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These blessed 10 days
THOSE WHO COULD NOT PERFORM HAJJ HAVE A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO BAG THE BLESSINGS STAYING HOME, WRITES DR FIAZ M FAZILI
The last month of lunar calendar Zil-hajj holds a great significance in the Islamic calendar, as Hajj is performed in this month. One of the best deeds that one can do during these ten days is to perform Hajj to the Sacred House of Allah. The one whom Allah helps to go on Hajj to His House and to perform all the rituals properly is granted paradise in the words of the Prophet (PBUH): “An accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise.” The pious and upright companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH ) and their first generation followers used to spend this month in prayers and supplications, particularly the first ten days. Allah says: “By the dawn; by the ten nights” [al-Fajr 89:1-2] Allah swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefits. Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him ) reported that the Prophet (PBUH ) 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.” (Bukhari, 2/457) Praise be to Allah 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 Judgment.These ten days include Yawm ‘Arafah (the Day of ‘Arafah), on which Allah perfected His Religion. 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. In fact, today we continue to witness unacceptable differences in the start of the Islamic months from one country to another, sometimes within the same country too, with newspapers carrying different Islamic calendar dates on a given day .There is growing demand to discuss a unified Islamic calendar especially for this month, as most of the events like the fasting on nine Zil-hajj corresponds to the stay of pilgrims in Arafat and the day after is celebrated as Edd .Following good deeds have been recommended for these days ;
Fasting:
It is encouraged that one fasts all these nine days or part of it especially on the ninth of Zilhajj for the non pilgrims. The Prophet (rbuh) used to fast on the ninth of Dil-hajj and said; “This fast is an atonement of the sins of the past and the coming year.” (Sahih Muslim) .
Remembering Allah:
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him ) reported that the Prophet (rbuh)commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh (“Subhan-Allah”), Tahmeed (“Al-hamdu Lillah”) and Takbeer (“Allahu akbar”) during this time.(Ahmad,7/224d): Ishaq narrated from the scholars among the immediate successors of the companions of the prophet (the Tabi,een), that they used to recite repeatedly during these days:” “Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha ill-Allah; wa Allahu akbar wa Lillahi’l-hamd (Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god but Allah; Allah is Most Great and to Allah be praise).
Good deeds:
Increasing all kinds of actions that constitute good deeds. Doing good actions, these are loved by Allah 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 Allah, paying, reading Qur’an, remembering Allah, offering supererogatory prayers (Nawafal), making supplication, giving charity, upholding the ties of kinship, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and other acts of worship.
We should ensure that we do not miss any of these important occasions. We need to prepare ourselves by doing good deeds which will bring us reward when we are most in need of it, for no matter how much reward we earn, we will find it is less than we need. These acts are highly rewarded at this blessed period .A minor act of worship performed during this period is more valued and thus more rewarded than acts which carry more value and reward at other normal period.5.Sacrifice. One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer to Allah during these ten days is offering a sacrifice, by choosing a high-quality animal and fattening it, spending money for the sake of Allah.Ò Imam Muslim and others narrated from Umm Salamah that the Prophet(saw) said,” when you see the moon of the month of zil-hajj if any one among you intends to sacrifice an animal ,he should restrain from pulling or cutting his hair,nails.It could be in assimilation with the pilgrim who brings along with him his sacrificed animals Allah almighty said regarding such pilgrims : “and don’t shave your heads until the had,yi(animal)reaches the place of sacrifice. 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.(Sheikh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid)6.ñRepentance.
Seeking forgiveness
Making a firm resolution to give up all kinds of disobedience and sins. 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 Allah. Allah 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]. One would need to sincerely turn to Allah so that his deeds would attract mercy and forgiveness from him. The Muslim should make sure that he does not miss any of these deeds, 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. The time of departure is at hand, the journey is frightening, delusions are widespread, and the road is long, but Allah is ever watchful, and to Him will we return and render account. These special ten days 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. These special time provide great opportunity for worship through which the slaves may draw closer to Allah, and some kind of blessing through which Allah bestows His favor and mercy upon whomsoever He will. There is much to be gained during these invaluable ten days. Hasten to do good deeds, 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 Allah will cause this breeze to touch whomever He wills, and whoever is touched by it will be happy on the Day of Judgment. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his Family and companions.
(All verses are interpretations of the meaning of Allah’s Words by Sheikh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid and Abdullah Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Jibrin- Ex Shariah Board. Dr Fiaz M Fazili can be mailed at fiazmfazili*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!)
