what is the significance of the first 10 days of dhul hijjah?
The first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah are of great importance and have many virtues for us all, but why is it so special? Let’s find out.
During the ten days of Dhul Hijjah, any good deeds we do is multiplied, and Allah mentioned them in the Quran. Allah says: ‘By the dawn; by the ten nights. However, scholars’ opinions differ regarding the Tafsir of this verse some say that the ten nights refer to the last ten days of Ramadan while others say it refers to the ten days of Dhul Hijjah.
During those ten days, we should worship Allah, and increase our good deeds. Our beloved prophet (peace and blessing be upon him said): ‘There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than in these (ten) days.
what is the significance of the first 10 days of dhul hijjah?
What is special about the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah?
Dhul Hijjah is one of the sacred months, What are the sacred months in Islam? The prophet said: “The division of time has turned to its original form which was current when Allah created the Heavens and the Earths. The year is of twelve months, out of which four months are sacred: Three are in subsequent Zulkaedah, Zulhijjah, and Muharram, and (the fourth is) Rajab of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumadith-Thaniyah and Sha’ban.”
But why are the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah special? During those sacred days, any good deed you do is multiplied. The rewards that you will gain are much more than any typical day. Allah says in the Holy Quran:
“Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him]”. (Surah At-Taubah)
The Prophet told us about the significance of those ten days and said:
“No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these (first ten days of Dhul Hijjah).” Then some companions (Sahaba) of the Prophet (S.A.W.) said, “Not even Jihad?” He replied, “Not even Jihad, except that of a man who does it by putting himself and his property in danger (for Allah’s sake) and does not return with any of those things.”
What should I do 10 days before Hajj?
The ten days of dual Hijjah should be spent worshipping Allah, here is what you can do:
1- HAJJ:
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and the things done in the first days of Dhul Hijjah for any capable Muslim. Allah said:
“And pilgrimage to the house is a duty upon mankind owed to Allah for whoever can find a way there” (Surah Al-Imran.)
2- Fasting the first 10 days of Dual Hijjah.
One of the things that you can do is fast, it is recommended to fast but it is not obligatory. Some people fast on the day of Arafah because it is a Sunnah. But why do people fast on the day of Arafah?
1- Allah will forgive the sins of the previous year and the next year. The Prophet said: ‘Whoever fasts the Day of Arafah, his sins of the previous and following year will be forgiven.’” (Sunan Ibn Mahjah)
2- On the day of Arafah Allah forgives more people and frees them from the hellfire. The Prophet said: “There is no day when God sets free more servants from Hell than the Day of Arafa.”
3- And Dua or supplication will be accepted. The prophet (peace and blessing be upon him said): “There are three whose supplication is not rejected: The fasting person when he breaks his fast, the just leader, and the supplication of the oppressed person; Allah raises it above the clouds and opens the gates of heaven to it. And the Lord says: ‘By My might, I shall surely aid you, even if it should be after a while.’” (Tirmidhi)
4- Fasting on the ninth day of Dual Hijjah is a sunnah. Anas bin Malik narrated: “The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) said to me: ‘Whoever revives my Sunnah then he has loved me. And whoever loved me, he shall be with me in Paradise.'” (Tirmidhi)
3- Remembrance of Allah:
Another form of worshipping Allah on the sacred ten days of Dual Hijjah is through supplications and Dhikr. It’s an easy yet great way to increase our rewards. The prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) recommended the following Dhikr.
- Tasbeeh (SubhanAllah)
- Tahmeed (Alhamdulillah)
- Tahleel (Laa ilaaha ill-Allah)
- Takbeer (Allahu Akbar)
4- Thanking Allah:
As Muslims we should thank Allah for all the blessings we have, you might not feel it but being able to walk is a blessing. We are surrounded by many blessings in our lives and we should show our gratitude to Allah.
5- Recite Quran:
Reciting Quran is one of the best things you can do during the 10 days of dual Hijjah that will bring you closer to Allah. The Prophet (saw) said, ‘Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah, he will have a reward. And that reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that “Alif, Laam, Meem” is a letter, rather I am saying that “Alif” is a letter, “laam” is a letter and “meem” is a letter.
As you can see, reading one letter will give you ten rewards, then why don’t you read Quran and gain as many rewards as you can? It’s an opportunity that no one should miss.
6- Remember loved ones:
Having loved ones that are no longer with us in this life is hard, and capable Muslims choose to perform Hajj on their behalf. But what if you can’t go to hajj? You can still offer a Sadaqah Jariyah on their behalf.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) said, ‘When a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: Sadaqah Jariyah, knowledge from which benefit is gained, or a righteous child who prays for him.
7- Give Sadaqah:
Giving money to the ones in need, will not only help them but will also add up to your rewards.
Fasting in dhul hijjah.
Fasting on the first nine days of Dual Hijjah is a sunnah, and one of the best things we can do on those sacred days.
Hadith on fasting Dhul-Hijjah
Some people are not able to fast during the nine days of Dual Hijjah and they fast only on the day of Arafah (the ninth day of Dual Hijah) due to its many virtues.
The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said, ’There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than on the day of ‘Arafah’. (Muslim)
The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said, ′It (fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah) expiates the sins of the past year and the coming year’. [Muslim]
Benefits of the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.
The 10 days of Dual Hijjah have many virtues, beside the many rewards we gain through those days, we come closer to Allah and repent for the bad deeds we committed. Some Muslims perform Hajj while others are incapable of doing so, and they spent their days worshipping Allah.
The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah (SWT) than these [first] 10 days [of Dhul Hijjah].” {Bukhari}
Doing any good deed during those holy days will be multiplied, so we should do our best to worship Allah and do everything we can to bring ourselves closer to him.
What do you pray during Dhul-Hijjah?
Besides the Fard prayers, you could pray the night prayer and thank Allah for everything you have, and ask for his forgiveness and guidance.
What is the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah?
The tenth day of Dual Hijjah is the first day of Eid ul-Adha.
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