TAG: Dul Hajj
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.
As Hajj Approaches, Ummah Gets United
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) delivered a passionate and soul-stirring sermon during his first and only Haj on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah – the day of Arafah. The sermon, which is popularly known as the Farewell Sermon, is recorded in several authentic books of Ahadith, including Sahih Al-Bukhari and Musnad Ahmad. The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not live till next year’s Haj and this was his farewell address to the tens of thousands of Muslims who did the pilgrimage with him.
“O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Treat others justly so that no one would be unjust to you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds.”
The Prophet also exhorted the Muslims to fear Allah regarding women and to keep their hands off each other’s wealth and property. The 9th of Dhul Hijjah is sacred even for those Muslims who are not performing Haj. Its fast is an expiation for sins committed in the previous year and the next. (Sahih Muslim, no. 1162)
The sight of hundreds of thousands of Muslims embarking on their journey of Haj, proclaiming the talbiyah, telecast all around the world calls us to think about the time when Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) built the Ka’bah with his son Isma’il in the scorching, arid, and barren valley of Makkah thousands of years ago. He found it incredible that people would one day throng this Sacred House, in this uninhabited land, to answer their Lord’s call for Haj. He therefore prayed for Makkah to be blessed with fruit and provision from all around, and for people’s hearts to be inclined towards its people.
“O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Your Sacred House; in order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular Prayer: so fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks.” (Qur’an, 14:37)
He then proceeded, in submission to Allah’s command, to make the call for Haj to all mankind. Allah responded by declaring that a day would come, when this Sacred House would bring forth pilgrims from every distant valley, and on every riding beast available to them; they would come, responding to Allah’s call for Haj.
“And proclaim to mankind the Haj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Haj).” (Qur’an, 22:27)
The blessing is apparent. The Muslim Ummah, though divided today by sects, groups, and international borders, unites into one nation. Yes, we all unite during Haj, Alhamdulillah. We put everything aside to respond to Allah’s call. All pilgrims gather together on a single stretch of land – the plain of Arafah. Away from their comfortable homes, dressed in a pair of unstitched cloths, their faces covered with dust, their heads unprotected from the sun, their bellies half-empty, and their hearts humbled, they stand in remembrance of their Lord, turning to Him in repentance and submission. The most diehard of sinners can, on this day, transform into a humble, penitent servant with the mercy of Allah.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There is no day on which Allah frees more of His slaves from the Fire than the day of Arafah. He draws close then He praised them before the angels and says, ‘What do these people want?’” (Sahih Muslim, no. 1348)
After returning from Arafah, however, some unfortunate Muslims fall into the trap of Satan and fall into petty disputes about petty matters! They forget the essence of Haj, which teaches valuable lessons of mutual harmony and forbearance, as the Prophet advised in his last sermon.
Nothing rings true as much as the part of his sincere speech quoted below, the message of which, if Muslims were to take back home with them after Haj, would change their attitudes for good: “Know that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim, which belongs to a fellow Muslim, unless it is given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, be unjust to yourselves.” (Al-Bukhari, no. 1623; and Muslim, no. 98)
Asaan Hajj Qadam Ba Qadam
50 Things To Be Done During Hajj
[..1] Smile in another Muslims face
[..2] Say Salam to strangers
[..3] Shake someone’s hand and ask about their health
[..4] Buy tea for someone
[..5] Offer to get someone’s groceries
[..6] Sit with a Hajj group from another country and ask about Islam in their village
[..7] Carry someone’s bags for them
[..8] Guide someone ill to the infirmary
[..9] Shun vain talk
[10] Recite talbiyah loudly, encouraging others
[11] On the days of Eid, walk through the tents reciting Talbiyah loudly reminding others
[12] Gather stones for people
[13] Offer to throw on behalf of unable Hajjis
[14] Guide people to the Jamarat
[15] Lower your gaze
[16] Remind people of the lives of the Sahaabah
[17] Read Qur’an with the Tafseer
[18] Do the authentic Dhikr of the morning and evening
[19] Make dua during your Sajdah
[20] Stand to the side of a gate and offer people water/tea as they leave
Good Deeds In The Ten Days Of Dul Hajj
According to Abu Abbas that the Prophet (PBUH) said: No deeds during the year days are better than the deeds in the ten days of Dul Hajj. They said: Even Jihad in the way of Allah? The Prophet (PBUH) said: Even Jihad except a man goes for Jihad with his wealth and does not return back with any things. Narrated by Bukhary.
These are the days in which the fifth pillar of Islam, Hajj, falls and where delegates of Hajj come from different places to meet. Allah Almighty says in Sura Al Baqarah V:198: Then when you leave, Arafat, member Allah at the mash ar-il-Haram. And remember Him as He has guided you and verily, you were, before, of those who were astray.
And the best day among the 10 days of Dul Hajj is the day of Arafat. That is why the Prophet (PBUH) advises those who are not going for Hajj, to fast this day. According to Abu quatada that when the Prophet (PBUH) was asked about fasting the day of Arafat He said: It clears the sins of current and previous years. Narrated by Muslim. The Prophet (PBUH) also said: Verily, there is no day where the number of people whom Allah will be free from Hell fire, is higher than the day of Arafat. Narrated by Muslim.
According to Abu Abbas that the Prophet (PBUH) said: That Allah Almighty took the pledge from the children of Adam on the day of Arafat and said to them: Am I not your Lord? They said yes we testify, lest you should say on the Day of Judgment. ?Verily we have been unaware of this? narrated by Ahmed. This indicates as if all people recognize their lord on this day and such recognition remains with them unless it is damaged by bad environment.
These days are seasons for purifying our selves and rectifying our conditions therefore, Muslims should not miss such opportunities.