10 Immense Qualities of the First 10 Days of Dhul-Hijjah

الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، أما بعد

 

Imaam Ibn Al-Jawzee (rahimahullaah) listed the qualities and virtues of the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, he said regarding them:

 

The first: Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic swore by them, for He said:

وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ

((And by the ten nights))[1] (Al-Fajr: 2)

 

 

The second: He called them the known days, He The Most High said:

وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ

((And they mention the name of Allaah on known days)) (Al-Hajj: 28)

Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “they are the ten days.”

 

 

The third: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) bore witness for them that they are the best days of the world.[2]

 

 

The fourth: He encouraged the performance of good deeds within them.[3]

 

 

The fifth: He commanded with the abundance of tasbeeh and tahmeed and tahleel within them.[4]

 

 

The sixth: Within them is the day of Tarwiyyah.[5]

 

 

The seventh: Within them is the day of ‘Arafah – and fasting it is tantamount to the expiation of (the sins of) two years.[6]

 

 

The eighth: Within them is the Laylatu Jam’ (the night of gathering)[7] – and it is the night of Muzdalifah.

 

 

The ninth: Within them is the Hajj which is a pillar from the pillars of Islaam.

 

 

The tenth: The occurrence of the sacrifice which is a distinguishing characteristic of the Abrahamic way as well as the Muhammadi legislation.

 

 

(Taken from: At-Tabsirah vol 2 p.130-131)

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[1] Al-Haafidh Ibn Katheer (rahimahullaah) said: “the ten nights; what is meant by them is the ten of Dhul-Hijjah as was mentioned by Ibn ‘Abbaas and Ibn Az-Zubair and Mujaahid and other than them from the Salaf and those who came later.” (See: Tafseer Ibn Katheer vol 4 p.459)

[2] The Imaam may be referring to the hadeeth in which the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

((The best days of the world are the ten.))

– Meaning the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. The hadeeth was reported by Al-Haithamee in Kashf al-Astaar (no.1128) and was declared Saheeh (authentic) by Shaikh Al-Albaanee in his Saheeh Al-Jaami’ as-Sagheer (no.1133).

Shaikh ul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah) was asked: concerning the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and the last ten of Ramadhaan – which of them is better? He replied: “the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are better than the ten days of Ramadhaan, whilst the last ten nights of Ramadhaan are better than the ten nights of Dhul-Hijjah.”

Ibn Al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said: “if the intelligent virtuous one were to observe this answer; he will find it being definitive and adequate. For indeed; there are no days in which the actions are more beloved to Allaah within them than that of the days of Dhul-Hijjah, since within them is the day of ‘Arafah and the day of sacrifice and the day of Tarwiyyah. As for the ten nights of Ramadhaan; then they are the nights spent awake (praying) in which the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) would observe them awake (in prayer) – in all of them, and within them is a night that is better than a thousand months. So whoever answers with other than this elaboration; then it would not be possible for him to furnish evidence with a correct proof.” (Refer to: Majmu’ Fataawa vol 25 p.287)

[3] The encouragement of performing good deeds during these days is supported yet further by the fact that these days contain some of the main forms of worship. Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar (rahimahullaah) said: “That which is apparent is that the reason for the distinguished nature of the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah is due to the fact that it is the place where the main forms of worship come together; and they are: the prayer and the fasting and the giving of charity and the Hajj – and that does not appear in other than them.” (See: Fathul Baaree vol 2 p.534)

[4] Ibn Rajab (rahimahullaah) said “As for the recommendation in being plentiful in the remembrance (of Allaah) within them; then the saying of Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic points to that:

((And they mention the name of Allaah on known days)) (Al-Hajj: 28)

For indeed; the known days – they are the ten days with the majority of the scholars.” (See: Lataa-if wal Ma’aarif p.524)

[5] Yawm at-Tarwiyyah is the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah, and on this day the pilgrims that had previously made ‘Umrah as well as those residing in Makkah assume their ihram for the Hajj in the morning of this day and make the talbiyah – and this is the Sunnah. (See: Sharh Manaasik Al-Hajj wal ‘Umrah of Shaikh Saalih Al-Fawzaan p.93)

[6] As occurs in a hadeeth in which the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) was asked concerning fasting on the day of ‘Arafah so he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

((It expiates sins of the previous year as well as the following year.))

– Reported by Muslim (no.1250)

[7] The term: Laylatu Jam’ is found in a number of ahaadeeth, from them is the hadeeth in which the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

((Hajj is ‘Arafah, so whoever comes before the Fajr prayer on the Laylatu Jam’ [night of gathering] then his Hajj is indeed complete…))

– The hadeeth was declared Saheeh (authentic) by Shaikh Al-Albaanee in his Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah (no.2459). For other ahaadeeth which mention this term refer to: Saheeh Sunan An-Nasaa-ee (no.3016) and Irwaa Al-Ghaleel (no.1067). In his footnote to the meaning of Laylatu Jam’ Shaikh Al-Albaanee mentioned: “Jam’ is a name of Muzdalifah – due to the Ijtimaa’ (gathering) of the people therein.” (See: Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah vol 3 p.44)

As for the meaning of ((then his Hajj is indeed complete…)) Shaikh Al-Albaanee said: “Meaning: that it is safeguarded from anything missed out – except that the tawaaf is still a must.” (See: Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah vol 3 p.44)

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