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Friday Khutbah (11th April 2008): Adhering To The Quraan And Sunnah Is The Way To Salvation

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Adhering To The Qur’aan And Sunnah Is The Way To Salvation
By Sh Salaah Al Budair – Imaam of Haram

These days, Islamic societies are being relentlessly attacked by Christianisation campaigns, impudent temptations and open war through misleading mass media controlled by callers to evil and corruption in order to westernise these societies and to divert them from their religion and path.

Indeed, the unbelieving nations live a disgraced life, suffer in infected sludge and move in moral and religious darkness. While some are alcoholics, others are addicted to music and another large number of them are enslaved by their lust. Their statutes are full of oppressive and unjust laws which they use to decide matters relating to their lives, chastity and properties.

“And he for whom Allaah has not appointed light for him there is no light.” (An Noor: 40).

However, it is very saddening that some Islamic societies have been affected by this westernisation so much so that it has attacked their established concepts, changed their customs, weakens their strength and destroys many aspects of their lives. Allaah says: “And they will never cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion if they can.” (Al-Baqarah: 217).

Brothers in Islaam! There will be no religious stability nor actualisation of Divine promise or safety from retribution and calamities except by holding fast unto the Book of Allaah which He revealed to His Messenger; for that is real protection, the astounding evidence and the ever-illuminating light. It is a revelation that whenever it was revealed to the Prophet it weighed heavily on him, he would lower his head, his face would become morose and his forehead would sweat profusely. ‘Aa’ishah said: “I have seen while he was been revealed to on a very cold day ad when the revelation ended, his forehead would sweat profusely.” He, himself, used to say: “Sometimes, revelation comes to me like a clattering of bell and that is the most trying experience I get when the revelation is being revealed to me. It would then leave me until I have comprehended the revelation.”

The Qur’aan is a great sign and a weighty Word. Allaah commanded His Prophet to hold fast unto it and never deviate from it. He says “Then We put you on a (plain) way of (Our) commandment. So follow you that and follow not the desire of those who know not.” (Al-Jaathiyah: 18).

The Prophet himself informed his nation that the only guidance lies in clinging unto the Qur’aan when he said: “I am leaving for you two things if you hold fast to them you will never get astray: The Book of Allaah and my Sunnah.”

His companions used to receive the Revelation with honour and acceptance. They would abide by its commandments, surrender to its judgment and guidance without hesitation or preference to other options. Ibn Buraidah narrated from his father that he said: “While we were sitting at our drinking place on the sand and we were three or four persons with a jug with us and drinking liquor for it was then lawful, then I left for the place of the Prophet and greeted him.

The verse that prohibited alcohol drinking was then revealed: “O you who believe! Intoxicants, Gambling, Al-Ansaab (i.e. animals that are slaughtered on stone-altars for idols) and Arrows (that are used for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of the Satan’s handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that in order that you may be successful. Satan wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allaah and from Salaah (the Prayer). Will you then not abstain?” (Al-Maa’idah: 90-91).

I afterwards went to my companions and read the verse to them. One of them was holding his alcohol in his hand having drank some and the rest was still in his cup, but he turn the cup just below his upper lip. They all poured away what was in their jug and said: “We abstain, Our Lord! We abstain, Our Lord!”

The verse was revealed when they were holding their cups in their hands and it was the command of Allaah that prevented them from reaching their lips. Those who were holding cups of alcohol broke them and those who have taken a mouthful coughed it out. Containers of alcohol were broken in al-Madienah. Such is the commandment of Allaah. One should have no option except to submit and surrender to it.

Also, when Allaah revealed the verse: “O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies.” (Al-Ahzaab: 59) the Ansaar women came out as if there were sieves on their heads because of their garments.”

Ibn `Abbaas also narrated another incident of the companions’ total submission to the commandments of Allaah and His Messenger. He said: “The Messenger of Allaah saw a golden ring in the hand of a man so he pulled it off and threw it away and then said: “Will one of you knowingly take a burning charcoal and put it in his hand!” When the Messenger of Allaah left the scene, the man was told: ‘Take your ring and make use of it (in something else)’. The man replied: “No, by Allaah! I will never take it since the Messenger of Allaah has thrown it away.” (Muslim).

