Virtues of First Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah

Shaikh Sālih al-Fawzān said:

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy

All Praise is due to Allāh, Lord of all that exists, and may He raise the rank of and mention in the highest of gatherings His slave and His Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, and his family and companions all together.

As for what follows:

As we approach the blessed days, the days of the first ten of Dhul-Hijjah, which Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) has favored and endowed with abundant goodness for His servants, it is clear that a Muslim’s entire life is blessed if he takes advantage of it in worshipping Allah and performing righteous deeds. The entire life of a Muslim is good from the time he reaches the age of maturity until Allah takes him, if he uses his days in righteous deeds that will build his Hereafter. Whoever preserves his worldly life by obeying Allah, Allah will preserve his Hereafter for him. He will find what he has sent forth, saved and multiplied with Allah.

But whoever neglects his worldly life loses his Hereafter, losing both this world and the Hereafter, which is the clear loss.

All of a Muslim’s life is good, but out of Allah’s grace, He has made certain times better than others so that the Muslim can increase his good deeds and obtain multiplied rewards. There is the blessed month of Ramadan, with its goodness, righteous deeds, and multiplied rewards. In Ramadan, there is a night better than a thousand months, the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr).

There are also these ten days, the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, which Allah swore by in His clear Book. Allah (the Exalted) said:

"In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful: ‘By the dawn and by the ten nights.’” [Al-Fajr: 1-2]

These ten nights are the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, as commonly known among the scholars. Allah swore by them due to their honour and virtue. He (the Exalted) swears by what He wills of His creation, and He does not swear except by something significant to draw the attention of His servants to it. It is said that these are the ten days that Allah completed for Musa (peace be upon him):

“And We made an appointment with Musa for thirty nights and perfected them by ten.” [Al-A’raf: 142].

They said, and Allah knows best, these ten are the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Allah (the Exalted) said about them:

“And mention the name of Allah on known days over what He has provided for them of the beast of cattle.” [Al-Hajj: 28]

The known days are the first ten of Dhul-Hijjah, and the numbered days mentioned in His saying:

“And remember Allah during the numbered days” [Al-Baqarah: 203]

Are the days of Tashreeq. In these known days, Allah (the Exalted) mentions the importance of remembering His name.

One of the virtues of these ten days is that they include the Day of Arafah, the ninth day, about which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said regarding fasting it:

“I hope from Allah that it will expiate the sins of the previous year and the coming year.”

[Muslim]

It also includes the performance of the greatest pillar of Hajj, standing at Arafah. On this great day, Muslims from the east and west of the earth gather in one place, the plain of Arafah, to perform this essential part of their Hajj. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) informed that Allah descends to the lowest heaven on the evening of Arafah and boasts to the Angels about the people of Arafah, saying:

“Look at My servants who have come to Me disheveled and dusty from every deep valley, hoping for My mercy and fearing My punishment. I bear witness that I have forgiven them.”

[Ahmad]

On the tenth day of these ten days is the Day of the Great Hajj, the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha), when Muslims perform the rituals of Hajj such as Tawaf, Sa’i, slaughtering the sacrificial animals, and shaving or cutting the hair. These four rituals begin on this day, which is why Allah called it the Day of the Great Hajj. There is also the Lesser Hajj, which is Umrah. This day is distinguished by Allah with this virtue, where pilgrims perform the rituals, and non-pilgrims perform the Eid prayer and offer their sacrifices, drawing closer to Allah (the Exalted).

These blessed ten days encompass these virtues. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said in the hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari and others:

“There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” They (the companions) asked: “Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah?” He said: “Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, except for a man who goes out with his life and wealth and does not return with anything.”

[Bukhari]

Thus, righteous deeds in these ten days are more beloved to Allah than in other times, even more than Jihad for the sake of Allah, except for the one whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) exempted, the one who goes out with his life and wealth and returns with nothing.

These days have great virtues, and many acts are prescribed during them:

Fasting these days is recommended, particularly the first nine days for non-pilgrims. As for the pilgrims, they do not fast on the ninth day to strengthen themselves for standing at Arafah. For non-pilgrims, fasting on this day expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year, which is a great favor from Allah (the Exalted).

