Why Are The 10 Days Of Dhul Hijjah Extremely Special?

1. Allah (ʿazza wa jall) honoured these days by taking an oath by them.

Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) says: “By the Daybreak, and by 10 Nights.” (89:1-2)

According to the majority of the scholars, these 10 nights refer to the 10 days of Dhul Ḥijjah. When Allah
swears an oath by something, it is an indication of its importance and benefit.

2. These are the best days of the year.

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “There are no better days in the sight of Allah than the 10 days of Dhul
Ḥijjah” (Ibn Ḥibbān).

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah
than these 10 days (the first 10 of Dhul Ḥijjah).” The (Ṣaḥābah radiy Allāhu ʿanhum) asked: “Not even
jihād in the path of Allah?” The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬replied: “Not even jihād in the path of Allah,
unless a man goes out himself for jihād taking his wealth with him and does not return with anything
from it.” (Tirmidhī)

The Scholars opine that the days of the first 10 days of Dhul Ḥijjah are superior to the last 10 days of
Ramaḍān. However, there is a night in Ramaḍān which is superior to all other nights (i.e. Laylat al-Qadr).

3. They comprise of the Day of Arafah.

One of the main reasons for these days being extremely special is that they comprise of the Day of
ʿArafah. The Day of ʿArafah is the greatest day of ḥajj: the day on which sins are forgiven, souls are
released from the Hell-fire, and duʿās are readily accepted.

This day is also special because it was the day Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā) bestowed upon us our
Ummah’s greatest gift: He perfected the religion of Islam and completed His favour upon us.
The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said, “There is no day wherein Allah sets free more slaves from Hell-fire than the day of
ʿArafah. Indeed, He draws near, and He then boasts about them to the angels and says: ‘What do these
(slaves of mine) want?’” (Muslim).

4. They comprise of the day of Nahr (sacrifice).

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “The greatest day in the sight of Allah is the day of Naḥr (10th of Dhul
Ḥijjah) and then the day of Qarr (11th of Dhul Ḥijjah).” (Abū Dāwūd)

The Day of Naḥr is the best day due to the various rites of ḥajj simultaneously occurring in it, such as the
pelting of the jamārāt, sacrificing the animal, shaving the head, ṭawāf, and saʿy. Similarly, non-pilgrims
gather for the Eīd ṣalāh, congratulate one another and perform qurbānī.

5. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬would fast these days.

One of the wives of the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬used to fast on the first
nine days of Dhul Ḥijjah; the day of ʿĀshūrā’ and three days of each month…” (Nasā’ī).

Ibn Ḥajar (raḥimahullāh) said the reason that these 10 days are so special is because all of the major acts
of worship occur in them, which doesn’t happen in other days: ṣalāh, fasting, charity and ḥajj. Although
it is possible to combine the first three deeds on an ordinary day, the great worship of ḥajj is restricted
to these blessed days.

Amass huge gains by seizing the opportunity of doing good in these great days (of Dhul Ḥijjah), for they
are irreplaceable and priceless. Be quick in doing good and hurry before death strikes; before the
transgressor will regret what he did, and beg to return to do good, but will be refused; before death
comes between the hopeful and his hopes; and before man is held hostage in his grave by the actions he
set forth. - Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh)

Whoever missed out on standing in ʿArafah, then let him stand for Allah and fulfil His rights which he is
aware of. Whoever is unable to spend the night in Muzdalifah, then let him be strongly determined to
obey Allah, as Allah has drawn him near. Whoever could not stay in the vicinity of Masjid al-Khayf (in
Mina), then let him stand for Allah with hope and fear. Whoever is unable to slaughter his sacrificial
offering in Mina, then let him slaughter his desires and reach his objective. And whoever was unable to
reach the House (Kaʿbah) due to its distance, then let him advance towards the Lord of the House - for
He is closer to the one who supplicates to Him and has hope in Him than his jugular vein. (Ibn Rajab
(raḥimahullāh))

Allahu Akbar: A Magnificent Phrase

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Allahu Akbar: A Magnificent Phrase

Throughout the days of Dhul Ḥijjah, we repeat ‘Allāhu Akbar’ (takbīr) in abundance. Allāhu Akbar is one
of the most magnificent phrases a human being can ever utter. Allāhu Akbar is a declaration of Allah’s
grandeur, and an affirmation of our submission to His majesty. We remind ourselves through Allāhu
Akbar that Allah is the greatest over everything: in His essence, in His power, in His honour, and in His
majesty. Allah is the King of kings unto whom everything is subservient.

Internalising ‫َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر‬

On uttering the phrase Allāhu Akbar, we are saying that Allah is greater than everything in our hearts. It
is not sufficient to simply say this phrase. We must also believe it. To be sincere in our utterance, we
cannot give greater importance to something or someone other than Allah in our hearts. He has to be
the One.

Each time we utter the phrase Allāhu Akbar, let us remind ourselves of the greatness of Allah and say:
Allah is Greater… He is greater than us, greater than our desires, greater than our loved ones, greater
than our hobbies, greater than the most powerful armies and empires, greater than everything. Each
time we utter the phrase Allāhu Akbar, let us renew our īmān in Him, and let us strengthen our bond
with Him.

As our knowledge of Allāhu Akbar deepens, our awe and fear of Allah should increase. Subsequently,
this should lead us to venerating Allah, loving Him, obeying Him, worshipping Him in the best manner,
turning towards Him with full dedication and trusting in Him alone.

A firm belief in the greatness of Allah should lead us to constantly remember, thank and praise Him with
our tongues. It should shake the body into humbling itself, feeling its own insignificance, and rushing to
worship Him.

Saying Allāhu Akbar with conviction should make us appreciate the greatness of our Creator. When we
remind ourselves of His greatness, our self-importance should disappear as we remember how weak
and insignificant we are. Saying Allāhu Akbar should safeguard us from pride as we will no longer think
of ourselves or what we possess as great.

One of the Best Forms of Dhikr

Allāhu Akbar is one of the best forms of remembering our Creator. It is a great act of worship. One of
the earliest commandments of Allah to His beloved ‫ ﷺ‬was: ‫ َوَر َّبَك َفَكِّبْر‬Proclaim the greatness of your
Lord! (74:3).

Elsewhere, Allah (ʿazza wa jall) says, ‫ َوَكِّبْرُه َتْكبيًر ا‬Proclaim His limitless greatness! (17:111).

ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) said, “The slave’s utterance of Allāhu Akbar is better than the
world and all that it contains.”

