Virtues of first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah

Dhul Hijjah is the 12th month of Qamri Calender (Lunar Calender). The first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah are called Ashra Dhul Hijjah.

Allah Swears an oath by 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Quran narrates,

1. By the dawn; 

2. By the ten nights (and i.e. the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah), 

3. And by the even and the odd . ~Surah al-Fajr 89: Verse 1-3

The Prophet (S.A.W) said, The ten are the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and the 9th day odd is the Day of Arafah and the even 10th is the Eid. ~Ahmad 3/327

Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (S.A.W) said: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these ten days." ~Sahih Bukhari hadith no. 9649

In one whole year, the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah are best to do good deeds amongst all the days of the year and the last ten nights of Ramadaan are best to do good deeds amongst all the nights of the year, because they include Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power).

The beauty of this sacred month of Dhul Hijjah is that a person fulfills all the 5 pillars of Islam i.e Tawheed, Salah, Fasting, Charity (voluntary) and Hajj.

Things to do in these 10 days:

1. Doing Dikhr by Praising Allah - We should recite the following whenever possible

The Prophet (S.A.W) commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh ("Subhan-Allaah"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillaah"), Takbeer ("Allaahu akbar") and Tahleel ("La ilaaha ill-Allaah") during these days.

The following Takbir are commonly said during 1 to 13 days of Dhul Hijjah especially after Fardh Salah :

• 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)

• Allahuakbar (2 times) Kabeera Walhamdulillahi Katheera Wa Subhanallahi Bukratan wa aseela (There is no god but Allaah, Allaah is most Great, Allaah is most Great, much praise be to Allaah and glory be to Allaah at the beginning and end of the day)

• Allahuakbar Allahuakbar Allahuakbar Kabeera

• Subhanallahi Walhamdulillahi la-ilaha illalahu wallahuakbar Allahuakbar Allahuakbar walillahilhamd.

• Subhanallahi wabihamdihi

2. Offering more Nawafil Salah apart from Fardh Salah - This is important since a believer is closest to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'la in Sujood. The more the Salah we do the more closer we get to Allaah. In sha Allah.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state). ~Sahih Muslim 482

3. Fasting: It saves a person from Hell fire and it is one of the best of deeds

Hunaydah ibn Khalid narrated from his wife on the authority of one of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, Sunan Abi Dawud 2437

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who observes fast for a day in the way of Allah He would remove his face from the Hell to the extent of seventy years' distance. Sahih Muslim 1153 c

Note: The ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah is the day of 'Arafah, since it is on this day that the pilgrims gather at the mountain plain of 'Arafah, praying and supplicating to their Lord. It is mustahabb (highly recommended) for those who are not pilgrims to fast on this day, since the Prophet (S.A.W) was asked about fasting on the day of 'Arafah, so he said, It expiates the sins (Minor) of the past year and the coming year. ~Sahih Muslim no.1162 

“Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk, wa lahu’l-hamd, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer (There is no god but Allaah alone, with no partner or associate; His is the Dominion, all praise is due to Him, and He is able to do all things).” is said more oftenly on the day of Arafah.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

There is no day when God sets free more servants from Hell than the Day of 'Arafa. He draws near, then praises them to the angels, saying: What do these want?

Sahih Muslim 1348

Explanation: Day of Arafa is an important day where Allah sets free most number of servants

from the Hell. He comes down to the first heaven and praises the people (worshiping on the day of Arafa).

Allah says..."This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. ~ Surah al-Maa`idah, Ayah 3.

For the above Ayah, 'Umar Ibn Al Khattab [RA] said, "We know on which day and in which place that was revealed to the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). It was when he was standing in 'Arafaah on a Friday." 

4. Giving Charity - Sadaqah expiates sins

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. Yawm al-Nahar (the Day of Sacrifice) is the tenth day of dhul hijjah which is "Eid al Adha". Offering Sacrifice of an animal is Sunnat e Muakadah (highly recommended). It could be given on any day/time after the Eid prayer on 10th Day till Maghrib time of 13th of dhul hijjah. And we could share some of this meat with the poor or needy.

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was asked “What is Udhiyah/Qurbani?”, He (Peace be upon him) answered, “It is the sunnah of your father Ibrahim (as), for every hair of the Qurbani you will receive a reward from Allah and for every hair in the wool you will receive a reward” ~Ibn Maja & Tirmidhi

Note: 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 (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 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 (literally, touch) anything from his hair or skin." (reported by Muslim with four isnaads, 13/146)

As per scholars, the wisdom behind this prohibition of the one who wants to offer a sacrifice from cutting his hair etc., 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.

Narrated `Adi bin Hatim heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying: "Save yourself from Hell-fire even by giving half a date-fruit in charity." ~Sahih al-Bukhari 1417

5. Hajj :

Allah says...“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allaah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence)” ~Surah Aal ‘Imraan 3: Verse 97

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 (S.A.W): "An accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise."

By Allah's SWT mercy He has enjoined performing Hajj upon His slaves once in a lifetime, so that it will not be too difficult for them, but He urges those who are able to do Hajj and ‘Umrah more than once may do so. The Prophet (S.A.W) said: “Keep on doing Hajj and ‘Umrah, for they take away poverty and sins as the bellows takes away the impurity from iron.” (Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2/4; this is a saheeh hadeeth)

Reciting Quran (One whole Quran in these 10 days), doing other good deeds, refraining from sins especially major sins, not missing Tahajjud are also ways of earning more and more rewards in these 10 days of Dhul Hijjah.

All the above pillars are means of getting closer to Allah Azwajal. The intention for doing the acts should only be to please Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'la.