Hajj Islamic Studies Relationships

The Best Days of this World

Originally Posted in November 2009

By Zahra

The Virtues of the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah1 :

2588632722_da615275ff1. Ahadith (narrations) of the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him):

قال النبي –صلى الله عليه وسلم-( مامن أيام العمل الصالح فيها أحب إلى الله من هذه الأيام قالوا يا رسول الله : ولا الجهاد في سبيل الله قال ولا الجهاد في سبيل الله إلا رجل خرج بنفسه وماله فلم يرجع من ذلك بشئ) رواه البخاري

The Prophet  said: “There are no days in which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than during these days. The Sahaba said: O Rasul Allah [Messenger of God], not even jihad in the path of Allah? He  said: Not even jihad in the path of Allah except for the man who goes out in the path of Allah with his life and his wealth and returns with neither of them.”

وقال ( أفضل أيام الدنيا أيام العشر) رواه البزار وصححه الالبانى.

And he  said: “The best days of this world are these ten.”

2. Allah swears by these 10 days in the Qur’an:

قول الله تعالى:2 سورة الفجر (1-2)، قال ابن كثير رحمه الله: المراد بها عشر ذي الحجة

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) says: “By the dawn, and by the 10 nights,” [Qur’an, 89:1-2]. Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Mujahid and others of the earlier and later generations said that this refers to the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. Ibn Katheer said: “This is the correct opinion.”

قال تعالى:3 سورة الحج(28)، قال ابن عباس: أيام العشر

Allah says: “…and mention the name of Allah on appointed days,” [Qur’an, 22:28]. Ibn ‘Abbas said these are the ten days.

3. These ten days are better than Ramadan:

قال المحققون من أهل العلم: أيام عشر ذي الحجة أفضل الأيام، وليالي العشر الأواخر من رمضان أفضل الليالي.

Most scholars adopt the opinion that these days are better than the last ten days of Ramadan. However, what holds the last ten days of Ramadan at a higher status is the Night of Power (Laylat ul-Qadr) which is equivalent to one thousand months (83.33 years).

تضاعف فيها الحسنات قال ابن عباس”: العمل فيهن بسبعمائة ضعف”

The rewards are multiplied in these days. Ibn ‘Abbas said: “(The reward for good) deeds are multiplied seven hundred times in these days.”

قال الاوزاعى: “بلغني أن العمل في أيام العشر كقدر غزوة في سبيل الله يصام نهارها ويحرس ليلها إلا أن يختص امرء بشهادة”

Al Awzaa’i said: “I was informed that good deeds during the ten days are the equivalent (in reward) to a battle in the path of Allah, in which the day is spent in fasting and the night in safeguarding, except if one is bestowed with martyrdom.”

In Ramadan, doing good deeds and struggling in worship, especially during the last ten nights, is easier than during these days for a few reasons. Firstly, the atmosphere of the month of Ramadan, whether culturally, spiritually, or traditionally, makes it easier to focus and strive. Secondly, the shayateen (devils) are chained. So, to get that drive and direction we had in Ramadan is much harder when we have most likely fallen out of “Ramadan mode.” However, since the `ibada (worship) is more difficult, the reward is greater. So let’s keep this in mind and get ready to really work hard.

The Plan of Action for these 10 days:

1. Really feel this blessing and realize that it is an opportunity of a lifetime, because none of us know if we will witness these 10 days again.

كان خالد بن معدان يقول( إذا فتح لأحدكم باب للخير فليسرع فاءنه لا يدرى متى يغلق عنه

Khalid bin Mi`dan used to say: “If the door for good is opened for one of you, then rush (to take advantage) because you don’t know when it will close.”

2. Have high aspirations in your worship and use the examples of the ijtihad (diligence) of the saliheen (righteous) as motivation.

3. Take advantage of the opportunities to get the reward of Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) while being elsewhere.

قال-صلى الله عليه وسلم-( من صلى الفجر في جماعة ثم قعد يذكر الله حتى تطلع الشمس ثم صلى ركعتين كانت له كأجر حجة وعمرة تامة تامة تامة

The Prophet  said: “Whoever prays fajr [the pre-dawn prayer] in congregation and then sits in remembrance of Allah until the sun rises, then prays two rak`aat [units of prayer], he has the full reward of Hajj and `umrah (the lesser pilgrimage).”