Allāhu Akbar is a phrase that has brought about wonders throughout the history of Islam. Allāhu Akbar is
the echo of the battlefield. By repeating it, the warriors in the path of Allah feel the honour, power and
closeness of Allah to them. They derive from Allāhu Akbar strength, steadfastness and sincerity. Allāhu
Akbar enables them to overcome their enemies, wipe out corruption, and bring arrogant tyrants to their
knees.
Allāhu Akbar is a tremendous phrase and a powerful source of protection. When shayṭān hears it, he
feels small and insignificant, and hastily retreats. Allāhu Akbar solves problems, removes stress and
eases worries. Allāhu Akbar cures illnesses and calms our fears. Whenever we feel overwhelmed or
utterly lost and confused, Allāhu Akbar reminds us: there is someone far greater and more powerful
than what we are experiencing. If we cling on to Allāhu Akbar, **Allah will never abandon us. **

A Phrase Repeated

Uttered in the ears of the newborn, Allāhu Akbar are the first words we hear as we enter this world.
Throughout our lives, we hear this phrase repeated. Two of the five pillars of our dīn centre around this
statement: ṣalāh and ḥajj. We are summoned to the masjid through the adhān, which begins with Allāhu
Akbar. The iqāmah begins with Allāhu Akbar. The ṣalāh is commenced with Allāhu Akbar. Throughout
ṣalāh, we move from one pillar to the next by uttering Allāhu Akbar. There is no phrase we are obligated
to utter more times in a day than Allāhu Akbar.

Al-ʿIzz b. ʿAbd al-Salām (raḥimahullāh) explained that ṣalāh begins with the takbīr, indicating the
grandeur of Allah, so that the slave knows who he is standing, sitting, bowing and prostrating in front of.
It reminds him to humble himself to the greatness of Allah.

Once the slave becomes mindful of the grandeur of Allah, he will uphold the internal and external
etiquettes of ṣalāh and purification, and he will become preoccupied with Allah alone. He will worship
Allah ‘as though he can see Him’. He writes, “Whoever worships Allah in such a way has exited from the
realms of the universe.” Subsequently, repeating Allāhu Akbar at each stage of ṣalāh helps us to renew
our awareness of His greatness. It reminds us to embody the humility and lowliness that each posture
requires.

Likewise, throughout the various rites of ḥajj and ʿumrah, Allāhu Akbar is constantly repeated. Similarly,
we have been instructed to say Allāhu Akbar when the new moon is seen, as part of the takbīrāt of the
two Eids, when starting a journey, when ascending (e.g. going up a hill, stairs, lifts), when slaughtering
an animal, upon receiving good news, and even when seeing something burning.

It is also an established practice to say Allāhu Akbar in large gatherings, during battles, on military
expeditions and upon achieving victory. This is to instil a sense of greatness of the action being
undertaken and evoke feelings of power and strength in those situations.
About the takbīr, Ibn Ḥajar (raḥimahullāh) writes, “It is a form of remembrance which has been
transmitted to us to say in every difficult and happy situation. It is said to thank Allah and disassociate
oneself from all that His enemies attribute to Him.”

Ibn Taymiyyah (raḥimahullāh) explained, “Takbīr has been legislated to be uttered on major occasions –
either due to the large crowds; or situations which consist of actions that are great in and of themselves;
or are situations that require strength etc. This is to highlight the fact that Allah is the Greatest. And no
matter how big and grand these occasions may be, the greatness of Allah overpowers the hearts of the
believers. The outcome of this is that the entire dīn is dedicated to Allah, and the slaves are constantly
glorifying Allah.”

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “No one ever utters ‫ اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل الّٰلُه‬nor ‫ َاللُه َأْكَبُر‬except that he is given
glad tidings.” It was asked, “O Messenger of Allah, glad tidings of Paradise?” He ‫ ﷺ‬replied, “Yes”
(Ṭabarānī).

What Should You Do in the 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah

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Why Are The 10 Days Of Dhul Hijjah Extremely Special?

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What Should You Do in the 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah

Here are 10 things you should do to earn the best possible rewards in these blessed days:
1. Perform abundant dhikr.

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “There are no days greater in the sight of Allah or in which good deeds
are more beloved to Him than these 10 days. So recite a great deal of tahlīl, takbīr and taḥmīd).”
(Aḥmad)

These words should be said in the Masjids, in the homes and in the streets. Men should proclaim them
loudly.

ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar and Abū Hurayrah (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) would go out in the marketplaces and
recite takbīr loudly in these 10 days. Upon hearing them, the people would follow in suit and recite
takbīr.

These should be recited loudly throughout the 13 days. Along with this, the takbīrāt of tashrīq are to be
recited audibly after each farḍ ṣalāh, starting from the Fajr of the 9th of Dhul Ḥijjah till the ʿAṣr of the
13th Dhul Ḥijjah.

"I came across people who would say the takbir in the 10 days of Dhul-Ḥijjah (so frequently and loudly)
that I would compare it to the crashing of waves." (Maymūn b. Mahrān (raḥimahullāh))

2. Fast, especially on the day of Arafah.

When the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬was asked about the fast of the day of ʿArafah, he said: “It wipes away
the (sins) of the past and upcoming year.” (Muslim)

One of the wives of the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬used to fast on the first
nine days of Dhul Ḥijjah; the day of ʿĀshūrā’ and three days of each month…” (Nasā’ī)

3. Be punctual with the prayers in congregation (jamaʿah) and aim to be there before the first takbir.

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “The reward of the prayer offered by a person in congregation is
twenty-five times greater than that of the prayer offered in one’s home or in the market (alone). This is
because if he performs wuḍū and does it perfectly, and then leaves for the Masjid with the sole
intention of praying; then for every step he takes, he is raised a level and his one sin is forgiven.
Once he has prayed, the angels continue to ask Allah to have mercy on him as long as he remains in his
place of prayer (by saying) ‘O Allah, bestow Your blessings upon him. O Allah, bestow Your mercy upon
him.’ You are considered to be in prayer as long as you are waiting for the prayer.” (Bukhārī)

4. Make duʿa, especially on the day of Arafah.

Allah says: “When My servants ask you about Me, truly I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he
calls on Me…” (2:186)

Pour out your heart to Allah and beg him earnestly.

5. Complete the Qur’an in these blessed days.

Make an intention of finishing at least one khatmah (completion) and ask Allah to help you with this.
Recite as much Qur’ān, with reflection (tadabbur), as you can in these days .

6. Perform the night prayer (tahajjud).

Aim to be punctual with the night prayers. If it is difficult to wake up, pray a few rakʿahs after ʿIshā’ with
the intention of tahajjud.

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “Whoever stands at night, having recited 10 verses, he will not be
recorded among the negligent. Whoever stands at night, having recited 100 verses, he will be recorded
among those who are obedient to Allah. And whoever stands at night, having recited 1,000 verses, he
will be recorded amongst those who receive huge rewards.” (Abū Dāwūd)

N.B. The 29th and 30th Juz combined contain more than 1,000 verses.

When Saʿīd b. Jubayr (raḥimahullāh), reached the first ten days of Dhul Ḥijjah, he would exert himself in
worship to the extent that he would almost overwhelm himself. He would say: ‘Do not put out your
lamps in these 10 nights.’
7. Give in charity and help anyone in need.

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “Whoever gives in charity something equivalent (even) to a date from
his honestly earned pure income – for only the pure ascends to Allah – then Allah accepts it with His
Right Hand, and then nurtures it for the person as one of you nurtures his baby horse, until it becomes
like a mountain.” (Bukhārī)

8. Stay away from sins and do abundant istighfar (seeking forgiveness) and tawbah (repentance).

Renew your repentance in these 10 days, and make a firm pledge to Allah to stop sinning, starting off
with these days.

Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh) said: “Beware of sins, because they deprive one from being forgiven in the
seasons of mercy. Whilst sins push the slave far away from Allah, acts of obedience draw him near to
Allah and His love.”

The severity of sins in virtuous times and places increases, and their punishment is proportionate to the
virtue of the time and place. (Ibn Taymiyyah (raḥimahullāh))

9. Send salawat upon the Messenger of Allah ‫ﷺ‬.

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “The closest of people to me on the Day of Judgement will be those
who send the most ṣalāh upon me.” (Tirmidhī)

10. Perform qurbani (udhiyah).

The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said: “There is nothing more beloved to Allah that a slave can do on the day of Naḥr
than spill blood (i.e. qurbānī). On the Day of Judgement, it will be brought forth with its horns, hair, and
hooves. Indeed, the blood will be accepted by Allah even before it spills on the ground, so whole-
heartedly delight in (performing the sacrifice).” (Tirmidhī)

The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said: “I used to forbid you to store the meat of the sacrificed animals for more than
three days so that there would be enough for everyone. But now Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has
bestowed plenty upon us, so eat some, give some in charity and store some. Indeed, these days are the
days of eating, drinking and remembering Allah.” (Nasā’ī)

N.B. If you plan on sacrificing an animal and you need to cut your hair or nails, then do so before the
start of the 10 days. The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “When the 10 days (of Dhul Ḥijjah) begin and one
of you intends to sacrifce, then he should not remove anything from his hair or nails until he has
performed the sacrifice.” (Muslim)

Some scholars explain that the wisdom behind not cutting one’s hair and nails is to resemble the
pilgrims of ḥajj in some way. Others consider that it constitutes part of the completion of the sacrificial
rite.

Amass huge gains by seizing the opportunity of doing good in these great days (of Dhul Ḥijjah), for they
are irreplaceable and priceless. Be quick in doing good and hurry before death strikes; before the
transgressor will regret his doing and beg to return to do good, but will be refused; before death comes
between the hopeful and his hopes; before man is held hostage in his grave by the actions he set forth.
(Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh))

The Days of Dhul Hijjah: To-Do List

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Allahu Akbar: A Magnificent Phrase

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The Days of Dhul Hijjah: To-Do List

Throughout these days, we should increase in general acts of worship (e.g. performing ṣalāh in
congregation, tahajjud, Qur’ān, duʿā’, general dhikr, istighfār, ṣalawāt, ṣadaqah etc). In addition to this,
the following are some specific actions for these days:

Day No. 1-8

Do dhikr in abundance, especially tahlīl ( ‫)اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل الّٰلُه‬, taḥmīd (‫)َاْلَح ْمُد ِلّٰلِه‬, and takbīr ( ‫ )َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر‬.

Recite takbīr in the homes, markets and streets.

Fast as many days as possible.

Day No. 9 (Day of ʿArafah)

Keep a fast.

Recite takbīr of Tashrīq* once after each farḍ ṣalāh, starting from Fajr ṣalāh.

Do dhikr in abundance and repeat frequently: ‫ َوُهَو‬،‫ وَلُه الحْمُد‬، ‫ َلُه اْلُمْلُك‬،‫اَل ِإٰلَه إَّال الّٰلُه َوْح دُه َال َش ِرْيَك َلُه‬
‫َعَلٰى ُكِّل َْش ٍء َقِدْيٌر‬-

Make duʿā’, especially for freedom from Hell.

Day No. 10 (Day of Eid)

Perform Eid ṣalāh, and carry out the sunnah's of Eid.

Perform qurbānī/uḍḥiyah and share it with others.

Spread joy.

Recite takbīr of Tashrīq* after each farḍ ṣalāh.

Do dhikr in abundance, especially tahlīl, taḥmīd and takbīr.

Days No. 11-13 (Days of Tashriq)

Recite takbīr of Tashrīq* after each farḍ ṣalāh until after ʿAṣr of the 13th.

Do dhikr in abundance, especially tahlīl, taḥmīd and takbīr.

‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬
‫َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر اَل ِإٰلَه إاَّل الّٰلُه َوالّٰلُه ْكَبُر َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر َوِلّٰلِه اْلَح ْمُد‬

If you plan on sacrificing an animal and you need to cut your hair or nails, then do so before the start of
the 10 days. The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “When the 10 days (of Dhul Ḥijjah) begin and one of you
intends to sacrifice, then he should not remove anything from his hair or nails until he has performed
the sacrifice” (Muslim). Some scholars explain that the wisdom behind not cutting one’s hair and nails is
to resemble the pilgrims of ḥajj in some way. Others consider it to be part of the completion of the
sacrificial rite.

Dhikr: The Hallmark Of The Days Of Dhul Hijjah

Just as the recitation of the Qur’ān is the hallmark of Ramaḍān, dhikr is the hallmark of the blessed days
of Dhul Ḥijjah. The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “There are no days greater in the sight of Allah, or in
which good deeds are more beloved to Him than these 10 days. So recite a great deal of tahlīl ( ‫اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل‬
‫َأ‬
‫)الّٰلُه‬, takbīr ( ‫ )َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر‬and taḥmīd (‫( ”)َاْلَح ْمُد ِلّٰلِه‬Aḥmad).

We should repeat takbīr in the masjids, in the homes and in the streets. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar and Abū
Hurayrah (radiy Allāhu ʿanhum) would go out in the marketplaces and recite takbīr loudly in these 10
days. Upon hearing them, the people would follow in suit and recite takbīr.

Along with this, the takbīrāt of tashrīq (‫)َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر اَل ِإٰلَه إاَّل الّٰلُه َوالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر َوللِه اْلَح ْمُد‬
are to be recited audibly after each farḍ ṣalāh by both men and women, starting from the Fajr of the 9th
of Dhul Ḥijjah till the ʿAṣr of the 13th Dhul Ḥijjah.
I came across people who would say the takbīr in the 10 days of Dhul-Ḥijjah (so frequently and loudly)
that I would compare it to the crashing of waves. - Maymūn b. Mahrān (raḥimahullāh)

In these blessed days, we should also be consistent with the daily dhikr prescribed by our beloved
Messenger of Allah ‫ﷺ‬, such as the morning and evening adhkār, the adhkār before sleeping and the
adhkār after ṣalāh.

To gain the full benefit of dhikr in these blessed days, it is important to understand the meaning of these
short yet comprehensive words. Let us utter them with a deep reflection on the Perfect Names and
Attributes of Allah, and His creation, so that we can increase our īmān in Him, and in our love and awe of
Him.

Ibn al-Jawzī (raḥimahullāh) writes, “The heedless one says ‫ ُسْبَح اَن الّٰلِه‬out of habit. As for the conscious
one, he is constantly thinking about the wonders of creation, or the awesome nature of the Creator, and
this thinking drives him to say ‫ُسْبَح اَن الّٰلِه‬.Thus this tasbīḥ is the fruit of these thoughts, and this is the
tasbīḥ of the conscious…”

Tahlīl (‫)اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل الّٰلُه‬

The greatest statement ever uttered, the foundation of faith and the cornerstone of existence itself ‫اَل‬
‫ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل الّٰلُه‬.

