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Writers Articles And Opinions |
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26 November 2009 Islam House
Praise be
to Allaah Who has created Time and has made some times
better than others, some months and days and nights
better than others, when rewards are multiplied many
times, as a mercy towards His slaves. This encourages
them to do more righteous deeds and makes them more
eager to worship Him, so that the Muslim renews his
efforts to gain a greater share of reward, prepare
himself for death and supply himself in readiness for
the Day of Judgement.
This season
of worship brings many benefits, such as the
opportunity to correct one’s faults and make up for
any shortcomings or anything that one might have
missed. Every one of these special occasions involves
some kind of worship through which the slaves may draw
closer to Allaah, and some kind of blessing though
which Allaah bestows His favour and mercy upon
whomsoever He will. The happy person is the one who
makes the most of these special months, days and hours
and draws nearer to his Lord during these times
through acts of worship; he will most likely be
touched by the blessing of Allaah and will feel the
joy of knowing that he is safe from the flames of
Hell. (Ibn Rajab, al-Lataa’if, p.8)
The Muslim
must understand the value of his life, increase his
worship of Allaah and persist in doing good deeds
until the moment of death. Allaah says
“And
worship your Lord until there comes unto you the
certainty.” [al-Hijr 15:99]
The
mufassireen (commentators) said: “ ‘The certainty’
means death.”
Among the
special seasons of worship are the first ten days of
Dhu’l-Hijjah, which Allaah has preferred over all the
other days of the year. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be
pleased with him and his father) reported that the
Prophet (r)
said:
“There
are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved
to Allaah than these ten days.” The people asked, “Not
even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?” He said, “Not
even jihaad for the sake of Allaah, 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)
Ibn ‘Abbaas
(may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) also
reported that the Prophet (r)
said:
“There
is no deed more precious in the sight of Allaah, nor
greater in reward, than a good deed done during the
ten days of Sacrifice.” He was asked, “Not even jihaad
for the sake of Allaah?” He said, “Not even jihaad for
the sake of Allaah, 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-Daarimi, 1/357; its isnaad is hasan as stated in
al-Irwaa’, 3/398)
These texts
and others indicate that these ten days are better
than all the other days of the year, with no
exceptions, not even the last ten days of
Ramadaan. But the last ten nights of Ramadaan
are better, because they include Laylat al-Qadr (“The
Night of Power”), which is better than a thousand
months. Thus the various reports may be reconciled.
(See Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 5/412)
You should
know, my brother in Islaam, that the virtue of these
ten days is based on many things:
Allaah
swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by
something is indicative of its importance and great
benefit. Allaah says:
“By the
dawn; by the ten nights.” [al-Fajr 89:1-2]
Ibn
‘Abbaas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Mujaahid and others of the
earlier and later generations said that this refers to
the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Ibn Katheer said:
“This is the correct opinion.” (Tafseer Ibn
Katheer, 8/413)
The Prophet
(r)
testified that these are the best days of this world,
as we have already quoted above from saheeh ahaadeeth.
The Prophet
(r)
encouraged people to do righteous deeds because of the
virtue of this season for people throughout the world,
and also because of the virtue of the place - for the
Hujjaaj (pilgrims) to the Sacred House of Allaah.
The Prophet
(r)
commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh (“Subhan-Allaah”),
Tahmeed (“Al-hamdu Lillaah”) and Takbeer (“Allaahu
akbar”) during this time. ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar
(may Allaah be pleased with him and his father)
reported that the Prophet (r)
said:
“There
are no days greater in the sight of Allaah 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 of ‘Arafaah), on
which Allaah perfected His Religion. Fasting on this
day will expiate for the sins of two years. These days
also include Yawm al-Nahr (the Day of Sacrifice), the
greatest day of the entire year and the greatest day
of Hajj, which combines acts of worship in a way
unlike any other day.
These ten
days include the days of sacrifice and of Hajj.
Question: What must the Muslim avoid during these ten
days if he wants to offer a sacrifice?
The Sunnah
indicates that the one who wants to offer a sacrifice
must stop cutting his hair and nails and removing
anything from his skin, from the beginning of the ten
days until after he has offered his sacrifice, because
the Prophet (r)
said:
“When
you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah, if any one 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 anything from his hair or skin.”
