Darul Uloom Trinidad & Tobago

الحمد لله رب العالمين 

والصلاة و السلام على اشرف المرسلين 

و على اله و اصحابه اجمعين , و بعد 

All praises are for Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the final Messenger Muhammad (S.A.S).

The month of Dhul Hijjah is one of the sacred months in the Islamic calendar and the month in which the Hajj is done.

It is a month in which many acts of rituals are performed and great blessings and rewards are achieved from specific days/nights, and also from various acts of worship. It is in order to highlight these important practices and rituals that are done in this blessed month, these few pages have been written. It is hoped that the information given will be beneficial to all Muslims.

We ask Allah to accept this service for His cause.

Darul Uloom Trinidad and Tobago

DHUL HIJJAH – THE VIRTUOUS MONTH

Muslims have been favoured in many ways by Allah, and have been given opportunities to reap great blessings from the sacred days and months which have been highlighted in Islamic teachings.

The month of Dhul Hijjah is one of those blessed months which is known to be extremely virtuous in the sight of Allah. It is on account of this sanctity and holiness, Allah has ordered two great acts of worship, namely Hajj and Qurbani, to be done in this month. Millions of Muslims anxiously wait for the arrival of this blessed month, so that they may hasten to Allah’s beloved house in Makka to perform the pilgrimage, and others prepare themselves to offer their Qurbani to Allah in their homeland.

The Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) has spoken highly of this month, and has mentioned the great virtues that lie in the first ten days of the month. In this regard, Abu Hurairah (R.A) narrated that the Prophet (S.A.S) said,

مَا مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُتَعَبَّدَ لَهُ فِيهَا مِنْ عَشْرِ ذِي الحِجَّةِ، يَعْدِلُ صِيَامُ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ مِنْهَا بِصِيَامِ سَنَةٍ، وَقِيَامُ كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْهَا بِقِيَامِ لَيْلَةِ القَدْرِ

“There are no other days in which doing good actions are more beloved to Allah than the ten days of Dhul Hijah, (i.e. the first 10 days), the fast of one day from it equals to the fast of one year and the standing by night in worship on any of these nights equals to the standing of Lailatul Qadr.”[1]

Abdullah bin Abass (R.A) also narrated that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) said, ‘There are no other days in which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than on these days (that is, the 10 days of Dhul Hijjah). Upon this, the companions asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah? He replied, ‘not even Jihad in the cause of Allah, except that person who leaves with his self and wealth and does not return with any of it’. One narration also states that the Prophet (S.A.S) said, ‘There is no deed that is purer in the sight of Allah nor greater in reward than a good deed which a person does in the ten days of Dhul Hijjah.’[2]

In another tradition, Jabir (R.A) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) said, ‘There are no days that are more superior in the sight of Allah than the ten days of Dhul Hijjah’. A man saked, ‘O Rasulullah! Are these ten days more superior or a similar number of days in Jihad for the cause of Allah?’ The Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) replied, ‘They are more superior than a similar number of days in Jihad for the cause of Allah, except that a person whose face is begrimed in the soil.’[3]

Abdulah bin Abass (R.A) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) said, ‘There aren’t any days which are greater in the sight of Allah nor are good deeds more beloved to Allah in any days than the ten days (of Dhul Hijjah). Therefore, engage abundantly in reciting Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illah and Allahu Akbar during these days.’[4]

These traditions show how virtuous and blessed the days and the nights of the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah are in the sight of Allah. As such, Muslims should take maximum benefit of such precious and valuable time and do as much good deeds as possible.