For it, the heavens and the earth were created. For it, thousands of messengers were sent. For it, the
final hour will occur, the creation will be gathered and questioned, and then driven either into Hell or
Paradise.

When uttered sincerely, it leaves the realms of this earth and ascends to the Magnificent Throne of
Allah. It is the guarantor of one’s ultimate success: its utterer will be saved from Hell, and will be
guaranteed Paradise and the intercession of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.

ُ‫ اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل الّٰلُه‬is the best form of remembering Allah (dhikr). It outweighs the seven heavens and the
seven earths. On the Day of Judgement, it will outweigh all sins on the Scale.
What Does ‫ اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل الّٰلُه‬Mean?

There is no god, deity or being which deserves to be worshipped and obeyed except Allah. It means to
be a slave of Allah alone, and not of any another being, ideology, object or desire.

With it, we profess Allah’s Lordship over all creation, and thereby His exclusive right to be worshipped
alone.

He Alone has the Most Perfect Names and Attributes. He is the King who has no partner, the One Who
has no competitor, the Self-Sufficient Master who has no offspring, and there is nothing like Him. He is
Unique; the First who was never preceded by non-existence and the Last who will never come to an end.

How Do We Internalise ‫?اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل الّٰلُه‬

To internalise ‫اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل الّٰلُه‬, we submit ourselves to Allah and worship Him alone. We fear none but Him
and love none as much as Him. We depend only on Him, seek protection only with Him and invoke Him
alone for help and forgiveness. We turn to Him alone for judgement in all matters. Our bowing,
prostration and unyielding obedience is solely reserved for Him.

Tasbih, Tahmid & Takbir

‫َأ‬
‫( ُسْبَح اَن الّٰلِه‬tasbīḥ),‫( َاْلَح ْمُد ِلّٰلِه‬taḥmīd), and ‫( َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر‬takbīr) are amongst the most beloved statements
to Allah.

Though easy to utter with our tongues, on the Day of Judgement, they will be heavy on the scales. They
wipe away sins and lead to unparalleled reward. They cultivate the trees and plants of Paradise, and are
a protection from the Hell-Fire. The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “Indeed what you remember of Allah’s
Glory (by uttering) tasbīḥ, takbīr, tahlīl and taḥmīd, gather around the Throne of Allah, buzzing like bees,
mentioning to Allah the person who uttered them. Do you not wish to have someone who mentions you
by Him?” (Ibn Mājah).

What Does ‫( ُسْبَح اَن الّٰلِه‬Tasbih) Mean?

‫ ُسْبَح اَن الّٰلِه‬means to glorify Allah above any imperfection or deficiency i.e. Allah is free from all defects.
Allah is the Most Glorified who has no partner or rival, who possesses every aspect of perfection, and
whose actions are pure and free from evil.

What Does ‫( َاْلَح ْمُد ِلّٰلِه‬Tahmid) mean?

‫ َاْلَح ْمُد ِلّٰلِه‬is an expression that encompasses both:

(1) Gratitude for what Allah has blessed us with; īmān, life, health etc.

(2) Praise: Allah is worthy of every possible praise on account of His very existence, His mercy, beauty,
generosity and all of His other noble Attributes and Names. All of His Attributes are perfect; be they of
His majesty (jalāl) or beauty (jamāl). Even if none of His slaves praised Him, He would still be worthy of
all praise.

In truth, it is Allah who praises Himself on the tongues of His slaves. Any slave who praises Him is only
able to do so following His permission for such praise.

Our praise of Him emanates from our love and reverence of Him. Our praise of Him is, in fact, a blessing
from Him which deserves even more praise. Even if we were to spend our entire life praising Him, this
would be insufficient. Whilst uttering ‫َاْلَح ْمُد ِلّٰلِه‬,we should reflect on the blessings of Allah and His
Perfect Names

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “When Allah grants a blessing to a slave, upon which the slave praises
Him, the praise of the slave is better than the blessing itself ” (Ibn Mājah).

What Does ‫( َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر‬Takbir) Mean?

‫َأ‬
‫ َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر‬means ‘Allah is Greater than…’ By not specifying what He is Greater than, we are saying that He
is Greater than everything. Allah is Greater than anything we can imagine, and His greatness
encompasses all things: He is Great in His Essence, His Names, His Attributes and His Actions. Allah is
Supreme and Transcendent above every limitation and deficiency that is inherent in created beings.
‫ُسْبَح اَن الّٰلِه‬:Negating all defects, flaws, and shortcomings from Allah. َ ‫ َاْلَح ْمُد ِلّٰلِه‬:Affirming all of the
attributes of perfection and majesty for Allah.

‫َأ‬
‫ َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر‬:Magnifying Allah and proclaiming His greatness above everything.

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “There is none who likes to be praised more than Allah does” (Bukhārī).

A Selection Of Takbirat

| ‫( َوِلُتَكِّبُر وا اللَه َعَلٰى َما َهَداُكْم‬So that you may glorify Allah for having guided you.) (22:37) | |---| | 1.
‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬
‫ َاللُه ْكَبُر َوِللِه اْلَح ْمُد‬، ‫ اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل اللُه َواللُه ْكَبُر‬، ‫( َاللُه ْكَبُر َاللُه ْكَبُر‬ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd (raḍiy
Allāhuʿanhu) | | 2. ‫ َاللُه َأْكَبُر َوَأَج ُّل َاللُه َأْكَبُر َعَلٰى َما َهَداَنا‬، ‫َاللُه َأْكَبُر َاللُه َأْكَبُر َاللُه َأْكَبُر َوِللِه اْلَح ْمُد‬
(ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) |

| 3. ‫ َاللُه َأْكَبُر َكِبْيًر ا‬، ‫( َاللُه َأْكَبُر َاللُه َأْكَبُر‬Salmān raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) | | 4. ‫ َاللُه َأْكَبُر‬، ‫َاللُه َأْكَبُر َاللُه َأْكَبُر‬
‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬
‫ َوِللِه اْلَح ْمُد‬، ‫( َكِبْيًر ا‬Saʿīd b. Jubayr (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) | | 5. ‫ اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل اللُه‬، ‫َاللُه ْكَبُر َاللُه ْكَبُر َاللُه ْكَبُر‬
‫ َوُهَو َعَلٰى ُكِّل َش ْي ٍء َقِدْيٌر‬،‫ َلُه اْلُمْلُك َوَلُه اْلَح ْمُد‬، ‫( َوْحَدُه اَل َش ِرْيَك َلُه‬ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar (radiy Allāhu
ʿanhumā) |

| 6. ‫( َاللُه َأْكَبُر َاللُه َأْكَبُر َاللُه َأْكَبُر‬Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (raḥimahullāh) |

These phrases were recited by our predecessors during these days.

Al-Kabir (The Most Great) & Al-Azim (The Magnificent)

Dhul Ḥijjah is a perfect opportunity to re-connect with the Names of Allah (ʿazza wa jall) which denote
His majesty and greatness.

