Blessed Posted November 26, 2008 Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah, It's a bit long but the tips are worth it... Today (26th of Nov) is already the 29th of Dhul Qa'idah! The 10 finest days are right around the corner. What makes these 10 days so exceptional? How should we spend these special days and nights? What reward will we gain? To find out more, read the article below (for the entire article, please click on the link provided) jazakum Allahu khairan Virtues of the Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah From http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/1699 Some excerpts: . Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these ten days." The people asked, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?" He said, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2/457). These texts and others indicate that these ten days are better than all the other days of the year, with no exceptions, not even the last ten days of Ramadaan. But the last ten nights of Ramadaan are better, because they include Laylat al-Qadr ("the Night of Power"), which is better than a thousand months. Thus the various reports may be reconciled. (See Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 5/412). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh ("Subhan-Allaah"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillaah") and Takbeer ("Allaahu akbar") during this time. 'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are no days greater in the sight of Allaah and in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so during this time recite a great deal of Tahleel ("La ilaaha ill-Allaah"), Takbeer and Tahmeed." (Reported by Ahmad, 7/224; Ahmad Shaakir stated that it is saheeh). These ten days include Yawm 'Arafaah (the Day of 'Arafaah), on which Allaah perfected His Religion. Fasting on this day will expiate for the sins of two years. These days also include Yawm al-Nahar (the Day of Sacrifice), the greatest day of the entire year and the greatest day of Hajj, which combines acts of worship in a way unlike any other day. The Sunnah indicates that the one who wants to offer a sacrifice must stop cutting his hair and nails and removing anything from his skin, from the beginning of the ten days until after he has offered his sacrifice, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When you see the new moon of Dhu'l-Hijjah, if any one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, then he should stop cutting his hair and nails until he has offered his sacrifice." According to another report he said: "He should not remove (literally, touch) anything from his hair or skin." (reported by Muslim with four isnaads, 13/146) The wisdom behind this prohibition of the one who wants to offer a sacrifice from cutting his hair etc., is so that he may resemble those in ihraam in some aspects of the rituals performed, and so that he may draw closer to Allaah by offering the sacrifice. So he leaves his hair and nails alone until the time when he has offered his sacrifice, in the hope that Allaah will save him in his entirety from the Fire. And Allaah knows best. This prohibition appears to apply only to the one who is offering the sacrifice, not to his wife and children, unless any of them is offering a sacrifice in his or her own right, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to sacrifice "on behalf of the family of Muhammad," but there are no reports that say he forbade them to cut their hair or nails at that time. Among the good deeds which the Muslim should strive to do during the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah are: Fasting. It is Sunnah to fast on the ninth day of Dhu'l-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) urged us to do good deeds during this time, and fasting is one of the best of deeds. Allaah has chosen fasting for Himself, as is stated in the hadeeth qudsi: "Allaah says: 'All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except for fasting, which is for Me and I am the One Who will reward him for it.'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1805). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on the ninth of Dhu'l-Hijjah. Hunaydah ibn Khaalid reported from his wife that some of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on the ninth of Dhu'l-Hijjah, on the day of 'Aashooraa', on three days of each month, and on the first two Mondays and Thursdays of each month." (Reported by al-Nisaa'i, 4/205 and by Abu Dawud; classified by al-Albaani as saheeh in Saheeh Abi Dawud, 2/462). Takbeer. It is Sunnah to say Takbeer ("Allaahu akbar"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillaah"), Tahleel ("La ilaha ill-Allaah") and Tasbeeh ("Subhaan Allaah") during the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, and to say it loudly in the mosque, the home, the street and every place where it is permitted to remember Allaah and mention His name out loud, as an act of worship and as a proclamation of the greatness of Allaah, may He be exalted. Men should recite these phrases out loud, and women should recite them quietly. "That they might witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e., reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade, etc.), and mention the name of Allaah on appointed days, over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice)..." [al-Hajj 22:28] The majority of scholars agree that the "appointed days" are the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, because of the words of Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father): "The 'appointed days' are the first ten days (of Dhu'l-Hijjah)." The Takbeer may include the words "Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, la ilaaha ill-Allaah; wa Allaahu akbar wa Lillaahi'l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god but Allaah; Allaah is Most Great and to Allaah be praise)," as well as other phrases. Takbeer at this time is an aspect of the Sunnah that has been forgotten, especially during the early part of this period, so much so that one hardly ever hears Takbeer, except from a few people. This Takbeer should be pronounced loudly, in order to revive the Sunnah and as a reminder to the negligent. There is sound evidence that Ibn 'Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with them) used to go out in the marketplace during the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, reciting Takbeer, and the people would recite Takbeer when they heard them. The idea behind reminding the people to recite Takbeer is that each one should recite it individually, not in unison, as there is no basis in Sharee'ah for doing this. Reviving aspects of the Sunnah that have been virtually forgotten is a deed that will bring an immense reward, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "Whoever revives an aspect of my Sunnah that is forgotten after my death, he will have a reward equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without it detracting in the least from their reward." (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 7/443; this is a hasan hadeeth because of corroborating asaaneed). Performing Hajj and 'Umrah. One of the best deeds that one can do during these ten days is to perform Hajj to the Sacred House of Allaah. The one whom Allaah helps to go on Hajj to His House and to perform all the rituals properly is included in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "An accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise." Performing Hajj and 'Umrah. One of the best deeds that one can do during these ten days is to perform Hajj to the Sacred House of Allaah. The one whom Allaah helps to go on Hajj to His House and to perform all the rituals properly is included in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "An accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise." Whoever is not able to go to Hajj should occupy himself at this blessed time by worshipping Allaah, praying (salaat), reading Qur'an, remembering Allaah, making supplication (du'aa'), giving charity, honouring his parents, upholding the ties of kinship, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and other good deeds and acts of worship. Sacrifice. One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer to Allaah during these ten days is offering a sacrifice, by choosing a high-quality animal and fattening it, spending money for the sake of Allaah. (more information to follow, in sha Allaah). Sincere repentance. One of the most important things to do during these ten days is to repent sincerely to Allaah and to give up all kinds of disobedience and sin. Repentance means coming back to Allaah and foregoing all the deeds, open and secret, that He dislikes, out of regret for what has passed, giving it up immediately and being determined never to return to it, but to adhere firmly to the Truth by doing what Allaah loves. O you whose hard heart is as dark as the night, is it not time that your heart was filled with light and became soft? Expose yourself to the gentle breeze of your Lord's mercy during these ten days, for Allaah will cause this breeze to touch whomever He wills, and whoever is touched by it will be happy on the Day of Judgement. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his Family and Companions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Malika Posted November 26, 2008 ^Jazakhallah Kheyr Blessed. " O you whose hard hearts is as dark as the night,is it not time that your heart was filled with light and became soft? Indeed it is and time should always be made for doing so. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nur Posted November 27, 2008 From eNuri Archives. Best Days On Earth NOMADS The Best Days on earth are upon us The Ten Days of Dhil Hijjah These are the days Allah SWT said about them: " Wal Fajr, Wa layaalin Cashr" " By The Dawn and the ten nights" Also Allah says about them : " Wa yadhkurullhaaha fii ayaamin macluumaat" " So they ( Mulsims) make dhikr, and mention his holy name in specified days" The prophet SAWS said: "The best days on earth are the ten days of thil Hijjah" Hadeeth is verified by Albani. So as you can see brothers and sisters, there are no days in the entire year where your good deeds count as these days, so take advantage of these days by doing as much good as you can do on earth. These are the ten days in which Allah gets close to us (and he is always close) and shows off in Pride to his angels the millions of worshippers gathering in Arafaat, The largest gathering of the fairthfhul, any faith anywhere, for the one and ONLY true God, owner of this tiny planet and the the ever expanding universe. These are the ten days in which all forms of worship earns you the maximum returns, if you have the intention and the will. So be thankful that you have lived through the year to reach this milestone, a second chance in the year in which you can come clean with a new slate if you make the pilgrimmage to makka the Hajj or make the intention for next year. Remember that this is your last stop