Echoes of Ramadan, Reliving The Vibe of Ramadan in Dhul Hijjah
`THE TEN NIGHTS`
O people fear Allah and be dutiful to Him (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala), and benefit from the seasons of goodness before they end-and from them is the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah which Allah swore by in His Book:
"By the dawn and by the Ten Nights."
(Al-Fajr: 1-2)
The ten nights referred to here are the ten of DhulHijjah-and Allah swears by whatever He wills, and He does not swear except by that which has status and virtue.
These ten days are the best days for a person to perform righteous deeds and show obedience to Allãh through acts of piety such as prayer, dhikr, fasting,sadaqah and sacrifice.
Jäbir bin Abdillãh narrated that Allah's Messenger
(Sallalláhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "The best days in the world are the ten days (of Dhul-Hijjah)."
_(lbn Hibbãn, Al-Bazzãr, declared saheeh by Al-Albãni in Saheeh Al-Jami', no. 133)_
`YAUM E TASHRIQ`
Ibn Abbas Radiallahu Narrated
messanger of Allah said:
There are no days during which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allãh than these ten," meaning the ten of Dhul-Hijjah. They said: “O Messenger of Allah, not even Jihãd in Allãh's cause?" He replied: "Not even Jihãd in Allãh's cause, except for the man who left out with life and his wealth and does not return back."
_(Abu Dawud, no. 2438 and graded saheeh by Al-Albãni)_
These are the known days, days of plentiful dhikr: glorifying Allah and mentioning His greatness.
_Allah(Subhanahu wa ta'ala) stated:_
"And they mention the name of Allãh on the known days."
_(Al-Hajj: 28)_
And these are the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. And Allah (Tabaraka wa ta'ala) said:
"And remember Allah during [specific] the numbered days."
_(Al-Baqarah: 203)_
This verse refers to the days of Tashrig which are 11th, 12th and the 13th of Dhul-Hijah all three, the additional days of 'Eid, beginning with the 10th.
`THE VIRTUES OF THE TAKBEER`
So, it is recommended to be plentiful in these ten blessed days with the performance of righteous deeds, especially with the utterance of the Takbeer *(i.e., Allahu akbar)* which should be mentioned over and over, with a raised voice in the homes, in the market-places, and the places of work. Vocalising the Takbeer encourages others to do the same.
It is legislated for the men to raise their voices with Allah's remembrance. As for the woman then she raises her voice to the extent that she can hear herself and those surrounding her - such that it is a low voice different to the men. The following is from the Takbeers recited by the Sahãbah:
Allãhu akbar, Allãhu akbar, lã ilãha illallãh
Allãhu akbar, Allãhu akbar, walillãhil-hamd
`Fasting ‘Arafah—the 9th Day of Dhul-Hijjah`
In these ten days is the day of Arafah Allah's Messenger Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said: There is no day on which Allāh frees more of His servants from the Hellfire than He does on the Day of ‘Arafah. Indeed, He draws close and then He boasts of them to the Angels and He says: ‘What is it that they want?’”
_(Muslim, no. 1348)_
In a narration, Allāh (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) stated: “Bear witness, my Angels, that verily I have forgiven them!”
_(Graded saheeh by Al-Albānī in Saheeh At-Targheeb, no 1154)_
It is from the Sunnah to fast the day of ‘Arafah. The Messenger (صَلَّىٰ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) stated:
“Fasting the day of ‘Arafah expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year.”
_(Muslim)_
This encouragement is for those who did not travel to Hajj—as for those who are present at ‘Arafah, it is disliked for them as fast as Ibn Khuzaymah explained in his Saheeh. So, those performing Hajj, they do not fast this day because the Prophet (صَلَّىٰ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) stood in ‘Arafah and he did not fast. This is so the Hujjāj has the strength to endure and supplicate for the day.
`The best supplication`
The Prophet said regarding the supplication on the Day of ‘Arafah The best supplication is that of the Day of ‘Arafat—and the best that I and the Prophets before me have said is:
لَاإِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاشَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
None has the right to be worshipped but Allāh alone, He has no partner. He is the dominion and He is the praise, and He is able to do all things.”
_(At-Tirmidhī no. 3509, and graded saheeh by Al-Albānī)_
The Prophet would supplicate with these words while he was at ‘Arafah—it is the day on which Allāh boasts to the Angels regarding those who are present at the plain of ‘Arafah.
`Yawmul-Hajj il-Akbar`
Then at the end of these ten days, there is the Day of ‘Eid al-Adhā, that is Yawmul-Hajj il-Akbar, the greatest of Hajj because the pilgrims fulfil the rites of Hajj: It is the time when the Hadyī animal is sacrificed in Minā for the pilgrims performing Hajj at-Tamattu‘ and Hajj al-Qirān. As for the other lands, the Muslims sacrifice their animals for ‘Eid al-Adhā.
So, whoever intends to sacrifice (ud’hiyyah) for himself (and his family), then when the ten days enter, he should not remove his hair, neither cut, shave or trim them, nor clip his nails until he sacrifices his ud’hiyah animal or until it is sacrificed for him. This is due to the saying of the Prophet: “When the month of Dhul-Hijjah begins, and one of you intends to make a sacrifice (ud’hiyyah), then let him not take anything from the hair of his body, or his nails until he has sacrificed.”
_(Muslim, no. 1977 from Umm Salamah)_
The time begins from sunset, the night before the first day of Dhul-Hijjah. As for the one who is slaughtering on behalf of someone else (not for himself) then he does not enter into the restrictions of this hadeeth.
The uḍ’hiyyah is to to be performed on the day of Nahr which is the first day of ʿEid, the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah and on the days of Tashreeq, i.e. 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah. Any of these days is allowable for sacrifice. The sacrifice is to be performed every year.
Ahmad and Ibn Hibbān reported from Jubayr bin Mut‘im that Allah’s Messenger said: “All the days of Tashreeq are for slaughtering.”
_(A hasan hadeeth, see As-Silsilatus-Saheehah, no. 2467)_
As for the ages, then in all categories, the animal should be of Thaniyy age. A Thaniyy animal is one that is old enough to lose its front teeth permanently
`Count Tasbih On your Fingers`
Humaidah bint Yasir narrated from her grandmother Yusairah - and she was one of those who emigrated - she said:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to us: ‘Hold fast to At-Tasbih, At-Tahlil, and At-Taqdis, and count them upon the fingertips, for indeed they shall be questioned, and they will be made to speak. And do not become heedless, so that you forget about the Mercy (of Allah).’”
_Jami at Tirmidhi:3583_
*Note*: Don't use your left hand to count tasbih; use your right hand instead, otherwise your tasbih will be invalid.
لَاإِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاشَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
*None has the right to be worshipped but Allāh alone, He has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is able to do all things.”*
*اللهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ*
*Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest*
*لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ*
*There is no God but Allah*
*وَاللهُ أَكْبَرُ اللهُ أَكْبَرُ وَللهِ الْحَمْدُ*
*and Allah is Great, Allah is Great and all praise belongs only to Him.*