Amongst these Names are: al-Kabīr, The Most Great, and al-Aẓīm, The Magnificent. Both of these Names
denote the greatness, majesty and grandeur of Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā). Allah is Greater than
anything we can imagine, and His greatness encompasses all things: He is Great in His Essence, His
Names, His Attributes and His Actions. Allah is Supreme and Perfect: free from every limitation and
deficiency that is inherent in created beings.

Allah is Great in His power, wisdom, knowledge and authority. There was nothing before Him, and there
is nothing after Him. Everyone will perish except Him. None can overpower or defeat Him.

How to Appreciate Allah’s Greatness

Our limited minds are unable to fully comprehend the greatness of Allah. However, we can attempt to
appreciate His Greatness by pondering over: (1) His creation, (2) and His words (the Qur’ān).

Allah (ʿazza wa jall) reminds us:

‫َما َلُكْم اَل َتْر ُج ْوَن ِلّٰلِه َوَقاًر ا‬

“What is the matter with you that you are not in awe of the Majesty of Allah?” (71:13).

In the subsequent verses, He says,

“When He truly created you in stages (of development). Do you not see how Allah created seven
heavens, one above the other, placing the moon within them as a light, and the sun as a lamp?” (71:14-
16).

Thus, to be in awe of His greatness, we should reflect on our own creation, and the creation of the
universe.

Reflecting on the beauty, harmony and the vastness of the earth, solar system and the heavens will help
us appreciate Allah’s greatness. Our awe of Him will further increase when we reflect on the fact that on
the Day of Judgement, the whole earth will be in a single grip of Allah’s Hand, and the heavens will be
rolled up in His Right Hand. Ibn ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) said, “The seven skies and earths are not
in the Hand of The Most Merciful, except like a mustard seed in one of your hands.”

While I was on my way to ḥajj, we were worried that the desert Bedouins might attack us. We therefore
took the route through Khaybar, upon which I saw huge mountains and natural pathways that blew my
mind, and increased my appreciation of Allah’s greatness in my heart. I sensed Allah’s greatness here
more than any other place. So, I rebuked myself: ‘Woe to you! (If this amazes you then) go to the sea
and contemplate its greatness. You will see greater wonders than this. Then go out and contemplate on
the universe, and you will realise that the universe, the skies and the planets are just like a tiny particle
in a desert. Then roam around the higher regions, and walk around the Throne and behold what is in the
heavens and hell. Then detach yourself from everything and direct your attention to Him! You will see
that all of that is within the grasp of the Almighty whose ability has no limits.’ - Ibn al-Jawzī
(raḥimahullāh)

The Greatest Creation

When we ponder on the greatness of Allah’s creation, such as the heavens, the earth, His Kursī and His
Majestic Throne, and then realise our own inability to comprehend them due to their greatness, we
should arrive at the most important realisation: how Great must their Creator be!

To understand His greatness, it helps to reflect on His greatest creation: His Throne (the ʿArsh of Allah).
The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “The seven heavens in comparison to the Kursī is nothing but like a ring
thrown in a desert; and the excellence of the Throne of Allāh over the Kursī is like the excellence of that
desert over that ring.” (Bayhaqī)

Imagine the Sahara Desert. The entire desert is the Kursī of Allah (ʿazza wa jall), while the size of the
heavens and the earth in proportion is equivalent to a ring thrown in this desert.

Now close your eyes, and let your mind ascend. Wander around this desert, which is now the Throne of
Allah (ʿazza wa jall), and remember that the Kursī in proportion is the size of a ring. Can you even
imagine the size of the Throne of Allah? It is mind-boggling.

If we cannot comprehend this, how can we then comprehend the greatness of Allah?

Mighty Angels

From amongst the creation of Allah that recognise His greatness, and revere Him as He deserves to be
revered, are His angels. Despite being given immense strength and being huge in size, angels constantly
praise Allah (ʿazza wa jall) and worship Him, and they never disobey Him. Yet, on the Day of Judgement,
they will look at Allah and say, “How Perfect are You! We did not worship You as You deserved to be
worshipped.”

Reflecting on how great the angels are will help us appreciate how great Allah, their Creator, is. Our
beloved Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬informed us about an angel who is so great that his feet are in the lowest earth and
his neck is under the Throne of Allah. Realising the greatness of Allah, he constantly repeats, “How
Perfect are You! How Magnificent are You, Our Lord!” (Ṭabarānī). Similarly, the best of angels, Jibrīl
(ʿalayhis-salām) was tasked with the most prestigious responsibility of transmitting the word of Allah
(ʿazza wa jall). He has 600 wings. If he was to unroll a pair of them, it would fill the space between the
sky and the earth. Despite his physical and spiritual greatness, the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬saw him on the Night of
Miʿrāj (ascension) looking like “a worn-out piece of cloth due to the fear of Allah” (Ṭabarānī). Jibrīl’s
knowledge of Allah’s majesty and greatness reduced him to this state.
Connect to Al-Kabir & Al-Azim

The following are some ways in which we can call upon and worship Allah with His Names al-Kabīr (The
Most Great) and al-Aẓīm (The Magnificent):

1. Humble yourself to His greatness, by affirming His Oneness, obeying Him, and fearing Him.

Let us fill our hearts with utmost respect and reverence for Allah. Let us feel awe in our hearts for Him,
and feel shy of disobeying Him. Let us humble our hearts to the truth and submit to the commands of
Allah and His Messenger ‫ﷺ‬, even if they appear ‘irrational’ to us.

2. Glorify Him by constantly reflecting on His creation.

Every day we repeat ‘ ‫(’َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر‬Allah is greater…!) and ‘‫( ُسْبَح اَن َر ِّبـَي اْلَعِظْيِم‬How perfect is my Lord,
The Magnificent!) over a hundred times in ṣalāh. Due to the repetition, we may say it mindlessly. Let us
constantly think of how great He is, and magnify Him with our tongues and our hearts simultaneously.

Go outside in nature and praise Allah with your tongue and heart. It will help you marvel at His
greatness. [Tip: Perform your morning and evening adhkār outside, especially on days when the skies
are clear and you can appreciate the beauty of Allah’s creation.]

3. Deem great what Allah has deemed ‘great’.

Let us magnify and revere Allah by honouring what He has honoured: occasions (e.g. Dhul Ḥijjah,
Ramaḍān), places (e.g. al-Masjid al-Ḥarām), actions (e.g. ṣalāh, qurbānī/uḍḥiyah) & speech (e.g.
recitation of the Qur’ān).

Instead of allowing society and our social media feeds to dictate to us how we should live and what we
should aspire to be, let us live by the standards that Allah has set for us. This will save us from misery,
anxiety and depression, as the only standards that can guarantee us success and peace are the ones
Allah, our Creator, has set for us. The ones set by humans are more often than not unrealistic, egotistic,
flawed, harmful, and constantly changing.

4. Humble yourself in your dealings with people.

There are some qualities of Allah that we should try to emulate in our dealings with others (e.g. love,
kindness, forgiveness). But there are others which are exclusive to Him such as majesty, pride and
grandeur. The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “Allah – Exalted and Mighty is He- said, ‘Grandeur (kibriyā) is
My cloak and Magnificence (ʿaẓamah) is My lower garment. Whoever competes with Me in regards to
either of them, I shall cast him into the Hell-fire’” (Abū Dāwūd).