Fellow Muslims! The only safe way and protection from the trials and temptations of this age is fast adherence to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger and then the path of the righteous predecessors of this Ummah. That is the only way out of tribulations. Jundub Ibn Abdullah Al-Bajalee told the people of Basrah about the two revelations (the Qur’aan and Sunnah): “Hold fast unto the Qur’aan for it is the guidance during the day and light during the night. Take them into practice however hardship and poverty that may cause you. When any calamity befalls you sacrifice for it your money rather than your religion. If the calamity is beyond what your money can bear, sacrifice your blood for it, for the actual deprived person is the one deprived of his religion. There is no poverty after entrance into Hellfire.”

Huthaifie Ibn Yamaan told Aamir Ibn Mitr: “What will be your position if people take a single way and the Qur’aan takes another way?, which of the ways will you follow? He answered “I will be with the Qur’aan, die with it and be resurrected with it.”

Brothers in Faith! Hold fast unto this revelation sincerely you will be shown its effects in your deeds, sayings dealings and all your affairs and you will live a prosperous life and die for your religion and loyalties.

Let each and every one of us present himself before the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah and see whether he is among the obedient ones or among the negligent ones. Let everyone beware and reform himself. Hasan Al-Basrie said: “May Allaah have mercy on a slave who places himself and his deeds in front of the Book of Allaah, if his deeds are in accordance with the Book of Allaah he praises Allaah and asks Him for increase and if the deeds are contradictory to the Book of Allaah he rebukes himself and amends immediately.”

Fellow Muslims! You have in your possession an infinite treasure that is the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah but yet where are those who follow their injunctions? Where are those who submit themselves to them? Where are those who answer their call?

The Glorious Qur’aan has given us admonitions, warned us as the Prophet also warned against falling in the abyss of ignorance and disobedience. Were these admonitions useful for us? Everyday we pass on evenings and mornings a threat that frightens the hearts; are we heedful to this threat?

Abu Dardaa’ narrated that the Prophet said, “We were with the Messenger of Allaah one day , when he cast a look at the sky and said: This is a time in which knowledge will be withdrawn from people so much that they will not be able to withhold any thereof. Ziyaad Ibn Lubaid Al-Ansaarie then asked, ‘O Messenger of Allaah! How can it be withdrawn from us while we recite the Qur’aan, for by Allaah, we read it as well as our wives and children.’ The Prophet answered, ‘O Ziyaad! I have been counting you among the knowledgeable people of Al-Madienah! Are these not Jews and Christians reading the Torah and Gospel with working with anything thereof?’ (Ibn Maajah).

Some scholar commented on this Hadeeth and said, ‘As their recitation of their book did not benefit them because of their non-practising of their injunctions, so also will be you.’

Fellow Muslims! Attacking the texts of Qur’aan and Sunnah by dishonouring and desecrating them or feeling that it cannot fulfil the needs of ever-changing life or subjugating it or twisting it in order to make it fit the modern age in matters that some irreligious people wrongly feel that Islaam is the obstacle to their progress likes issue of equating women with men in every aspect of life, taking usury, perpetrating forbidden acts, exterminating the concept of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil and vice, giving the disbelievers opportunity to damp their ideological wastes in the name of literature, art, freedom of opinion and other issues that the texts of Islamic law has decided on as clearly and broadly as daylight. This attack may lead to this Ummah losing its identity, honour and religion which Allaah favours it with.

It is then incumbent on us, fellow Muslims, to honour the two revelations (i.e. the Qur’aan and Sunnah) in such a way that will prevent us from disobeying them or befriending those who deny them or keeping silent when they are attacked or laughed at what they contain. Whoever insults Allaah or His Messenger or dishonours them or says or does anything that explicitly ridicules them or makes jest with the religion (of Islaam), or dishonour the Qur’aan or desecrate it has become a disbeliever in what is revealed to the Messenger of Allaah and went out of the Fold of Islaam. The Prophet said, ‘whoever apostates kill him!’(Bukhaarie).

Dear Muslim! Fear Allaah as regards your religion into which He guided you and with which is by abstaining from all that contradict it or contaminated it., You should carry out your duty towards it in all your affairs in order to be saved from the threat that is in this verse, “And if you tune away (from Islaam and the obedience to Allaah), He will exchange you for some other people and they will not let your likes.” (Muhammad: 38).

Brothers in faith! Fear Allaah, be conscious of Him and do not disobey Him, ‘O you who believe, fear Allaah and be always with the truthful.’ (At Tawbah: 119).