In the hadith of Hafsa:

“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to fast the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah.”

[Abu Dawood with a good chain of narration]

As for what Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said:

“The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not fast the ten days,”

This is a negation, while Hafsa’s hadith is an affirmation. The one who affirms is given precedence over the one who negates, so Hafsa affirmed that the Messenger of Allah fasted, while Aisha negated, which was within her knowledge. Thus, Hafsa knew something that Aisha did not know.

Another prescribed act in these ten days is the recitation of Takbeer, which begins from the first sighting of the new month. The Muslim should frequently say: “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar, wa lillahi al-hamd,” raising his voice with it. The companions used to raise their voices with Takbeer in these ten days, which is called the unrestricted Takbeer, performed at night and day.

It is also recommended in these ten days to increase in acts of obedience such as giving charity to those in need, charity in the path of Allah, and performing voluntary prayers, especially the night prayer. A Muslim should not cease to remember Allah by reciting the Quran, saying Tasbeeh, and Tahleel. He should use this time for verbal and physical acts of worship, fasting during the day, and praying at night, reciting the Quran, making Takbeer, Tahleel, and Tasbeeh. He should engage his tongue with the remembrance of Allah and his body with fasting and prayer, gaining great benefits during these ten days where righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than at other times, even though righteous deeds are beloved to Allah at all times. But Allah favours some of His creation over others, so He favoured these ten days over other days of the year.

It is also prescribed in these ten days that whoever wants to offer a sacrifice, for himself or others, should not take anything from his hair or nails until he slaughters his sacrifice, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded in the authentic hadith.

On the Day of Sacrifice (Yawm al-Nahr), it is prescribed to slaughter the sacrificial animal, whether it is obligatory as in the case of Hadi for Hajj rituals like Tamattu’ and Qiran, or a voluntary sacrifice brought to the Sacred House, seeking closeness to Allah. The first day to start the slaughter is the Day of Eid. As for non-pilgrims, they slaughter their sacrifices, drawing closer to Allah. This practice was established by our father Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and revived by our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessingsof Allah be upon him).

The sacrifice is a significant offering by which the Muslim draws closer to Allah. Some scholars view it as obligatory, such as Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) who considered it obligatory for the wealthy, while the majority of scholars see it as a confirmed Sunnah, not obligatory. In any case, slaughtering the sacrificial animals and the Hadi on this day and the days following it signifies the virtue of this day.

They said it is meant by Allah’s saying:

“So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].”

[Al-Kawthar: 2]

Perform the Eid prayer and slaughter your sacrifice.

As mentioned, the rituals of Hajj are performed on this day: Tawaf al-Ifadah, Sa’i between Safa and Marwah, stoning the Jamarah, and slaughtering the Hadi for the pilgrims. For non-pilgrims, it is the slaughtering of the sacrifices. Out of Allah’s mercy, He extended the days of slaughter to three days after Eid, making them four days in total. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“The days of Tashreeq are days of eating, drinking, and remembering Allah.”

[Muslim]

These are blessed ten days, bringing their goodness and blessings from Allah to the Muslims, whether pilgrims or non-pilgrims. They involve these significant acts of worship. Regarding the regulations for Hady and Udhiyah, scholars have outlined specific conditions related to age and freedom from defects. For Udhiyah and Hady, only animals that have reached the prescribed age are acceptable. For sheep, it must be six months old; for goats, one year; for cows, two years; and for camels, five years. This age criterion applies to both Udhiyah and Hady as well as to Aqeeqah, which must also meet the same standards. Additionally, the animal must be free from defects such as blindness, lameness, illness, extreme thinness, or any physical deformities like a cut or amputation.

As for what should be done with the meat of Hady and Udhiyah, the Quran says:

"Eat from them and feed the contented and the beggar" and "Eat from them and feed the needy and the poor."

