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The Virtue of Dhul-Hijjah's First Ten Days

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon the noble Prophet Muhammad (SAW), his family, his companions, and all those who follow his path until the Day of Judgment.

Allah the Most High says in the Quran (22:32): "That [is so]. And whoever honors the symbols of Allah – indeed, it is from the piety of hearts."

According to Ibnu Abbās, "This (honoring the symbols of Allah) means slaughtering fat animals." This can also mean carrying out Allah's command in its best form.

Indeed, Dhul-Hijjah, one of the sacred months and the final one in 1446 AH, is here. Should we still let it slip out of our hands without attaining Allah's pleasure? Another opportunity is added to this month, its first ten days. Allah Subhaanallahu wata'āla says: "And [by] ten nights" (Quran 89:2).

While explaining this, it has been confirmed in Sahih Al-Bukhari from Ibn 'Abbas that the Prophet said: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days" (meaning the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah). They said, "Not even fighting Jihad in the way of Allah?" He replied: "Not even Jihad in the way of Allah; except for a man who goes out (for Jihad) with himself and his wealth, and he does not return with any of that."

If these days (first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, from May 28th to June 6th, 2025) are so special with Allah, why don't we make the best of it?

Recommended Actions:

1. Recitation of the Quran: This is among the greatest ways to remember Allah.

2. Praying at the right time: Use this period to train yourself to pray on time and perform various Nawafil.

3. Being good to parents: According to a Hadith of Ibn 'Abbas, the best deed after observing Salah on time is being good to parents.

4. Fasting: It shields one from Hellfire, saves one from wrong actions, makes one's prayers acceptable during the day and when breaking, and helps with healthy living by burning excess fat.

5. Charity: When one extends good to people, especially what is dear to them, Allah returns it in multiples and rewards them greatly.

6. Note that the last two deeds won't be valid if one continues to use bad words or behave badly. Therefore, we should learn to behave and speak as Muslims who have the Prophet (peace be upon him) as a model in all aspects of life.

7. Saying the Takbir, Tahlil, and Tahmid: Ibn 'Abbas said, "Remember Allah during the well-known days; i.e., the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and also the fixed number of appointed days; i.e., the days of Tashriq." Ibn 'Umar and Abu Hurairah used to go out to the market saying Takbir during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and the people would say Takbir after their Takbirs. Muhammad bin 'Ali used to say Takbir after Nawafil.

Let's seize this opportunity to attain Allah's pleasure and maximize our rewards and spiritual growth. May Allah guide and accept our efforts. Ameen.