Brothers in Islaam! The Prophet was compassionate with his Ummah. He is full of pity, kind and merciful to them. He feared for them ignominy and disgrace; and sins and disobedience. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allaah said, ‘The likeness of me and my Ummah is like that of a man who kindled a fire, then when it lighted all around him butterflies and other flying insects keep on falling into it, while the man keeps on preventing them from falling into it. But they overpower him and fall into the fire. Such is the likeness of me and you. I am preventing you from falling into the fire and saying, ‘Come away from the fire.’ But you overpower me and insist on falling into it.’ (Muslim).

Such is how the ignorant and the disobeying men with their sins and lusts will fall into hellfire on the Last Day in spite of the Prophet’s efforts in preventing them from doing so. They therefore will fall into fire because of their weak intelligence, just as the butterflies fall into the fire of this world, for both are striving to destroy themselves out of ignorance. So beware and be on guard before a day comes in which no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before not earned good through his faith.

Brothers in Islaam! Hold fast unto the rope of Allaah, even if people leave it and escape to Allaah from temptation of this age. The Prophet said, ‘Verily, in front of you are days of patience. Being patient in those days will be like holding a live coal. Whoever does good deed then will have the reward of fifty men who work as he does. The companions asked, ‘The reward of fifty men among them?’ He answered, ‘The reward of fifty men among you!’

Q & A: How much do you need to listen for your Friday prayer to be valid?

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QA: How much do you need to listen for your Friday prayer to be valid?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Q: How much of Friday Khutbah do you need to listen to for your Friday prayer to be valid

A:
bismi-llāhi ar-raḥmāni ar-raḥīmi

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

1. Attending the khutba is a necessary duty, and it is sinful to be late for the khutba. It is necessary, too, to take the means to be able to attend the khutba in full; and anything that delays one’s attendance of the khutba–even an otherwise praiseworthy matter such as a sunna ghusl for Friday–is interdicted, because of the Divine Command, “… if the call to prayer is given on Friday, then hasten to the remembrance of Allah [f: namely, the khutba] and leave your trade.” [Qur'an]

2. However, the validity of one’s Friday prayer itself is not contingent upon attending the khutba. Rather, one’s Friday prayer itself is valid and counts even if one joined the congregation at the very end.

[Ref: Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]

And Allah alone gives success.

Faraz Rabbani

Source: SunniPath

The Five Pillars Of Islam

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From www.islamworld.net

Shahadah

The first pillar of Islam is that a Muslim believe and declare his faith by saying the Shahadah (lit. ‘witness’), also known as the Kalimah:

La ilaha ila Allah; Muhammadur-rasul Allah. ‘There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’
This declaration contains two parts. The first part refers to God Almighty, the Creator of everything, the Lord of the Worlds; the second part refers to the Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) a prophet and a human being, who received the revelation through the Archangel Gabriel, and taught it to mankind.
By sincerely uttering the Shahadah the Muslim acknowledges Allah as the sole Creator of all, and the Supreme Authority over everything and everyone in the universe. Consequently the Muslim closes his/her heart and mind to loyalty, devotion and obedience to, trust in, reliance on, and worship of anything or anyone other than Allah. This rejection is not confined merely to pagan gods and goddesses of wood and stone and created by human hands and imaginations; this rejection must extend to all other conceptions, superstitions, ideologies, ways of life, and authority figures that claim supreme devotion, loyalty, trust, love, obedience or worship. This entails, for example, the rejection of belief in such common things as astrology, palm reading, good luck charms, fortune-telling and psychic readings, in addition to praying at shrines or graves of “saints”, asking the dead souls to intercede for them with Allah. There are no intercessors in Islam, nor any class of clergy as such; a Muslim prays directly and exclusively to Allah.

Belief in the prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh) entails belief in the guidance brought by him and contained in his Sunnah (traditions of his sayings and actions), and demands of the Muslim the intention to follow his guidance faithfully. Muhammad (pbuh) was also a human being, a man with feelings and emotions, who ate, drank and slept, and was born and died, like other men. He had a pure and upright nature, extraordinary righteousness, and an unwavering faith in Allah and commitment to Islam, but he was not divine. Muslims do not pray to him, not even as an intercessor, and Muslims abhor the terms “Mohamedan” and “Mohamedanism”.

Salah

Prayer (Salah), in the sense of worship, is the second pillar of Islam. Prayer is obligatory and must be performed five times a day. These five times are dawn (Fajr), immediately after noon (Dhuhr), mid-afternoon (‘Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and early night (Isha’). Ritual cleanliness and ablution are required before prayer, as are clean clothes and location, and the removal of shoes. One may pray individually or communally, at home, outside, virtually any clean place, as well as in a mosque, though the latter is preferred. Special is the Friday noon prayer, called Jum’ah. It, too, is obligatory and is to be done in a mosque, in congregation. It is accompanied by a sermon (Khutbah), and it replaces the normal Dhuhr prayer.