THOSE WHO COULD NOT PERFORM HAJJ HAVE A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO BAG THE BLESSINGS STAYING HOME, WRITES DR FIAZ M FAZILI
The last month of lunar calendar Zil-hajj holds a great significance in the Islamic calendar, as Hajj is performed in this month. One of the best deeds that one can do during these ten days is to perform Hajj to the Sacred House of Allah. The one whom Allah helps to go on Hajj to His House and to perform all the rituals properly is granted paradise in the words of the Prophet (PBUH): “An accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise.” The pious and upright companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH ) and their first generation followers used to spend this month in prayers and supplications, particularly the first ten days. Allah says: “By the dawn; by the ten nights” [al-Fajr 89:1-2] Allah swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefits. Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him ) reported that the Prophet (PBUH ) 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.” (Bukhari, 2/457) Praise be to Allah 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 Judgment.These ten days include Yawm ‘Arafah (the Day of ‘Arafah), on which Allah perfected His Religion. 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. In fact, today we continue to witness unacceptable differences in the start of the Islamic months from one country to another, sometimes within the same country too, with newspapers carrying different Islamic calendar dates on a given day .There is growing demand to discuss a unified Islamic calendar especially for this month, as most of the events like the fasting on nine Zil-hajj corresponds to the stay of pilgrims in Arafat and the day after is celebrated as Edd .Following good deeds have been recommended for these days ;
Fasting:
It is encouraged that one fasts all these nine days or part of it especially on the ninth of Zilhajj for the non pilgrims. The Prophet (rbuh) used to fast on the ninth of Dil-hajj and said; “This fast is an atonement of the sins of the past and the coming year.” (Sahih Muslim) .
Remembering Allah:
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him ) reported that the Prophet (rbuh)commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh (“Subhan-Allah”), Tahmeed (“Al-hamdu Lillah”) and Takbeer (“Allahu akbar”) during this time.(Ahmad,7/224d): Ishaq narrated from the scholars among the immediate successors of the companions of the prophet (the Tabi,een), that they used to recite repeatedly during these days:” “Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha ill-Allah; wa Allahu akbar wa Lillahi’l-hamd (Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god but Allah; Allah is Most Great and to Allah be praise).
Good deeds:
Increasing all kinds of actions that constitute good deeds. Doing good actions, these are loved by Allah 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 Allah, paying, reading Qur’an, remembering Allah, offering supererogatory prayers (Nawafal), making supplication, giving charity, upholding the ties of kinship, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and other acts of worship.
We should ensure that we do not miss any of these important occasions. We need to prepare ourselves by doing good deeds which will bring us reward when we are most in need of it, for no matter how much reward we earn, we will find it is less than we need. These acts are highly rewarded at this blessed period .A minor act of worship performed during this period is more valued and thus more rewarded than acts which carry more value and reward at other normal period.5.Sacrifice. One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer to Allah during these ten days is offering a sacrifice, by choosing a high-quality animal and fattening it, spending money for the sake of Allah.Ò Imam Muslim and others narrated from Umm Salamah that the Prophet(saw) said,” when you see the moon of the month of zil-hajj if any one among you intends to sacrifice an animal ,he should restrain from pulling or cutting his hair,nails.It could be in assimilation with the pilgrim who brings along with him his sacrificed animals Allah almighty said regarding such pilgrims : “and don’t shave your heads until the had,yi(animal)reaches the place of sacrifice. 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.(Sheikh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid)6.ñRepentance.
Seeking forgiveness
Making a firm resolution to give up all kinds of disobedience and sins. 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 Allah. Allah 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]. One would need to sincerely turn to Allah so that his deeds would attract mercy and forgiveness from him. The Muslim should make sure that he does not miss any of these deeds, 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. The time of departure is at hand, the journey is frightening, delusions are widespread, and the road is long, but Allah is ever watchful, and to Him will we return and render account. These special ten days 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. These special time provide great opportunity for worship through which the slaves may draw closer to Allah, and some kind of blessing through which Allah bestows His favor and mercy upon whomsoever He will. There is much to be gained during these invaluable ten days. Hasten to do good deeds, 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 Allah will cause this breeze to touch whomever He wills, and whoever is touched by it will be happy on the Day of Judgment. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his Family and companions.
(All verses are interpretations of the meaning of Allah’s Words by Sheikh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid and Abdullah Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Jibrin- Ex Shariah Board. Dr Fiaz M Fazili can be mailed at fiazmfazili*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!)