Internalising that Allah is the Greatest, not us, should make us humble. When we make a mistake or hurt
someone, we should acknowledge it, apologise and make amends. Arrogance is thinking we are better
than others because of something we possess. When we think like this, we begin competing with Allah’s
grandeur, not realising that the blessings we possess are from Allah alone.

5. Ask Allah through His Names and be comforted.

Our beloved Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬would recite the following duʿā’ when he encountered a difficulty:

** ‫ اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل الّٰلُه َر ُّب الَّسٰمـٰوِت َوَر ُّب‬، ‫ اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل الّٰلُه َر ُّب اْلَعْر ِش اْلَعِظْيِم‬، ‫اَل ِإٰلَه ِإاَّل الّٰلُه اْلَعِظْيُم اْلَح ِلْيُم‬
‫ْل‬ ‫َأْل‬
‫ا ْر ِض َوَر ُّب ا َعْر ِش اْلَكِرْيِم‬

There is no god worthy of worship but Allah, the Magnificent, The Forbearing. There is no god worthy of
worship but Allah, Lord of the Magnificent Throne. There is no god worthy of worship but Allah, Lord of
the heavens, Lord of the earth, Lord of the Noble Throne. (Bukhārī)

Let us calm and soothe our hearts by reminding ourselves of how great Allah is, and by asking Him
through His Oneness in this beautiful duʿā’. Relying on Al-Aẓīm (The Magnificent) means any ‘big’
problem or enemy we encounter can be overcome, and feel ‘small’.

We ask Allah, The Magnificent, The Great, to allow us to appreciate and glorify Him as He deserves to be
appreciated and glorified. We ask Allah, The Supreme to cause our awe of Him to enable us to live by His
commands.
The Day of Arafah: The Ultimate Day of Mercy
The Day of ʿArafah (9th of Dhul Ḥijjah) is the best day of the year. It is the day on which sins are forgiven,
souls are released from the Hell-fire, and duʿās are readily accepted. This day is also special because it
was the day Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) bestowed upon our Ummah’s greatest gift: He perfected the
religion of Islam and completed His favour upon us.

ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated: ‘Once a Jew said to me: “O leader of the believers!
There is a verse in your (Holy) Book which you all read; had it been revealed to us Jews, we would have
taken that day (on which it was revealed) as a day of celebration.”’ ʿUmar (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) asked
him: “Which verse?” The Jew replied:

‫ٱْلَيْوَم َأْكَمْلُت َلُكْم ِديَنُكْم َوَأْتَمْمُت َعَلْيُكْم ِنْعَمِتى َوَر ِضيُت َلُكُم ٱِإْلْس َلٰـَم ِديًنا‬

“Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My blessing upon you, and chosen Islam as
your religion.” (5:3)

ʿUmar (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) replied: “No doubt, we know the day and the place when this verse was
revealed to the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. It was Friday and the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was standing at ʿArafah (i.e. the Day of
ḥajj)” (Bukhārī).

Fasting

When the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬was asked about the fast of the Day of ʿArafah, he said: “It wipes away
the (sins) of the past year and upcoming year” (Muslim).

If you have been unable to fast for the first eight days of Dhul Ḥijjah, ensure not to miss out on the
amazing reward of fasting on this special day.
Freedom from Hell-fire

The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said: “There is no day in which Allah sets free more slaves from Hell-fire than the Day of
ʿArafah. Indeed, He draws near, and He then boasts about them to the angels and says: ‘What do these
(slaves of mine) want?’” (Muslim)

On this day, Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) frees a huge number of His servants from the Hell-fire. This is
Shayṭān’s worst day in the year. In just a few hours, years of Shayṭān’s efforts to mislead man come to
naught. What enrages him even more is that not only does Allah free the pilgrims from the Hell-fire, but
He frees the non-pilgrims too.

Allah frees from the Fire even those who are not physically in ʿArafāt, therefore the next day is ʿEīd and a
celebration for the pilgrims and non-pilgrims alike".(Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh)

ʿAbdullāh b. al-Mubārak (raḥimahullāh) approached Sufyān al-Thawrī on the evening of ʿArafah. Sufyān
al-Thawrī (raḥimahullāh) was sitting on his knees and weeping bitterly. ʿAbdullāh b. al-Mubārak
(raḥimahullāh) asked him: “Who is in the worst situation amongst these masses?” He replied: “The one
who thinks that Allah will not forgive him.”

Ḥakīm b. Ḥizām (raḥimahullāh) would stand in ʿArafah with 100 camels and 100 slaves. He would then
free the slaves for the sake of Allah. The people would then start crying loudly, saying: “O Allah! Your
slave freed his slaves, and we too are Your slaves, so free us (from the Hellfire).”

The Day of Duʿa

The best action on this great day is duʿā’. The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “The best duʿā’ is the duʿā’ of
the Day of ʿArafah. The best of what I and the Prophets before me have said is:

‫ َوُهَو َعَلٰى ُكِّل َْش ٍء َقِدْيٌر‬،‫ وَلُه الحْمُد‬، ‫ َلُه اْلُمْلُك‬،‫اَل ِإٰلَه إَّال الّٰلُه َوْح دُه َال َش ِرْيَك َلُه‬

There is no god worthy of worship but Allah. He is Alone and He has no partner whatsoever. To Him
Alone belong all sovereignty and all praise. He is over all things All-Powerful” (Tirmidhī).
We see an astounding spectacle of duʿā’ in the Farewell Ḥajj of our beloved Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. After years of
struggle in conveying the message of his Lord, the whole of the Arabian Peninsula comes under his
control and finally accepts his message. Yet, gathered on the plains of ʿArafah, at his highest point of
victory, we do not witness parades or displays of pomp.

Rather we witness nothing but humility and turning to Allah in desperate need.

Despite being over sixty years of age, undertaking a long journey from Madinah to Makkah, and being
responsible for huge crowds, none of it comes in the way of worshipping His Beloved (ʿazza wa jall).

He delivers a moving and powerful sermon, and then leads his Companions (radiy Allāhu ʿanhum) in
prayer, combining Ẓuhr and ʿAṣr. Everyone is looking at him. He moves towards the Mountain of Mercy,
faces the qiblah and thereafter occupies himself in earnest duʿā’ until Maghrib. He spends approximately
six hours in continuous duʿā’. He is so focused on making duʿā’ that even when the rein of his camel falls
down, he grasps it with only one hand, and leaves his other hand raised towards the sky. How strong
was his connection with His Lord!

It is incredible to think that a man, to whom Allah had already given glad tidings of forgiveness, raises his
blessed arms to the sky, and cries out:

“O Allah, You hear my speech…I am the desperate and needy one, the one who is seeking Your help and
protection, fearful and scared, one who confesses and acknowledges his sins. I beg You – the begging of
a destitute; I humbly implore You – the imploring of a humiliated sinner. I invoke You – the invoking of
the fearful afflicted person, whose neck is bowed down before You, whose eyes have overflowed with
tears for You, whose body is humbled before You, and who has completely lowered Himself to You…”
(Ṭabarānī).