There is no hierarchical clerical authority in Islam, no priests or ministers. Prayers are led by any learned person who knows the Qur’an and is chosen by the congregation. He (or she, if the congregation is all women) is called the imam. There is also no minimum number of congregants required to hold communal prayers. Prayer consists of verses from the Qur’an and other prayers, accompanied by various bodily postures – standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting. They are said in Arabic, the language of the revelation, though personal supplications (Du’ah) can be offered in one’s own language. Worshippers face the Qiblah, the direction of the Ka’bah in the city of Makkah.

The significance of prayer lies in one’s maintaining a continuous link to God five times a day, which helps the worshipper avoid misdeeds if he/she performs the prayers sincerely. In addition it promotes discipline, God-consciousness and placing one’s trust in Allah alone, and the importance of striving for the Hereafter. When performed in congregation it also provides a strong sense of community, equality and brotherhood/sisterhood.

Fasting (Sawm)

The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting. Allah prescribes daily fasting for all able, adult Muslims during the whole of the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar, beginning with the sighting of the new moon. Exempted from the fast are the very old and the insane. On the physical side, fasting is from first light of dawn until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. On the moral, behavioral side, one must abstain from lying, malicious gossip, quarreling and trivial nonsense.

Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are menstruating, pregnant, or nursing are permitted to break the fast, but must make up an equal number of days later in the year. If physically unable to do so, they must feed a needy person for each day missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayers) from puberty, although many start earlier.

Although fasting is beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally as a method of self-purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly pleasures and comforts, even for a short time, the fasting person gains true sympathy for those who go hungry regularly, and achieves growth in his spiritual life, learning discipline, self-restraint, patience and flexibility.

In addition to the fast proper, one is encouraged to read the entire Qur’an. In addition, special prayers, called Tarawih, are held in the mosque every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur’an (Juz’) is recited, so that by the end of the month the entire Qur’an has been completed. These are done in remembrance of the fact that the revelation of the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was begun during Ramadan.

During the last ten days – though the exact day is never known and may not even be the same every year – occurs the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr). To spend that night in worship is equivalent to a thousand months of worship, i.e. Allah’s reward for it is very great.

On the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted, a special celebration is made, called ‘Id al-Fitr. A quantity of staple food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-Fitr), everyone has bathed and put on their best, preferably new, clothes, and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends.

There are other fast days throughout the year. Muslims are encouraged to fast six days in Shawwal, the month following Ramadan, Mondays and Thursdays, and the ninth and tenth, or tenth and eleventh of Muharram, the first month of the year. The tenth day, called Ashurah, is also a fast day for the Jews (Yom Kippur), and Allah commanded the Muslims to fast two days to distinguish themselves from the People of the Book.

While fasting per se is encouraged, constant fasting, as well as monasticism, celibacy, and otherwise retreating from the real world, are condemned in Islam. Fasting on the two festival days, ‘Id al-Fitr and ‘Id al-Adha, the feast of the Hajj, is strictly forbidden.

Zakah

The third pillar of Islam is the alms-tax (Zakah). It is a tax on wealth, payable on various categories of property, notably savings and investments, produce, inventory of goods, salable crops and cattle, and precious metals, and is to be used for the various categories of distribution specified by Islamic law. It is also an act of purification through sharing what one has with others.

The rationale behind this is that Muslims believe that everything belongs to God, and wealth is held by man as a trust. This trust must be discharged, moreover, as instructed by God, as that portion of our wealth legally belongs to other people and must be given to them. If we refuse and hoard this wealth, it is considered impure and unclean. If, for example one were to use that wealth for charity or to finance one’s pilgrimage to Makkah, those acts would also be impure, invalid, and of course unrewarded. Allah says:

“Of their wealth, take alms so you may purify and sanctify them.” [9:103]
The word Zakah means purification and growth. Our possessions are purified by setting aside that portion of it for those in need. Each Muslim calculates his or her own Zakah individually.
For most purposes this involves the payment each year of 2.5% of one’s capital, provided that this capital reaches a certain minimum amount that which is not consumed by its owner. A generous person can pay more than this amount, though it is treated and rewarded as voluntary charity (Sadaqah). This amount of money is provided to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, and can be used in many useful projects for the welfare of the community.

