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We have finally entered the first 10 days of the blessed month of Dhul Hijjah. while many of our brothers and sisters have gone to perform hajj (May Allah Accept their pilgrimages), we here at home should also do our best to make the most of these blessed times. Here is an except of a Sunnipath article written by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani on these days.

The first ten days of Dhu’l Hijjah are blessed days: Allah Most High Himself swore by them in the Qur’an:

“By the Dawn,  and the Ten Nights…”  [Qur’an, Surat al-Fajr, 89.1-2]

The commentators generally concur that the ten nights refers, ‘the first ten days of Dhu’l Hijjah,’.

1. Fasting the First Nine Days, Especially the Day of `Arafah (9^th)

The scholars concur that it is recommended to fast during the first nine days of Dhu’l Hijja. (The tenth day is the day of Eid, and is prohibitively disliked and sinful to fast this day.)

Of these, it is particularly recommended to fast the Day of `Arafah [9^th of Dhu’l Hijjah], even for the one on Hajj in the Hanafi school, if it does not weaken the pilgrim from spending the day busy in worship.

2. Increasing One’s Spiritual Works During these Ten Days

Similarly, it is recommended to busy oneself these days with worship of Allah . Imam Sharaf al-Din al-Hijjawi, states in his primary text, al-Iqna`,:

“It is recommend to exert oneself in good works during the first ten days of Dhu’l Hijjah, such as remembrance of Allah (dhikr), fasting, charity, and other righteous actions, because they are the best of days.”

3. Spending the Nights of These Days In Prayer and Worship

It is especially recommended to spend some part of each of the nights of these ten days in prayer and worship.