Experience the Sweetness of Duʿa

The secret of making duʿā’ is to display an utter need of Allah, expressing utmost humility, desperation
and dependence. Go to Allah as a humble beggar, lengthen your duʿā’ and have firm conviction that
Allah will accept it. Persist and beg Allah in your duʿā’. Keep asking and do not tire of repeating the same
duʿā’. Do not lose hope in your duʿā’ being accepted. Allah may be delaying the fulfilment of your
request, as He loves to hear your voice and your sincere pleas. He may delay the fulfilment of your duʿās
for reasons unknown to you at this moment, but which contain much good for you in the future.

Cut yourself off from the world and its distractions on this special day, and let your soul ascend up to the
heavens. Experience the sweetness of intimately conversing with Allah (ʿazza wa jall), humbling yourself
to Him and crying to Him. Turn to Him with sincerity and beg Him to forgive you.

If you are able to seclude yourself (in worship) towards the latter part of the Day of ʿArafah, then do so! -
ʿAṭā’ (raḥimahullāh)

Imām al-Nawawī (raḥimahullāh) wrote: “It is mustaḥabb to perform dhikr and duʿā’ in abundance, and
to exert oneself in this. This is the best day of the year for duʿā’…It is essential that one devotes every
effort to doing dhikr, making duʿā’, reciting Qur’ān, supplicating with various supplications and
performing a variety of adhkār... He should make duʿā’ for himself, his parents, his relatives, his
teachers, his companions, friends and loved ones, all those who have done good to him, and all the
Muslims. He should be extremely careful not to neglect any of these, because he will not be able to
make amends for it, unlike other acts.”

One of the pious predecessors said: “I have been making duʿā’ on the Day of ʿArafah for the last 50
years, and not a year passes by except that I see them (answered) as clearly as the light of the morning.”

"I came across people who would conceal their needs until the Day of ‘Arafah, so that they could ask
Allah for them (on this day)." (al-Awzāʿī (raḥimahullāh))

Try to precede your duʿā’ with a good deed (e.g. by giving charity or visiting the sick). Go to Allah as a
humble beggar, lengthen your duʿā’ and have firm conviction that Allah will accept it.

As this day comes only once a year, we should switch off our phones, take the day off from work (if
possible), and spend as much time as we can in duʿā’. If we find it difficult to make duʿā’ for such a long
duration, we can alternate between making our own duʿā’, reading from a duʿā’ book, listening to a
duʿā’; or switching to another act of worship (e.g. recitation of the Qur’ān), and coming back to making
duʿā’.
Sufyān b. ʿUyaynah (raḥimahullāh) was fortunate to perform ḥajj 70 times. Each year in ʿArafah, he
would longingly and lovingly plead to Allah: “O Allah! Do not let this be the last time with you (in
ʿArafah)!” In the year which he passed away, he did not supplicate with this duʿā’. When he was asked
about this, he said: “I felt shy of Allah, the Exalted.”

I struggle to make duʿā’ for more than 5 minutes.

If you have ever felt like this, you may find the following tips useful:

Spend a long-time praising Allah at the start of your duʿā’and during it.

Send abundant salutations on our beloved Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬.

Ask Allah with the duʿās from the Qur’ān and Sunnah. Have a book/print-out ready. (See the book ‘I Am
Near’/‘Dhikr & Dua’ App by LWA, for a collection of duʿās).

Write down a list of duʿās beforehand.

Keep repeating certain duʿās. E.g. Don’t just ask Allah for Paradise once. Keep asking Him, and keep
coming back to it.

Make duʿā’ for people by their names. Abu al-Dardā’ (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) said, “Indeed I make duʿā’for
thirty of my brothers whilst I am in sujūd, with their names and their fathers’ names.”

Make duʿā’ for the Ummah.

Learn the deeper meanings of and reflect on the Qur’ānic and Prophetic duʿās to learn how to make
duʿā’.

Uphold the etiquettes of duʿā’.

THE OPTIMAL GUIDE FOR MAKING DUʿA

Make your heart present and completely focus on Allah.

Choose a time in which du‘ā’ is readily accepted.

Perform wuḍū, face the qiblah and raise your hands.

Humble yourself and submit to Allah.

Start by praising Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā)

Send ṣalawāt upon the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬

Repent for your sins and ask for forgiveness.

Ask with persistence, love and fear.

Ask Allah through His Oneness and Names.

Give ṣadaqah before making duʿā’.

(Adapted from al-Jawāb al-Kāfī by Ibn al-Qayyim raḥimahullāh)

Action items for the Day of Arafah

Set apart this day for the worship of Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā). Ensure all your ʿEīd preparations are
done beforehand, leaving the day free for worship. Do not waste this day in elaborate ʿEīd preparations
and miss out on one of the most important days in the entire year.

In addition to the obligatory and voluntary good deeds, the following are specific actions for the Day of
ʿArafah:

1. Fast on this day.

2. After each farḍ ṣalāh and generally throughout the day, recite the takbīrāt of tashrīq:

‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬

‫َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر اَل ِإٰلَه إاَّل الّٰلُه َوالّٰلُه ْكَبُر َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر َوللِه اْلَح ْمُد‬

3. Keep repeating with reflection:

‫ َوُهَو َعَلٰى ُكِّل َْش ٍء َقِدْيٌر‬،‫ وَلُه الحْمُد‬، ‫ َلُه اْلُمْلُك‬،‫اَل ِإٰلَه إَّال الّٰلُه َوْح دُه َال َش ِرْيَك َلُه‬

There is no god worthy of worship but Allah. He is Alone and He has no partner whatsoever. To Him
Alone belong all sovereignty and all praise. He is over all things All Powerful” (Tirmidhī).
4. Make lots of duʿā’, particularly between ʿAṣr and Maghrib..

5. Seek forgiveness and protection from Hell-fire.

From His mercy, Allah placed the Night of Qadr at the end of Ramaḍān; the best days of the year at the
end of the year (Dhul Ḥijjah); and the Day of ʿArafah at the end of these best days, to give us a chance to
make up for our shortcomings. Let us make the most of this day.

The Days of Tashriq

What are Days of Tashriq?

The three days following ʿEīd al-Aḍḥā are the Days of Tashrīq (the 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul Ḥijjah).
Allah describes these days as ‘the Appointed or Numbered Days’: “Remember Allah during the
Appointed/Numbered Days.” (2:203)

They are also known as the ‘Days of Mina’ as pilgrims reside in Mina during these days.

These days are included among the days of ʿEīd and are from the greatest days of the year. The
Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “The greatest day in the sight of Allah is the Day of Naḥr (10th of Dhul
Ḥijjah) and then the day of Qarr (11th of Dhul Ḥijjah).” (Abū Dāwūd)

The 11th is known as the Day of Qarr because the pilgrims reside in Mina for worship (qarra means to
reside), whilst Naḥr is in reference to the slaughtering of the animal.
These three days are specified for glorifying Allah, and pelting the jamarāt for those in ḥajj.

Why are they called the Days of Tashriq?

The word ‘tashrīq’ takes its name, according to the most common view, from a process used to preserve
meat. Prior to the advent of the refrigeration system, the pilgrims would cut up the qurbānī meat,
season it and then let it dry in the sun. This process allowed them to preserve the meat for future
consumption and take it with them on their journey home.