Historically the pillar of Zakah became mandatory on Muslims form the second year after the Hijrah, 622 C.E. It is mentioned more than thirty times in the Qur’an, usually in the same breath as Salah. So important is this pillar that one is not considered a part of the Islamic brotherhood if one ignores this obligation.

Hajj

The fifth pillar of Islam is to make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah, in Saudi Arabia, at least once in one’s lifetime. This pillar is obligatory for every Muslim, male or female, provided that he/she is physically and financially able to do so. Prerequisites for performing the Hajj are to be a Muslim, to be free, to be an adult or mature enough, to be of sound mind, and to have the ability to afford the journey and maintain one’s dependents back home for the duration. The reward for the Hajj is nothing less than Paradise.The Hajj is the ultimate form of worship, as it involves the spirit of all the other rituals and demands of the believer great sacrifice. On this unique occasion, nearly two million Muslims from all over the globe meet one another in a given year. Regardless of the season, pilgrims wear special clothes (Ihram) – two, very simple, unsewn white garments – which strips away all distinctions of wealth, status, class and culture; all stand together and equal before Allah (God).

The rites of Hajj, which go back to the time of Prophet Abraham who built the Ka’bah, are observed over five or six days, beginning on the eighth day of the last month of the year, named Dhul-Hijjah (pilgrimage). These rites include circumambulating the Ka’bah (Tawwaf), and going between the mountains of Safa and Marwah, as Hajjar (Abraham’s wife) did during her search for water for her son Isma’il. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafah and join in prayers for God’s forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment. The pilgrims also cast stones at a stone pillar which represents Satan. The pilgrimage ends with a festival, called ‘Id al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers, the sacrifice of an animal, and the exchange of greetings and gifts in Muslim communities everywhere.

The Greatest Ten Days of This World…

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Image of the ka'aba in Makkah.
Image via Wikipedia

What is the significance of the first ten days of Dhul Hijja?

  1. Allah honored them when he swears an oath by them in the Qur’an as well, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefit.Allah says 89-1/2 (By the dawn; by the 10 nights). Ibn Abbas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Mujahid and others of the earlier and later generations said that this refers to the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. Ibn Katheer said: “This is the correct opinion.”
  2. Allah completed our religion in our of its days, the day of Arafa, as He revealed to the Prophet peace be upon him: 5-3 (This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.) It was a Friday and the Prophet peace be upon him was standing on mount Arafa.
  3. These ten days are the completion of the forty days that Allah appointed for Musa peace be upon him, Allah says: 7-143 (We appointed for Musa thirty nights, and completed (the period) with ten (more): thus was completed the term (of communion) with his Lord, forty nights.) Ibn kathir may Allah have mercy on him said: “The scholars of tafseer have different opinions on the meaning of these ten days. The majority are of the opinion that the thirty days are the month of Dhul Qiada and the ten are the first of Dhul Hijja; Mujahid, Masrouq, and Ibn Jarij said this, it was also related to Ibn Abbas and others.
  4. These ten days complete the months of Hajj 2-197 (For Hajj are the months well-known. If any one undertakes that duty therein, let there be no obscenity, nor wickedness, nor wrangling in the Hajj and whatever good ye do, (be sure) Allah knoweth it.)
  5. These ten days are the appointed days that Allah prescribed for us to celebrate His name for the blessings He has bestowed upon us. Allah says: 22-28 (That they may witness the benefits (provided) for them, and celebrate the name of Allah, through the Days Appointed, over the cattle which He has provided for them.) Ibn Rajab may Allah have mercy on him said: “The majority of scholars agree that the ‘appointed days’ are the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah”.
  6. Good deeds in these ten days are more beloved to Allah than in the rest of the year. The Prophet peace be upon him said: “There are no days during which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days; meaning the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. They inquired: Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah? He said: Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah, unless one goes out for Jihad sacrificing both his life and property and returning with neither.
  7. These days are the greatest days of the year. The Prophet peace be upon him said: “The greatest days of the World are (these) ten days”  Ibn Rajab may Allah have mercy on him said: “The apparent reason for the preference of the ten days of Dhul Hijja is that it all the main form of worship are performed in it; Prayer, Fasting, Zakah, and Hajj, and this does not happen in any other days”.
  8. These ten days are in the sacred months (The sacred months are Dhul Qiada, Dhul Hijja, Muharam, and Ragab.) 9-36 (The number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve (in a year), so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred: that is the straight usage. So wrong not yourselves therein)
  9. It has the day of Arafa in it. The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: “There is no day when Allah sets free more servants from Hell than the Day of Arafah. He draws near, then praises them to the angels, saying: What do these seek?”
  10. It has the day of Nahr. The Prophet peace be upon him said: “This is the greatest Day (i.e. 10th of Dhul Hijjah).”