In another tradition, it is recorded that ‘Aisha (R.A) said that there was a young man who at the sighting of the moon for Dhul Hijjah would begin to observe optional fast. The information reached the Prophet (S.A.S) who then summoned him and asked, “What is the reason you begin to fast (at the sighting of the Dhul Hijjah moon)”? The young man replied, “May my mother and father be sacrificed for you, O Prophet of Allah; these are the days of Hajj and other symbols of Islam. Is it not possible that through these acts of mine Allah will also include me in the supplications of those righteous people who are in the worship of Allah through their Hajj?” The Prophet (S.A.S) replied, “Certainly (Allah would include you), and for every day you have fasted, you will be rewarded by Allah as if you had freed 100 slaves, sacrificed 100 camels (for Allah in Qurbani) and given 100 horses to the Mujahideen to fight in the path of Allah”.[5]

It is because of such virtues, which are promised for doing good actions during the course of the 10 days of Dhul Hijjah, Abu Darda (R.A) a great companion of the Prophet (S.A.S) used to say, “Pay special attention to the fast of the 10 days of Dhul Hijjah. During these days, supplicate much to Allah for His forgiveness and give much sadaqah, for I have heard the Prophet (S.A.S) saying, ‘Woe unto that person who is deprived of the blessings and goodness of these 10 days.” In another tradition reported by Abdullah Ibn Umar (R.A), he narrates that the Prophet (S.A.S) said, “There are no other days on which performing good actions are dearer and greater to Allah than the ten days of Dhul Hijjah. On these days, you should frequently recite such kalimahs as Laa ilaaha il-lal-laah, Alhamdu lil-laah and Al-laahu akbar.”[6]

It is for this reason, the Sahabahs and pious predecessors engaged themselves constantly in these kalimahs whether they were walking, sitting, lying, in the market places or at home.

The Day of Arafah

Another outstanding merit of the month of Dhul Hijjah, is that the blessed day of Arafah falls in this month within the first 10 days.

This day which is the 9^th of Dhul Hijjah is extremely great and virtous and the Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) has spoken highly of its virtues.

In this regard, the Prophet (S.A.S) is reported to have said,

مَا مِنْ يَوْمٍ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنْ يُعْتِقَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِيهِ، عَبْدًا مِنَ النَّارِ، مِنْ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَدْنُو عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، ثُمَّ يُبَاهِي بِهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ، فَيَقُولُ: مَا أَرَادَ هَؤُلَاءِ

‘There is no day in which Allah sets free more souls from the fire of hell than on the day of Arafah. On that day, Allah draws near to the earth, and by way of exhibiting His greatness and grandeur, says to the angels, “What is the desire of these servants of mine?”[7]

In another tradition, the Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) is reported to have said, ‘Besides the day on which the battle of Badr occurred, there is no other day on which Satan is seen more humiliated, rejected, depressed and more enraged (angered) than on the day of Arafah. All of this occur only because of the abundance of Allah’s mercy and His forgiveness to His servants which descend on this day’.[8]

With respect to the day of Arafah, the Prophet (S.A.S) also spoke highly of the virtue of observing the fast of this day (for non pilgrims).

About this, he said,

صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ، إِنِّي أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهُ

‘The fast of Arafah expiates the sins of two years, the past and the coming year.’[9]

Sa’eed bin Jubair has also narrated that,

سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ؟ فَقَالَ: كُنَّا وَنَحْنُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَعْدِلُهُ بِصَوْمِ سَنَتَيْنِ

A man asked Abdullah bin Umar (R.A) about fasting on the day of Arafah. He replied, ‘While we were still with the Messenger of Allah (S.A.S), we used to consider it to be equivalent to fasting for two years.’[10]

In another tradition, Abu Sa’eed Al Kudri (R.A) stated that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) said,

مَنْ صَامَ يَوْمَ عَرَفَةَ غُفِرَ لَهُ سَنَةٌ أَمَامَهُ وَسَنَةٌ خَلْفَهُ، وَمَنْ صَامَ عَاشُورَاءَ غُفِرَ لَهُ سَنَةٌ

‘He who fast on the day of Arafah, his sins for the year ahead of him and the year behind him are forgiven. And he who fast on the day of Ashura, his sins for a year are forgiven.’[11]

It is therefore recommended that one should observe the fast of Arafah.