4. Perfect the fara’idh (obligatory actions):

Often times we become busy trying to do extra deeds, but neglect the fact that perhaps maybe what is obligatory upon us is not at the level it should be. There is no way for a person to become close to Allah (swt) other than through the obligatory actions, as is apparent in the famous hadith qudsi (sacred narration) in which Allah (swt) says: “My servant does not become closer to me by anything more beloved to me than what I have obligated upon him.”

Reasonable Goals:

1. Khatm (Complete Recitation) of Qur’an:

It is equivalent to more than half a million hasanaat (good deeds) during these days. Let’s try to complete the recitation of the Qur’an during these days, ending by `Asr (the afternoon prayer) time on the day of `Arafah (the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah) and spending from `Asr to Magrhib (the post-sunset prayer) in du`a’ (supplication).

2. Qiyam al-Layl (Late Night Prayer):

Rasulallah (the Messenger of God)  said: “Whoever stands in prayer, reciting 1,000 verses, is written among the muqantareen.” A qintar (the root of muqantareen) is equal to 70,000 dinar. The recitation of the last two ajzaa’ (parts) of the Qur’an is equivalent to 1,000 verses.

3. Extra Salah (Prayer) During the Day:

The Prophet  said: “There is not a Muslim who prays twelve rak`aat per day, other than the obligatory prayers, except that a palace is built for him in paradise.”

4. Dhikr: The best form of worship to do in these ten days as apparent in the hadith (narration):

Ibn `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah  said, “There is no day more honorable in Allah ‘s sight and no acts more beloved therein to Allah than those in these ten days. So say tahlil [‘There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah: La ilaha illAllah‘], takbir [‘Allah is the greatest: Allahu akbar‘] and tahmid [‘All praise is due to Allah: alhumdulillah‘] a lot.” [Ahmad, 7/224]

The Messenger of Allah  said, “The best du`a’ is du`a’ on the day of `Arafah, and the best thing that I or the Prophets before me have said is ‘There is no god but Allah, alone, without any partner’ [La ilaha illa’llah, wahdahu la sharika lah].” [Muwatta, Malik].

7. Reviving the Sunnah of Takbir [‘Allahu Akbar‘]:

Ibn `Umar and Abu Hurairah radi allahu `anhu (may God be pleases with him) used to go out in the marketplace during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, reciting takbir, and the people would recite takbir when they heard them.

8. Fasting:

The reward of fasting is great, so imagine how much that reward would be multiplied in these days. If one can’t fast all of the 9 days, then at least on the day of `Arafah as it is the greatest day.

Abu Qatadah reported that the Messenger of Allah  said, “Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah is an expiation for two years, the year preceding it and the year following it. Fasting the day of `Ashura is an expiation for the year preceding it.” [This is related by “the group,” except for al-Bukhari and at-Tirmidhi.]

The Prophet  said “There is no day that Allah will free people more than the day of `Arafah.”

`Ali (ra) used to advise people to say, “O Allah, free my neck from the fire,” on the day of `Arafah.

9. Du`a’:

Especially on the day of `Arafah, but also at anytime. Keep in mind the times where du`a’ is more likely to be accepted and ask during those times.

    • The last third of the night
    • Between the adhaan and iqaamah
    • During the rain
    • In sujood
    • On Friday
    • While fasting

10. Sadaqa (Charity):

Give sadaqa during these days, since the reward is multiplied tremendously.

11. Tawbah (Asking for Forgiveness):

Continually renew repentance.

12. Establish Ikhlas (Sincerity) in `ibada (Worship).

13. Check and renew intentions at all times.

The Day of `Eid

On the greatest day, remained focused as it is still part of the first 10 days which are the best days of the year! Try not to get too caught up in celebrating that you stop doing the worship that you were doing the first 9 days.

The day of ‘Eid is a day for visiting family and performing the sacrifice for one who is able.

  1. the last month of the Islamic calendar and the month of pilgrimage []
  2. وَالْفَجْرِ، وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ []
  3. وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ []

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28 Comments

  • Jazakillahu khayr for some timely advice! Today is the first day of Dhul-Hijjah..Let’s try to implement as much of this advice into our lives as we can.

