Surat Al-Fajr Ayat 1-4
وَالۡفَجۡرِۙ ﴿89:1﴾ وَلَيَالٍ عَشۡرٍۙ ﴿89:2﴾ وَّالشَّفۡعِ وَالۡوَتۡرِۙ ﴿89:3﴾ وَالَّيۡلِ اِذَا يَسۡرِ
“By the dawn, and the Ten Nights of the Month of Pilgrimage! By all that is even and all that is odd, and the night as it passes!”
As the blessed month of Ramadan has just ended recently, we feel as though the blessings and high levels of spirituality and faith have diminished. However, out of His mercy, Allah (SWT) has given us the valuable opportunity to witness yet another virtuous month only a short time after the conclusion of Ramadan. It is Dhul Hijjah, the month of Hajj.
In usual circumstances, outside of the Coronavirus, we would have had millions of people around the world from all walks of life come together to fulfill the rituals of Hajj. But this is the second year that numbers allowed to perform Hajj were limited. Now again out of the mercy of Allah (SWT), we still have a lot of worship to do in our homes, especially in the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah that are more blessed than any other days in the year. Allah (SWT) made an oath by these days in the opening verses of Surat Al-Fajr to bring our attention to the virtuous deeds that can be performed in these days. Scholars have agreed that the ten nights mentioned in the second verse of the surah are these ten days of Dhul Hijjah.
The Prophet (PBUH) has stated, “There are no days of the year that are more beloved to Allah that a person does good in those days than the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah.”
One of the many acts of worship that one can engage in throughout these days is Thikr, which is remembrance of Allah (SWT). In another narration, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “There are not any days of the year that are more holy than these 10 days of Dhul Hijjah. Therefore, increase in doing good deeds to Allah. Increase in saying Allahu Akbar, Alhamdulillah, and La Ilaha Illa Allah.”
Another important deed to engage in these days is fasting. The Prophet (PBUH) has said: “Fasting the day of Arafat will be credited with Allah for forgiving one’s sins of the previous year and the following year.” The day of Arafat is the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah.
A simple yet very effective deed that one can do in these days is increasing in extra voluntary prayer, charity, and reading the Holy Quran. The final deed of many more to do in these days that I will mention is repentance to Allah (SWT). To repent to Allah (SWT) means to feel guilty for the sins that we commit, leave the sins that we are doing, seek Allah’s (SWT) forgiveness, and become a better person.
The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah bring with them countless blessings and unlimited opportunities of good deeds that no Muslim should allow to pass over. However, just as any visitor, Dhul Hijjah will eventually leave so make the best of it.
By Ahmad Salah
