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In the name of Allah, the Most
Gracious, the Most Merciful
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The Blessed Days of Dhul-Hijjah From Islamic
Newsletter 'As-Sunnah' Issue no: 10 Compiled by
Shawana A. Aziz The month of
Dhul-Hijjah is a season of worship, and seasons of worship bring along
blessings, benefits and opportunities to correct one's faith and make up
for shortcoming. Every one of these special opportunities involves some
kind of worship, which brings the slave closer to his Lord. And Allah
bestows His blessings and Favors on whom He wills. The fortunate person is
he who makes good use of these special months, days, and hours, while
worshiping Allah. He is most likely to be touched by the blessings of
Allah. [Ibn Rajab, al-Lataa'if pp. 8] The first ten days
of Dhul-Hijjah are marked blessed for both, the pilgrims and the
non-pilgrims. Rewards of good deeds are multiplied in these days. Imaam Ibn
Qayyim (rahimahullah) (d. 751H) said: “Indeed, its days are the most
excellent of all the days with Allah. It has been confirmed in Saheeh
al-Bukharee from Ibn Abbas (radhi allahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah
(sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “No deed are more virtuous than
deeds on these days.” The companions asked: 'Not even Jihad
(fighting in Allah's Cause)?' He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) replied:
“Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, unless a man goes out risking
himself and his wealth for the sake of Allah, and does not come back with
anything.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee vol: 2, no: 457] And it is these ten
days, of which Allah takes an oath saying: “By the dawn; by the ten
nights.” [Soorah al-Fajr (89): 1-2] This is why it is recommended to
increase in making Takbeer, Tahlil and Tamhid during these days.” [Zaad
al-Ma'aad vol: 1, pp: 56] Yawm al-Arafat: The 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah is the day of Arafat. It is this
day when the pilgrims gather on the mountain plain of Arafat, praying and
supplicating to their Lord. The day of Arafat
holds great importance in Islam since this is the Day when Allah completed
his revelation on His Messenger (sallahu alaihe wa-sallam). It is reported
in the Saheehayn (i.e. Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim), from Umar Ibn
al-Khattab (radhi allahu anhu) that a Jewish man said to him: “O Ameer
al-Mumineen (O head of the Muslims)! There is a verse in the Qur'aan, which
if was revealed on us, the Jews, we would have taken that day as an Eid
(festival).” Umar asked: “Which verse?” He said: “This day I have
perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have
chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [Soorah al-Maidah (5): 3] Umar
(radhi allahu anhu) said: “We know on which day and in which place was this
verse revealed to Allah's Messenger (sallahu alaihe wa-sallam). It was when
he was standing in Arafat on a Friday.” Arafat is the day
on which Allah took the covenant from the progeny of Adam (alaihis-salaam),
it was reported that Ibn Abbas (radhi allahu anhu) narrated: “The Messenger
of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) related: “(When Allah created
Adam (alaihis-salaam) Allah took covenant from him in a place Na'maan on
the day of Arafat, then He extracted from him all the descendants who would
be born until the end of the world, generation after generation, and spread
them out in front of Him in order to take a covenant from them also. He
spoke to them face to face saying: “Am I not your Lord?” and they all
replied: “Yes, we testify to it.” Allah then explained why He had all of
mankind bear witness that He was their Creator and only true God worthy of
worship. He said: “That was in case you (mankind) should say on the Day of
Resurrection, 'Surely, we were unaware of this. We had no idea that You,
Allah, were our Lord. No one told us that we were only supposed to worship
You.” …” [(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth
as-Saheehah vol: 4, no: 1623] Indeed, the day of Arafat is a blessed day
and there is no other covenant greater than this covenant! Arafat is a day of
Forgiveness from sins, freedom from the Hell-Fire for the people who are
present in the plain of Arafat. Aa'ishah (radhi allahu anha) narrated the
Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) saying: “There is no
day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the day of Arafat.
He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels saying, 'What do these
people (the Hajis) want?'” [Saheeh Muslim] This Haadeeth
mentions forgiveness for the pilgrims. In addition to this, fasting on the
day of Arafat is a Sunnah and an expiation of sins for the residents. Hunaydah ibn
Khaalid reported from his wife that some of the wives of the Prophet
(sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam) used to fast on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah, on the day of
Aashoorah, on three days of each month, and on the first two Mondays and
Thursdays of each month.” [(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in Saheeh Abi
Dawood vol: 2, no: 462] It is reported in
Saheeh Muslim that when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) was asked about the fasting on the day of Arafat, he said: “It
expiates the sins of the previous year and that of the following year.” [Saheeh
Muslim] This fasting is Mustahabb only for the non-pilgrims and not for the
Hajis (the pilgrims) because it was not the practice of Allah's Messenger
(sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) to fast on the day of Arafat during
pilgrimage and in a narration he also forbade doing so. Imaam at-Tirmidhee
(rahimahullah) (d. 275H) said: “The People of Knowledge consider it
recommended (Mustahabb) to fast on the day of Arafat, except for those at
Arafat." [Jaami'ut-Tirmidhee (3/377)] Yawm an-Nahr: The tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah is the
greatest day of Hajj. It is known as Yawm an-Nahr (the day of Sacrifice),
since it marks the ending of the major rite of Hajj - the Sacrifice. And it
is on this day that the Muslims commemorate the bounties and blessings of
Allah. It was recorded in a Hadeeth by Imaam Ahmad (in his Musnad vol: 4,
no: 350) that the day of Nahr is the most virtuous day to Allah. The
Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The greatest day of
Hajj (Pilgrimage) is the Day of an-Nahr (Slaughtering).” [(Saheeh) by
Shaikh al-Albanee in Irwa al-Ghaleel (no: 1101). Abu Dawood no: 1945] Imaam Ibn
Taymiyyah (d. 728H) said: “The most excellent day of the week is the day of
Jumuah (Friday), by the agreement of the Scholars. And the most excellent
day of the year is the day of an-Nahr. Some of them said that it is the day
of Arafat. However, the first opinion is the correct one, since it is
related in the Sunan collections that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) said: “The most excellent days with Allah is the day of an-Nahr,
then the day of al-Qarr (the day that the Muslims reside in Mina).”