What should we do in these days?

  1. Making remembrance of Allah, this is general, all kinds of dhikr, reading Quran, making salah and salam on the Prophet peace be upon him, Allah says: 22-28 (and celebrate the name of Allah, through the Days Appointed). There is also specific dhikr which should be done in these days, the Prophet peace be upon him said: “There is no day more honorable in Allah’s sight and no acts more beloved therein to Allah than those in these ten days. So say tahlil (There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah : La ilaha illAllah ), takbir (Allah is the greatest : Allahu Akbar) and tahmid (All praise is due to Allah : alhamdulillah) a lot [on those days].” Ibn Umar and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to go out to the marketplaces during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and recite out loud the takbeer and people would repeat it after them. It is commended to recite them out loud (women should do it silently) in marketplaces, at homes, roads, mosques and elsewhere.
  2. Fasting the first nine days (the tenth day is the day of eid, and you are not allow to fast this day) especially the day of Arafa (the ninth day). It was related by the wives of the Prophet may Allah be pleased with them that the Prophet peace be upon him used to fast all of these nine days. The Prophet peace be upon him said: “Any slave of Allah who observes fast of a day in the cause of Allah, Allah would separate between him and the Fire a distance of seventy years on account of observing that day. The Prophet also said about fasting the day of Arafa: “I expect Allah to expiate the sins that were committed during the preceding year, and the sins that will be committed in the year after”.
  3. Praying at night (qiyam). Saeid ibn jubair may Allah have mercy on him used to say: “do not turn out your lights during the ten night”, and he would do acts of worship until he was barely able to do any more.
  4. Sacrificing and slaughter of an animal on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah. Some scholars say this is Wajib, but the jimhoor (vast majority) say it is Sunnah Mu’akadah (important sunnah). When you sacrifice you say “bismillah Allahu akbar Allahuma 3any wa3an ahl baity” (“In the name of Allah – Allahu akbar – oh Allah this is for me and my family.”) Reputable scholars all agree that doing the sacrifice is better than giving its equivalent, because sacrifice is a worship in and of itself. A leader of the household can sacrifice for himself and for his dependants such as children, women and men like the sahabah and salaf used to do. One planning on sacrificing should not cut his hair or nails until sacrifice is complete. This only applies to the head of the house who is paying for the sacrifice and not his dependants. It is not requested that you do it by hand however that is the best, you may oversee the sacrifice as well or if unable give the power to someone to do this for you. The sacrifice should be done after ‘Eid prayer and you have until three days after, the Prophet peace be upon him ordered those who sacrificed before prayer to do it again.
  5. The Muslim must make sure to observe Eid prayer in its designated place, and attend the khutbah of the Eid. Makhnaf ibn Seleem, who is counted as a companion, said: “Going out to the prayer of the day Fitr is equivalent to (doing) Umrah and going out to the prayer of the day of Addha is equivalent to (doing) Hajj.
  6. One should generally try to do more good deeds and try to stop the evil deeds. Here are some examples of deeds that you can do: The Prophet peace be upon him said: “Whoever walks to a prescribed prayer in congregation it is like (doing) one Hajj” he also said “He who observed the Isha in congregation it was a if he prayed until the middle of the night and he who observes Fajr in congregation it is as if has prayed the whole night” he also said “A person can attain with his good manners the levels of the one who fasts (everyday) and stands (all night praying)”.
  7. Performing Hajj and Umrah, which are the best of all observances. Its excellence is signified by many Prophetic traditions. The Prophet peace be upon him said: “Performing Umrah and following it with another expiates sins that are committed in between. And the perfect Hajj would be rewarded with nothing other than Jannah”. He also said: “Whoever performs hajj to this Ka’ba and does not approach his wife for sexual relations nor commit sins (while performing hajj), he will come out as sinless as a new-born child, (just delivered by his mother)”.

These ten days will start on Thursday or Friday insha Allah. May Allah help us to use these days the best way we can, and may He accept from us our deeds and forgive our shortcomings.

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