وَالْفَجْرِ- وَلَيالٍ عَشْرٍ- وَالشَّفْعِ وَالْوَتْرِ- وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ- هَلْ فِى ذَلِكَ قَسَمٌ لّذِى حِجْرٍ
Al Fajr 89: 1. By the dawn; 2. And by the ten nights, 3. And by the even and the odd. 4. And by the night when it departs. 5. Is there (not) in them sufficient proofs for men of understanding!
When Allah swears an oath by something, it is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Almighty Allah says: (by the ten nights.) (Al-Fajr 89: 2) Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Az-Zubayr, Mujahid and others of the earlier and later generations are of the opinion that this refers to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Ibn Kathir said: "This is the correct opinion." (TafsirIbn Kathir, 8/413)
The first ten days in the month of Zulhijjah is amongst the proofs of Allah’s Raheem towards Muslims. Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." The people asked, "Not even Jihad 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-Bukhari)
We should be grateful to Allah who has institutionalized this special time. We should use this opportunity to correct our faults and to make up for any shortcomings or anything that we might have missed in the past. But what we can do so that this valuable does not pass by in vain? What deeds can be carried out as exemplified by our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during this period? Below are some sunnahs to help us to make most of the first ten days in the month of Zulhijjah
1. Reciting a lot of tahlil, takbir and tahmid
`Abdullah ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) 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 tahlil (saying: 'there is no god but Allah'), takbir and tahmid." (Reported by Ahmad)
This hadits encourages us to increase the recitation of ‘Allahu akbar’ (Allah is great), ‘laa ilaha illallah’ (there’s no god but Allah) and ‘alhamdulillah’ (all praises belong to Allah) within the ten days. It also corrects our misconception which tend to recite takbir only on the night of 10th Zulhijjah.
2. Fasting
These ten days include the Day of `Arafah, on which Allah perfected His religion. For those who are not performing Hajj, fasting on this day is highly recommended. Fasting on the day of Arafah will expiate for the sins of two years.
Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) 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 `Ashurah is an expiation for the year preceding it." (Reported by "the group," except for Al-Bukhari and At-Tirmidhi)One of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah’s Messenger used to fast the [first] nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of `Ashurah, and three days of each month." (Reported by Abu Dawud).
3. Hajj
These ten days include the days of Hajj. For those who can afford to go in term of financial, health and security, hajj is compulsory, at least once in a life time.
وَللَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَـعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ الله غَنِىٌّ عَنِ الْعَـلَمِينَ
Ali Imran 3:97 ... And hajj (pilgrimage to makkah) to the house (kabah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for ones conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves (i.e. denies hajj (pilgrimage to makkah), then he is a disbeliever of allah), then allah stands not in need of any of the alameen (mankind and jinns).
We have to perceive hajj as a duty that we owe to Allah. It is like a debt that we have to pay before we die. But many of us tend to delay fulfilling this obligation despite our prosperous condition. How many people who choose to delay hajj until they are not too busy with the worldly matters but die before they have the chance to do it? We do not know when we will die. Twenty years? One year? Next month? Next week? Tomorrow? Wallahu ‘alam, Allah knows best.
Allah's Messenger (p.b.u.h.) said, "He who is not prevented from performing the pilgrimage by an obvious necessity, a tyrannical ruler, or a disease which confines him at home, and dies without having performed the pilgrimage, may die if he wishes as a Jew, or if he wishes as a Christian." (Tirmidhi: 2535, narrated Abu Umamah) (Darimi transmitted it)
I leave it to you in interpreting the hadits above. But the message is very clear, perform hajj as soon as we can afford it.
4. Udhiyah/Sacrifice
Offering Udhiyah (sacrifice) during `Eid Al-Adha is regarded as wajib or mandatory according to Imam Abu Hanifah and as sunnah mu'akkadah or confirmed Sunnah according to other jurists.Allah says further: (It is not their meat nor their blood, that reaches Allah: it is your piety that reaches Him: He has thus made them subject to you, that ye may glorify Allah for His guidance to you: And proclaim the Good News to all who do right} (Al-Hajj 22:37).
The importance of sacrifice for those who can afford it can be illustrated by the Prophet annoyance to those who were reluctant to offer sacrifice. He (peace be upon him) once told those who are affluent but refused offering qurban not to come near his masjid.
5. Abstain from cutting nails and shaving hair
Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When you see the new moon of Dhul Hijjah, or according to another version, When the ten days (of Dhul Hijjah) begin and any of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him refrain (from cutting) his hair and nails” (Ahmad and Muslim).
This is a sunnah that is often overlooked. Some ‘ulamas have suggested that if we cut our nail or hair from any parts of our body during the first ten days of Zulhijjah while we intend to offer sacrifice, our sacrifice will not be accepted. Others, however, believe that the sunnah of abstaining cutting nails and hair is not related to the sacrifice.
Aqulu qaoli hazta wastaghfirullahi 'aziim.#
