The Desirable Deeds To Do In The First 10 Days Of Dhul-Hijjah

Introduction to Dhul-Hijjah

وَحَدَّثَنِي حَجَّاجُ بْنُ الشَّاعِرِ ، حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ كَثِيرٍ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ أَبُو غَسَّانَ ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : ” إِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ هِلَالَ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ، وَأَرَادَ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يُضَحِّيَ فَلْيُمْسِكْ عَنْ شَعَرِهِ، وَأَظْفَارِهِ “. 

Prophet Muhammad ” صلى الله عليه وسلم” tells us in this hadith that whoever wants to sacrifice, notably to slaughter a ram or a sheep, to Almighty Allah ” عز وجل” that person should not cut any of his hair, whether the head, armpits, or pubic hair, and he should not trim his nails, when the crescent of Dhul-Hijjah is sighted. That is, from the beginning of the month of Dhul-Hijjah.

The opinions of scholars regarding the ruling on shaving the hair and trimming the nails for those who want to offer the sacrifice are varied, and there are three sayings. There are some who are of the view that it is permissible; some are looking at it in the state of “Haraam,” and others see it as “makrooh.”. 

Among the great seasons of obedience are the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, which Almighty Allah “عز وجل” has opted over all other days of the year. Imam Al-Bukhari reported a hadith on the authority of Ibn Abbas, and I quote: 

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَرْعَرَةَ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ ، عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ الْبَطِينِ ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ : ” مَا الْعَمَلُ فِي أَيَّامِ الْعَشْرِ أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ فِي هَذِهِ “. قَالُوا : وَلَا الْجِهَادُ ؟ قَالَ : ” وَلَا الْجِهَادُ، إِلَّا رَجُلٌ خَرَجَ يُخَاطِرُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ فَلَمْ يَرْجِعْ بِشَيْءٍ “.

Prophet Muhammad” صلى الله عليه وسلم “said there is no work that could be better than any work to do during these ten days (the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah). And the Sahaaba asked the Prophet with surprise: Not even jihad? and the prophet said yes, “Not even jihad, unless a man goes out and risks his life and his money and does not return with anything.”

This hadith has indicated that these ten days are better than the rest of the days of the year, including the last ten days of Ramadan, without any exception. But the last ten nights of Ramadan are better than the ten nights of Dhu al-Hijjah because they include Laylat al-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months as insinuated in the tafseer of Ibn Kathir . 

A Muslim should begin the first ten days of dhul-hijjah with sincere repentance to Almighty Allah, and then he should multiply every good deed in general, especially the following deeds: 

1. Sawm (fasting):

It is Sunnah for a Muslim to fast the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah. The Prophet “صلى الله عليه وسلم” urged good deeds during the ten days, and fasting is one of the deeds. An authentic hadith narrated by Al-Nasa’i Abi-Dawud from Hunaida bin Khalid. The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم” used to fast the nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of Ashura, and three days of every month. That is the first Monday and the two Thursdays of a month.

2. A lot of “تكبيرات، تهليل، تحميد” (thanks, praise, and glorification):

as part of the Sunnah, it is to be done loudly even in mosques, homes, roads, and every place where it is permissible to mention Allah; doing so serves as a manifestation of worship and a declaration of the glorification to Almighty Allah. Men are supposed to do it openly, and women are supposed to do it hidden. Almighty Allah said: 

{ لِّيَشۡهَدُواْ مَنَٰفِعَ لَهُمۡ وَيَذۡكُرُواْ ٱسۡمَ ٱللَّهِ فِيٓ أَيَّامٖ مَّعۡلُومَٰتٍ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّنۢ بَهِيمَةِ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِۖ فَكُلُواْ مِنۡهَا وَأَطۡعِمُواْ ٱلۡبَآئِسَ ٱلۡفَقِيرَ }

[Surah Al-Ḥajj: 28]

“That they may witness [i.e., attend] benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known [i.e., specific] days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor. 

Ibn Abbas, may Almighty Allah be pleased with him, has explained that the known days in the verse are the ten days of dhul-hijjah.

3. Performing Hajj and Umrah:

One of the best things to do in these ten days is Hajj to the Sacred House of Almighty Allah. Whoever Almighty Allah grants him success in performing Hajj in his house and performs his rituals in the required manner will definitely have a share. It is the words of the Prophet Muhammad: صلى الله عليه وسلم”The accepted Hajj has no reward except heaven.

4. Adhiya (Sacrifice):

One of the good deeds in these ten days is to draw closer to Almighty Allah by slaughtering sacrifices, asking for them, approving them, and giving money for the sake of Almighty Allah. Let us hasten to take advantage of those virtuous days, before the negligent person regrets what he did and before he asks for a return and does not receive an answer to what he asked. 

May Almighty Allah grant us the best.