for refueling till next Ramadan, in case you goofed around, but feel guilty and desire to mend fence with Allah. Take advantage of these holy days, here are ways to benfit from these ten days: 1. Tawbah: Repent, feeling guilty all the time does not get you anywhere, do something about it, align your life with the will of Allah, it is no picnic going against Allah, so surrrender willingly, before you surrender unwillingly, you will feel light after you get rid of the monkey on your back. 2. Regular prayers: If you have neglected your prayers, remember that living in the fast lane has its benefits, like falling off the cliff to Jahannam, for ever. Your prayers are the folder that binds all your good deeds, without this folder, your work is scattered in the open like snow, you can not claim any, and that is no smart way to plan for retirement. 3. MAKE HAJJ: Unless you are in Makkah by now, chances are you are not making Hajj this year, so plan this year to make Hajj next year. Your good intention is counted as a good deed, equal in weight to actual Hajj, in case you die before next Hajj, your credit will be in your folder, indeed a respectable exit to the next world. 4. Sacrifice: Go to a farm and offer Allah a sarifice, like a sheep or a Camel, if you can find one. For those who can not find animals to scarifice, I have few ideas: 1. If you have kids, sacrifice your TV, I know it is too much to ask, but think, Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son Ishmael. To get a dose of faith, you need to make a room in your heart, so throw something dear to you, to get something better in value and more lasting in terms of duration, take it from me, you will be surprised of the result. After you throw away your TV, here are the benefits that you can expetct: a. You will begin to notice the presence of real human beings who live with you, like brothers and sisters, parents, husband or wife or grandparents, you'd wonder, where have they been all these years?. b.You begin to laugh together, go places instead of sitting in front of the tube, and you will beging reading your daily papers and begin to think and use your brain, instead of the TV doing all the thinking and entertainment for you (I know some people who have their brains in a the new delivery cartons), . Kids begin to read, adults enjoy the company of relatives. So, Scarifice your TV, sell it in a flee market, the money, send it home for feeding the poor. Great thawaab Reward for this ten days. C. For the rest of the Brothers and sisters, sacrifice things you own that does not get you close to Allah, you know them, so give away things you love, that are forming a barrier between you and Allah. 5. Make Sadaqa: Rememnber the poor: Send money home to the poor families in this season, make someone happy, Allah will make you happy. 6. Make Dhiker all the time: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. Laa Ilaaha Illal Allaahu Allahu Akbar wa lilaahil Hamd. Nur 2003 Nurtel Softwaano Series The Art of taking care of the Heart Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abu-Salman Posted November 27, 2008 1. If you have kids, sacrifice your TV, I know it is too much to ask, but think, Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son Ishmael. To get a dose of faith, you need to make a room in your heart, so throw something dear to you, to get something better in value and more lasting in terms of duration, take it from me, you will be surprised of the result. After you throw away your TV, here are the benefits that you can expect: a. You will begin to notice the presence of real human beings who live with you, like brothers and sisters, parents, husband or wife or grandparents, you'd wonder, where have they been all these years?. b.You begin to laugh together, go places instead of sitting in front of the tube, and you will beging reading your daily papers and begin to think and use your brain, instead of the TV doing all the thinking and entertainment for you (I know some people who have their brains in a the new delivery cartons), . Kids begin to read, adults enjoy the company of relatives. Indeed, I remember how hardened we became as kids when we've got a second TV (renting US films was our prefered "entertainment" alongside video-games). In fact, another decisive blow to our eemaan was when we started receiving all sorts of channels and reading was simply no longer "fun". Alhamdulilah though, we had our parents' books and other specially bought for us, albeit I found the former more stimulating (the "Hidden face of World Economy", Somali History or Health references, albeit with "facts" now largely discredited). While Western upper-class frown upon TVs and even ban it, what a pity Somali children are reared without even basic knowledge of their roots, how the world really operates behind the constant multiform propaganda and more importantly the great Islamic classics (ie, a central work yet more relevant than ever work on Aqeedah such as Sh Abdulwahab "Kitaab at-Tawhid")! PS: There is no discussion possible on the fact that TVs are also a social disaster in many ways, not least through their promotions of pathologic attitudes and relationship, while stunting both moral and intellectual growth... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Haneefah Posted November 29, 2008 Jazakallah khair, honey. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Urban Posted December 1, 2008 I'll try and follow the points mentioned here. Jazaks for the articles. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