[(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in Irwa al-Ghaleel (no: 2018). Related by
Abu Dawood no: 1765].” [Majmoo al-Fatawa vol: 25, pp. 288] The day of An-Nahr
is also known as 'Eid al-Adhaa' meaning the festival of Sacrifice and it is
one of the two festivals which Allah has granted to the Ummah of Prophet
(sallahu alaihe wa-sallam). Anas (radhi allahu anhu) narrated, “Allah's
Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) came to The Messenger of
Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The day of al-Fitr, and the
day of an-Nahr, and the days of at-Tashreeq (the three days after an-Nahr)
are our days of Eid (festivity); and they are days of eating and drinking.”
[(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in Saheeh al-Jamee (no: 8192). Related
by Musnad Ahmad (no: 1945)] Glorifying Allah
with Takbeer: (Takbeer
al-Muqayyid): From the day of Arafat until the Asr prayer of the 13th day
of Dhul-Hijjah, one should make Takbeer after every obligatory Salaat. Ibn
Abee Shaybah relates that Alee (radhi allahu anhu) used to make the Takbeer
beginning after the Fajr prayer on the day of Arafat, until after the Asr
prayer on the last day of at-Tashreeq.” [(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in
al-Irwa. Related by Ibn Abee Shaybah in al-Musannaf] Shaikh al-Islam
Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) said: “The most correct saying concerning the
Takbeer - that which the majority of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors), and
the Scholars from the Companions and Imams were upon - is to begin making
the Takbeer from Fajr (dawn) on the day of Arafat up until the last day of
at-Tashreeq (the thirteenth of Dhul-Hijjah), after every Prayer.” [Majmoo
al-Fatawa (24/220)] Imaam
al-Khattaabee (rahimahullah) (d. 456H) said: "The wisdom behind saying
the Takbeer in these days is that in the times of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic
ignorance), they used to slaughter for their Taaghoots (false objects of
worship). So the Takbeers were prescribed in order to indicate that the act
of slaughtering is directed to Allah alone, and by mentioning only His
Name.” [Fath al-Baree] As regards to the
actual wording of the Takbeers, then nothing authentic has been related
from the Messenger of Allah. However, the following have been reported from
the Sahabah: 1. Ibn Mas'ood
(radiyallahu anhuma): “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah,
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahil-Hamd.” [(Saheeh) Irwaa
al-Ghaleel (650), Daraqutne, Ibn Shaibah] (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is
the Greatest, There is none worthy of worship except Allah. Allah is the
Greatest, Allah is the Greatest and to Allah belongs all praises) 2. Ibn Abbas
(radiyallahu anhuma): “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa
lillahil-Hamd; Allahu Akbar wa-ajal, Allahu akbaru ala mahadana.”
[(saheeh) - Bayhaqee (3/315)] (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the
Greatest, Allah is the Greatest and to Allah belongs all praises. Allah is
the Greatest to that which He has guided us to) 3. Salman (radhi
allahu anhu) : “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar kabeera.”
[(saheeh) - Bayhaqee (3/316)] (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the
Greatest, Allah is the Greatest) “Increase in these
days you Tahlil, Takbeer and Tamhid.” (Takbeer al-Mutlaq) “...And mention
the name of Allah on the appointed Days...” [Soorah al-Hajj (22): 28] This verse has
been explained (by some) to mean the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Scholars
consider it desirable to increase Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) in these
days, because the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) is
reported to have said: “There are no days that are greater to Allah or
in which deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so increase
your Tahlil, Takbeer and Tamhid during these days.” [Musnad Ahmad]
Tahlil, Takbeer and Tamhid mean saying 'La ilaha illa Allah', 'Allahu
Akbar' and 'al-Hamdu lillah', respectively. Ishaaq narrates
from the scholars of the Taabi'een that in these ten days they used to say:
Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar; Laa-ilaaha-ill-Allah; waAllahu-Akbar,
Allahu-Akbar; Wa-lillaahil-hamd. It is a beloved
act to raise the voice when saying the
Takbeer in the markets, the houses, the streets, the masjids and other
places, because of the saying of Allah Most High in Soorah al-Hajj verse
37: “...that you may magnify Allah for His Guidance to you...” Imaam
Bukharee (rahimahullah) said in the book of al-Idayn in the chapter of the
Virtue of good) deeds during the days of Tashreeq, Ibn Umar and Abu
Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhuma) would go out in the marketplace during the
ten days and say Takbeer, and the people would say Takbeer when they said
Takbeer.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee] The Sunnah is to
say the Takbeer individually. The saying of Takbeer in congregation, i.e., everyone
pronouncing the Takbeer with one voice, is not permissible since this has
not been transmitted (to us) from the early generations of the Sahaabah and
those who followed their ways. .This is applicable for all Dhikr and
supplications, except if the person doesn't know what to say. In that case
he may repeat after someone else until he learns (the words to be said). Source:
Ahya.org
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