(reported by Muslim with four isnaads, 13/146)
The
Prophet’s instruction here makes one thing obligatory
and his prohibition makes another haraam, according to
the soundest opinion, because these commands and
prohibitions are unconditional and unavoidable. If a
person does any of these things deliberately, he must
seek Allaah’s forgiveness but is not however required
to offer (an extra) sacrifice in expiation; his
sacrifice will be acceptable. Whoever needs to remove
some hair, nails, etc. because it is harming him, such
as having a broken nail or a wound in a site where
there is hair, should do so, and there is nothing
wrong with that. The state of ihraam is so important
that it is permitted to cut one’s hair if leaving it
will cause harm. There is nothing wrong with men or
women washing their heads during the first ten days of
Dhu’l-Hijjah, because the Prophet (r)
only forbade cutting the hair, not washing it.
The wisdom
behind this prohibition from cutting his hair etc. for
the one who wants to offer a sacrifice, is so that he
may resemble those in ihraam in some aspects of the
rituals performed, and so that he may draw closer to
Allaah by offering the sacrifice. So he leaves his
hair and nails alone until the time when he has
offered his sacrifice, in the hope that Allaah will
save him in his entirety from the Fire. And Allaah
knows best.
If a person
has cut his hair or nails during the first ten days of
Dhu’l-Hijjah because he was not planning to offer a
sacrifice, then he decides later, during the ten days,
to offer a sacrifice, then he must refrain from
cutting his hair and nails from the moment he makes
this decision.
Some women
may delegate their brothers or sons to make the
sacrifice on their behalf, then cut their hair during
these ten days. This is not correct, because the
ruling applies to the one who is offering the
sacrifice, whether or not he (or she) delegates
someone else to carry out the actual deed. The
prohibition does not apply to the person delegated,
only to the person who is making the sacrifice, as is
indicated in the hadeeth. The person who is
sacrificing on behalf of someone else, for whatever
reason, does not have to adhere to this prohibition.
This
prohibition appears to apply only to the one who is
offering the sacrifice, not to his wife and children,
unless any of them is offering a sacrifice in his or
her own right, because the Prophet (r)
used to sacrifice “on behalf of the family of
Muhammad,” but there are no reports that say he
forbade them to cut their hair or nails at that time.
If a person
was planning to offer a sacrifice, then he decides to
go and perform Hajj, he should not cut his hair or
nails if he wants to enter ihraam, because the Sunnah
is only to cut hair and nails when necessary. But if
he is performing Tamattu’ [whereby he performs ‘Umrah,
comes out of ihraam and enters ihraam anew for Hajj],
he should trim his hair at the end of his ‘Umrah
because this is part of the ritual.
The things
that are described above as being prohibited for the
person who is planning to offer a sacrifice are
reported in the hadeeth quoted above; the person is
not forbidden to wear perfume, have marital relations,
wear sewn garments, etc.
Concerning
the types of worship to be performed during these ten
days: one must understand that these days are a great
blessing from Allaah to His slave, which is
appreciated properly by the actively righteous. It is
the Muslim’s duty to appreciate this blessing and make
the most of the opportunity, by devoting these ten
days to paying more attention to striving hard in
worship. Among His blessings to His slaves, Allaah has
given us many ways in which to do good and worship
Him, so that the Muslim may be constantly active and
consistent in his worship of his Lord.
Among the
good deeds which the Muslim should strive to do during
the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah are:
Fasting.
It is Sunnah to fast on the ninth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah,
because the Prophet (r)
urged us to do good deeds during this time, and
fasting is one of the best of deeds. Allaah has chosen
fasting for Himself, as is stated in the Hadeeth Qudsi:
“Allaah
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
(r)
used to fast on the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Hunaydah
ibn Khaalid reported from his wife that some of the
wives of the Prophet (r)
said:
“The
Prophet (r)
used to fast on the ninth of Dhu’l-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)
Takbeer.
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 Dhu’l-Hijjah, and to say
it loudly in the mosque, the home, the street and
every place where it is permitted to remember Allaah
and mention His name out loud, as an act of worship
and as a proclamation of the greatness of Allaah, may
He be exalted.
Men should
recite these phrases out loud, and women should recite
them quietly.
Allaah
says:
“That
they might witness things that are of benefit to them
(i.e., reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some
worldly gain from trade, etc.), and mention the name
of Allaah on appointed days, over the beast of cattle
that He has provided for them (for sacrifice)...”