It is recommended to divide the meat into three parts: one-third for the person and his family, one-third to be given to the needy, and one-third to be given as gifts to friends and neighbors. It is important to note that it is not permissible to sell any part of the animal, including the skin, nor should the butcher be paid with any part of it. The meat should be used for eating, giving as charity, and gifting, in accordance with Allah's command. This is a part of the rituals, as Allah says:

"That [is so]. And whoever honours the symbols of Allah - indeed, it is from the piety of hearts."

Among these symbols are Hady and Udhiyah, which should be offered from the best and purest of what one possesses, as it is an act of worship and closeness to God. Allah states:

"Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you."

The emphasis is on intentions. However, one should not offer something inferior or of little benefit, nor should anything gained through unlawful means be offered. The Prophet (peace amd blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

"Allah is good and accepts only that which is good."

The Quran also says:

"O you who have believed, spend from the good things which you have earned and from that which We have produced for you from the earth. And do not aim toward the defective therefrom, spending [from that] while you would not take it [yourself] except with closed eyes."

This means one should not give away defective items, whether it be food, clothing, or anything else of benefit, and should not donate from ill-gotten gains. Instead, charity should come from lawful earnings, for Allah accepts only what is pure and lawful.

The conclusion is that these blessed ten days hold great significance. Muslims should welcome them with joy and enthusiasm and utilise them in acts of worship as prescribed by Allah to gain rewards from Him. Although a Muslim’s entire life should be filled with goodness and obedience to Allah, special attention and effort should be given to the days and times that Allah has favoured.

Unfortunately, many people let their lives pass by without benefiting from these blessed times, wasting them, or worse, engaging in prohibited activities and sins. This is especially true in today's world, filled with distractions from media, the internet, markets, business, and jobs. While it is necessary for a Muslim to seek their livelihood, it should not distract them from taking advantage of these blessed seasons. One should balance seeking livelihood with seizing these opportunities for worship. Allah has not forbidden working for worldly needs but has prohibited being preoccupied with the world to the neglect of the hereafter.

The Quran states:

"O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that, then those are the losers."

And:

"So seek provision from Allah and worship Him."

Thus, one should not let the pursuit of livelihood overshadow worship, nor should one abandon seeking livelihood and become a burden on others. Rather, balance both, as stated in the Quran:

"O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew. And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed."

Those who frequent mosques and maintain them are described as: "Men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and giving of zakah."

A Muslim should thus combine both seeking livelihood at its appropriate time and performing worship at its due time, as worship aids in seeking livelihood. Allah states:

"And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect."

And:

"And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah]."

Hence, a Muslim should not neglect their religion or their worldly needs but should balance between both. It is even more concerning if one wastes their time in frivolities like watching TV series, plays, satellite channels, songs, sports clubs, and matches, thus wasting time on these things. It is surprising how one does not tire of these pursuits but tires of worship, except those whom Allah has shown mercy.

Therefore, a Muslim should be vigilant of their time and the opportunities for virtues before regretting missed chances, as Allah describes the people of Hell regretting:

"Oh, woe to me, I wish I had not taken that one as a friend."

And:

"My Lord, send me back that I might do righteousness in that which I left behind."

Allah responds:

"Did We not grant you life enough for whoever would remember therein to remember, and the warner had come to you? So taste [the punishment], for there is not for the wrongdoers any helper."

One should be cautious of wasting time and life, as this will be their fate. May Allah protect us. Let us be mindful of our time, remind others, and seize opportunities for virtues before they pass. This is the true wealth to take from this world:

"If you do not depart with piety as provision, and you face the Day of Judgement empty-handed, You will regret not being like those who were prepared and had provisions."

This outcome is inevitable. If you do not prepare for the hereafter, you will certainly regret it when regret will be of no avail. Therefore, be vigilant and remind your brethren to honour these days with obedience to Allah, protect them from waste, and avoid engaging in harmful and sinful activities.

May Allah grant everyone beneficial knowledge and good deeds. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, Ever Near, Responsive.

Peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.

(Taken from an article on the Shaikh website - translated by Abu Eesa Akmal)