  • Labbayk

    Wake up and stay awake
    -O Heart- and say Labbayk
    Say: Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk
    Say it with every seed and grain
    Say it with every drop of rain
    Say it and say it again and again
    Say it with the stars in the skies
    Say it with the light in your eyes
    Say: Labbayk O Lord, O Wise!
    Say it and let your tears,
    Let them translate your hidden fears—
    For only Allah hears
    All that are on earth and in the skies.
    Say Labbayk to Him Alone
    Whose boundless mercy shone
    Even in the heart of him
    Who once worshipped a stone,
    But then heard Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk
    And his heart shook as with earthquake
    And said: Yes, I made a mistake;
    But now I say Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk!

  • Is the intention that you are performing extra acts of worship because it is the first 10 days of Thul-Hijjah as important as the acts themselves? I hadn’t realized that it was the first days of Thul-Hijjah, but subhanAllah, I suddenly felt the urge to increase in acts of worship. Does it matter that I didn’t know it was the first blessed days?

  • I have some audio renditions of the takbirat of these 10 days on my blog. It’s my latest post so you can download them there and put them on your Ipod and listen to them and repeat after it.

  • R: This is for those who were not blessed with the opportunity to go for 7ajj this year. Those who were, have to complete the ‘manaasik’ of 7ajj during these days. So they will be busy with that, along with of course being in dhikr and other acts of worship that we all do wherever we are.

    Another thing for those who are not at 7ajj to do is to perform 7ajj with ones heart. In the sense that you are aware of what the 7ujjaj are doing each day and do the same symbolically. For example:
    1-When they say ‘labbayk’ while they’re performing their obligations we also say ‘labbayk’ wherever we are, meaning here I am Allah, ready with my heart to do what you have ordered.
    2- When they are performing sa3i, we also do sa3i in our 3ibada, which means we rush to perform it and we struggle during it.
    3- While they perform tawaf, they start at the 7ajar al aswad to remind them that since it came for jannah, that is the goal. Also that it is black because of dhunoob, so that is a reminder to repent to Allah. Similarly, we perform tawaf with our heart, keeping in mind the goal (jannah) and making tawba from our dhunoob.
    4-When they are in muzdalifa, keep in mind that the meaning of the root of muzdalifa means ‘al qurb’ closeness. So we should try to be close to Allah with our hearts.
    5-Lastly, yawm 3arafa. Fasting this day is for us, not the 7ujjaj as they are not supposed to fast this day. They spend this day in 3ibada and du3aa, so we can also do the same wherever we are, and it is recommended to make 3itikaaf in the masjid to isolate ourselves from any distraction and focus on du3aa as much as we are able to.

    J: The intention in worship should be sincere and pure, it doesn’t have to be because actions in these days have more rewards. That is a gift from Allah, which as you said, encourages us to want to do more and really take advantage of Allah’s blessing upon us. So, if your intention wasn’t doing 3ibada because the reward is greater, it doesn’t affect the reward. Insha’Allah it will still be multiplied, as Allah is al-Kareem.

  • Assalaamu ‘alaykum,

    Can you post a proof for this:
    “for those who are not at 7ajj to do is to perform 7ajj with ones heart”

    I heard that the Shaykh at our mosque talked about this as well and that not clipping the nails and such are a part of that. At first it seemed a bit strang to me, but after reading it here, it made me realize that is probably a thing commonly known among the people.

    A proof would ease the heart.

    Jazaka’Allah khair

    • if a sister is in menstruation she can perform many acts of worship other than fasting and praying. So she should perform lots of dhikr and du3aa, read the Qur’an, give sadaqa, establish family ties, etc.

  • Assalamu alaikum.
    With regard to prayin fajr in congregation n sitting n praying salatul dhuha. Doesn’t this reward applies to women who prays at home……

  • Oh night,Oh night
    Sear the pan of humanity
    Move the heart deep
    Touch the oracle of the womb
    Within the orange
    Pulp of the juice as stars above
    Portions to share during the night
    Hi jabs birth day brake
    Sun and moon awake
    Ancient vows a glorious state
    Morsels of creation relate
    Fold around the clock to date
    Pulp of the message
    Hijab of the orange

  • Nice article, but I don’t think ‘reading the entire Qur’an in 10 days’ is a ‘reasonable’ goal…. I can barely manage to do it in the 30 days of ramadan… 🙁

  • Nice article, but I don’t think ‘reading the entire Qur’an in 10 days’ is a ‘reasonable’ goal…. I can barely manage to do it in the 30 days of ramadan…

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