[al-Hajj 22:28]
The
majority of scholars agree that the “appointed days”
are the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because of the
words of Ibn ‘Abbaas (t):
“The ‘appointed days’ are the first ten days (of
Dhu’l-Hijjah.”
The Takbeer
may include the words:
“Allaahu
akbar, Allaahu akbar, la ilaaha ill-Allaah; wa Allaahu
akbar wa Lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah
is Most Great, there is no god but Allaah; Allaah is
Most Great and to Allaah be praise)…”
…as well as
other phrases.
Takbeer at
this time is an aspect of the Sunnah that has been
forgotten, especially during the early part of this
period, so much so that one hardly ever hears Takbeer,
except from a few people. This Takbeer should be
pronounced loudly, in order to revive the Sunnah and
as a reminder to the negligent. There is sound
evidence that Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah
be pleased with them) used to go out in the
marketplace during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah,
reciting Takbeer, and the people would recite Takbeer
when they heard them. The idea behind reminding the
people to recite Takbeer is that each one should
recite it individually, not in unison, as there is no
basis in Sharee‘ah for doing this.
Reviving
aspects of the Sunnah that have been virtually
forgotten is a deed that will bring an immense reward,
as is indicated by the words of the Prophet (r):
“Whoever
revives an aspect of my Sunnah that is forgotten after
my death, he will have a reward equivalent to that of
the people who follow him, without it detracting in
the least from their reward.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi,
7/443; this is a hasan hadeeth because of
corroborating asaaneed)
Performing Hajj and ‘Umrah.
One of the best deeds that one can do during these ten
days is to perform Hajj to the Sacred House of Allaah.
The one whom Allaah helps to go on Hajj to His House
and to perform all the rituals properly is included in
the words of the Prophet (r):
“An
accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise.”
Doing
more good deeds
in general, because good deeds are beloved by Allaah
and will bring a great reward from Him. Whoever is not
able to go to Hajj should occupy himself at this
blessed time by worshipping Allaah, praying (salaat),
reading Qur`an, remembering Allaah, making
supplication (du‘aa´), giving charity, honouring his
parents, upholding the ties of kinship, enjoining what
is good and forbidding what is evil, and other good
deeds and acts of worship.
Sacrifice.
One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer
to Allaah during these ten days is offering a
sacrifice, by choosing a high-quality animal and
fattening it, spending money for the sake of Allaah.
Sincere
repentance.
One of the most important things to do during these
ten days is to repent sincerely to Allaah and to give
up all kinds of disobedience and sin. Repentance means
coming back to Allaah 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, but to adhere firmly
to the Truth by doing what Allaah loves.
If a Muslim
commits a sin, he must hasten to repent at once,
without delay, firstly because he does not know when
he will die, and secondly because one evil deed leads
to another.
Repentance
at special times is very important because in most
cases people’s thoughts turn towards worship at these
times, and they are keen to do good, which leads to
them recognizing their sins and feeling regret for the
past. Repentance is obligatory at all times, but when
the Muslim combines sincere repentance with good deeds
during the days of most virtue, this is a sign of
success, in sha Allaah. Allaah says:
“But as
for him who repented, believed and did righteous
deeds, then he will be among those who are
successful.” [al-Qasas 28:67]
The Muslim
should make sure that he does not miss any of these
important occasion, because time is passing quickly.
Let him prepare himself by doing good deeds which will
bring him reward when he is most in need of it, for no
matter how much reward he earns, he will find it is
less than he needs; the time of departure is at hand,
the journey is frightening, delusions are widespread,
and the road is long, but Allaah is ever watchful, and
to Him will we return and render account. As the
Qur`aan says:
“So
whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom,
shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the
weight of an atom, shall see it.”
[al-Zalzalah 99:7-8]
There is
much to be gained, so make the most of the opportunity
afforded by these invaluable and irreplaceable ten
days. Hasten to do good works, before death strikes,
before one can regret one’s negligence and failure to
act, before one is asked to return to a place where no
prayers will be answered, before death intervenes
between the hopeful one and the things he hopes for,
before you are trapped with your deeds in the grave.
O you whose
hard heart is as dark as the night, is it not time
that your heart was filled with light and became soft?
Expose yourself to the gentle breeze of your Lord’s
mercy during these ten days, for Allaah will cause
this breeze to touch whomever He wills, and whoever is
touched by it will be happy on the Day of Judgement.
May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his
Family and Companions.
* Note: all
verses are interpretations of the meaning of Allah’s
Words.
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