to lead a life of mindfulness of God while being compassionate to all of God’s creation. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked what was the best teaching of Islam; he said, “To feed the hungry and to spread greeting of peace to everyone, regardless of whether you know the person or not” (Ibn Majah and An-Nasa’i).
At the moral level, Islam teaches us to be truthful, honest, just, compassionate, virtuous; to shun all evils; to be ever bent on doing good deeds while sparing others of any harm or injury. Stated differently, it teaches us to think right, speak right, and act righteously.
At the spiritual level, Islam teaches cultivation of mindfulness of God: being grateful to Him, patient in adversity, and content with His decree and ever willing to make our will conform to His will.
Zeeqad Kay Fazail
Are You A Muslim Who Steals?
Some Muslims today often display an admirable zeal in applying some parts of Islam that may not even be obligatory while they take on a complacent, self-satisfied attitude with respect to the essentials of the Religion. In one particular area, this results in stealing.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The worst thief among men is the one who steals from his prayer.” When his companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, how does he steal from his prayer?”, he replied, “He does not complete its Ruku’ (bowing) and Sujood (prostration).” (Ahmad and Al-Hakim)
In a related report, the Prophet (peace be upon him), observing a man not completing his Ruku’ properly, and pecking in his Sujood, warned that if the man were to die in that state, he would die on a faith other than Islam.
In any mosque, one can observe Muslims pecking, bobbing down and quickly back up in Ruku’ and Sujood. Some of us move so impatiently through our prostrations that one is left wondering how it was humanly possible for an individual to have said “Subhana Rabbi Al-A’laa” the minimum three times! And even if this was accomplished, what was its significance? Can we really reflect on our relationship with the Creator if we move through our prayer so quickly? Have we understood and pondered about what was said during any part of our Salah?
Allah says, “Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their prayers with humility and attentiveness (khushoo’).” (Qur’an, 23:1-2)
If we rush through our Ruku’ and Sujood but spend long hours in idle talk or even in meetings regarding some activity we usually have, then what have we achieved?
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is defective, then the rest of his deeds will be defective.” (Al-Tabarani, authenticated by Al-Albani)
If our prayer is no more than a no-impact, mildly aerobic workout, is it any wonder that the rest of our deeds, individual and collective, are often ineffective? Ruku’ and Sujood are symptomatic of the problems we have with our Salah as a whole.
The important thing to keep in mind is that each and every one of us, scholar or student, experienced Imam or newcomer to Islam, man or woman, can and should improve our prayer from the day we learn it to the day we die. So the next time we prepare to bow down, let’s make sure we don’t get caught stealing.
– by Adil Salahi
Prophet Muhammad: A Choice For The Prophet’s Wives
At one point the Prophet’s wives made a joint request asking him to provide them with a better standard of living. It was not an unreasonable request, since it came after the Muslim state had enjoyed victories over its enemies and its fortunes were getting much better. It was the sort of request any woman who had lived through years of poverty with her husband would make when they enjoyed better times. Yet the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not care for any material comfort. He wanted his household to remain an example for all Muslims, in all generations. Therefore, he did not look favorably at this request.
His closest companions, Abu Bakr and Umar, were allowed into his home after they had heard of the problem. They were the fathers of two of the Prophet’s wives.
They found the Prophet silent, looking distressed. Abu Bakr sought to relax the somber atmosphere. He said: “Messenger of God! If you could only see my wife when she asked me for more money to spend. I pierced my finger into her neck.”
The Prophet smiled and said: “You see them all around me asking for more money.” Abu Bakr went up to his daughter, Ayesha, and Umar went up to his daughter, Hafsah, piercing them in the neck. They said to them: “How come you ask the Prophet to give you what he does not have?” Both of them said: “We will never again ask the Prophet for what he does not have.”
The Prophet was upset by the whole episode. He wanted his household to be totally free of the material concerns of worldly life. He wanted his own family to aspire only for what is with God. He, therefore, decided to stay away from all his wives for a whole month. He then received revelations requiring him to give his wife a choice.
When the month was over, he mentioned the choice to everyone of his wives, starting with Ayesha. The choice is outlined in the following Qur’anic verses: “Prophet! Say to your wives: ‘If you desire the life of this world and its charms, I shall provide for you and release you in a becoming manner; but if you desire God and His Messenger and the life of the hereafter, know that God has readied great rewards for those of you who do good.’” (33: 28-29)
Before he read them the two Qur’anic verses, the Prophet told each one that she needed not make her choice straightaway. She should consult her parents or her guardian. Every single one of them said to him: “I need not consult anyone concerning my status with you. I certainly choose God and His messenger, hoping for success in the life to come.” They assured him that they desired nothing in preference to life with him.
It should be mentioned that as Ayesha made her choice, being the first asked, she requested the Prophet not to make her choice known to any of his other wives, should they ask him about her choice. She felt that if any of them was unsure, she should not be helped by learning of Ayesha’s choice.
The Prophet, however, declined her request, telling her that his mission was to teach people every good thing for them. Therefore, if any would ask him about her choice, he was certain to inform them of it. They could then follow her example, if they so wished. However, in the event, none needed that sort of help.
They all recognized that their status as wives of the Prophet and mothers of all believers was so precious that they would not change it for anything in this world.
Sunnat-O-Nawafil Ki Fazeelat
Allah Makes Religion Easy For The Believers
[ALLAH’S Quran – 18:88] “But as for him who believes and does righteous deeds – he will have the ultimate good [of the life to come] as his reward; and [as for us,] we shall make binding on him [only] that which is easy to fulfil.”
The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him ) has said:
[Bukhari, Volume #7, Hadith #38] “The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once asked a companion: “(Is it true) that you fast all day and stand in prayer all night?” The companion replied that the report was indeed true. The Prophet then said: “Do not do that! Observe the fast sometimes and also leave (it) at other times; stand up for prayer at night and also sleep at night. Your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you and your wife has a right over you.”
[Bukhari, Book #2, Hadith #38] “Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, the nights.”
(See Fath-ul-Bari, Page 102, Vol 1).
[Bukhari, Book #21, Hadith #251] “Narrated ‘Aisha: A woman from the tribe of Bani Asad was sitting with me and Allah’s Apostle (p.b.u.h) came to my house and said, “who is this?” I said, “(She is) So and so. She does not sleep at night because she is engaged in prayer.” The Prophet said disapprovingly: Do (good) deeds which is within your capacity as Allah never gets tired of giving rewards till you get tired of doing good deeds.”