Days of Eating and Drinking

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “The Days of Tashrīq are the days of eating, drinking and the
remembrance of Allah.” (Muslim)

The above ḥadīth indicates that eating and drinking during the days of Eid should help us to remember
Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) and obey Him.

He ‫ ﷺ‬also said: “The Day of ʿArafah (9th Dhul Ḥijjah), the Day of Naḥr (10th Dhul Ḥijjah) and the Days of
Tashrīq (11th, 12th, 13th Dhul Ḥijjah) are our ʿEīd, the people of Islam, and they are days of eating and
drinking.” (Nasā’ī).

Prohibition of Fasting

As the Days of Tashrīq are days of celebration for the believers, fasting is prohibited during these days.
The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “Do not fast in these days for they are the days of eating, drinking and
remembrance of Allah.” (Aḥmad)

The wisdom behind the prohibition of fasting and the command of eating and drinking is noteworthy.
After the pilgrims endure difficulty and hardship during the days of ḥajj, Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā)
hosts and prepares days of rest and happiness for them. Similarly, non-pilgrims also join them in this
celebration after going out of their way during the blessed 10 days of Dhul Ḥijjah to fast, perform
qurbānī, abundantly remember Allah and seek His forgiveness.
Hence, all the believers become guests of the Almighty, and it is not befitting of a host to allow his
guests to starve. It is similar to the happiness which believers experience on ʿEīd al-Fiṭr after fasting the
entire month of Ramaḍān.

The journey of ḥajj symbolises the journey of life. Pilgrims enter a state of sanctity (iḥrām) whereby they
are prohibited from certain activities. In the same way, a believer is prohibited from pursuing his desires
and transgressing the limits set by Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā).

Just as a pilgrim exercises patience and is then hosted by Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) during his stay in
Mina, a true believer will likewise tolerate the trials of this world and then enjoy everlasting happiness in
the Hereafter. It will be said to the residents of Paradise,

“Eat and drink in satisfaction, for what you have formerly done in the days gone by.” (68:24)

Remember Allah in the Days of Tashriq

There is special importance given to the remembrance of Allah before, during and after the Days of
Tashrīq. As the Days of Tashrīq mark the end to a great season of worship (ḥajj, qurbānī and other good
deeds in the 10 days of Dhul Ḥijjah), an apt way of completing these rites is with the remembrance of
Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā).

The deeper meaning of the command to remember Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) after the completion of
the various rites is that whilst other actions may come to an end, the remembrance of Allah continues
for the believers in this life and the hereafter.

In many instances, Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) has implied that the remembrance of Allah is something
continuous unlike other acts of worship. Regarding ṣalāh, Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) says:
“So when you have concluded the ṣalāh, then remember Allah, while standing, or sitting, or [lying] on
your sides.” (4:103)

Similarly, with respect to jumuʿah ṣalāh, the same message of remembrance is echoed:

“When the ṣalāh is concluded, then [you may freely spread throughout the land and seek the bounty of
Allah. Yet remember Allah much so that you may be successful.” (62:10)

Upon completion of the rites of ḥajj, the command of remembrance is reiterated once again:

“When you have concluded your rites [of ḥajj], then remember Allah, like your [past] remembrance of
your forefathers - or with even more remembrance” (2:200).

Once the battle ends and the believer reaches safety, the remembrance of Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā)
is advised again:

“Then when you are safe again, remember Allah as it is He who has taught you what you did not know.”
(2:239)

Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (raḥimahullāh) said: ‘Allah commanded him to exert effort in duʿā’ and worship after
finishing from the battlefield. All actions come to an end. However, the remembrance of Allah has no
end. All actions come to an end with the ending of this life and nothing of it remains in the hereafter. As
for the remembrance of Allah, it endures into the hereafter. The believer lives upon the remembrance
of Allah, dies upon it and will be resurrected upon it.’

Make the most of these moments as they have greater virtue. Ibn Hajar (raḥimahullāh) said: “The secret
for worship being more virtuous (in these days) than others is that worship in times of negligence is
more virtuous than other times. The Days of Tashrīq are generally days of negligence so worship in these
days will hold more virtue for the worshipper than other times. This is similar to the one who stands at
night while most are sleeping.”
Prescribed Methods for Remembering Allah

Remembering Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) has been prescribed through various methods during the
Days of Tashrīq:

1. Remembering Allah after the fard salah with the takbirat of tashriq:

‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬ ‫َأ‬

‫َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر اَل ِإٰلَه إاَّل الّٰلُه َوالّٰلُه ْكَبُر َالّٰلُه ْكَبُر َوللِه اْلَح ْمُد‬

“Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest. There is no god worthy of worship but Allah and Allah is the
Greatest. Allah is the Greatest and all praise is for Allah alone.”

The above takbīrāt are to be read audibly after each farḍ ṣalāh, starting from the Fajr of the 9th of Dhul
Ḥijjah till the ʿAṣr of the 13th Dhul Ḥijjah.

ʿIkrimah (raḥimahullāh) says that the verse which instructs remembering Allah during the Days of
Tashrīq refers to remembering Allah after the farḍ ṣalāh.

The wisdom of repeating the takbirāt after every fard ṣalāh with fervent passion is to allow the
greatness of Allah to become entrenched in the hearts of all Muslims. It is a reminder that it is only Allah
(subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) who is deserving of complete servitude and obedience.

When uttering the takbirāt, this reality should be embedded in our hearts and minds.

2. Mentioning the name of Allah whilst slaughtering the animal.

We remember Allah by saying ‫ َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر‬when slaughtering the animal of qurbānī.

3. Remembering Allah by saying takbir when pelting the jamarat during the Days of Tashriq.

We remember Allah by saying takbīr ( ‫ )َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر‬when pelting the jamarāt during the Days of Tashrīq. This
is specifically for those performing ḥajj.

4. Remembering Allah generally.

It is recommended that one remembers Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) considerably more in the Days of
Tashrīq. ʿUmar b. Khaṭṭāb (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) used to say the takbīr in Mina. The people on hearing him
would similarly say the takbīr which would result in the valley of Mina echoing with takbīr.

“Ibn ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) would utter the following takbīr during the Days of ʿEīd and Tashrīq:
‫ َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر َعَلى َما َهَداَنا‬، ‫ َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر َوَأَج ُّل‬، ‫ َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر َكِبْيرًا‬، ‫َالّٰلُه َأْكَبُر َكِبْيرًا‬

Allah is the Most Great indeed, Allah is the Most Great indeed, Allah is the Greatest and Exalted, Allah is
the Greatest for that [to] which He has guided us.” (Bayhaqī)

A Special Supplication for the Days of Tashriq

Many of the pious predecessors would prefer to say the following supplication in abundance throughout
the days of Tashrīq:

‫َر َّبَنا آِتَنا ِفي الُّدْنَيا َحَس َنًة َوِفي اآْل ِخ َر ِة َحَس َنًة َوِقَنا َعَذاَب الَّناِر‬

“Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the torment of the
Fire” (2:201).

ʿIkrimah (raḥimahullāh) said, “It is preferred that one says this supplication during the Days of Tashrīq.”
(Adapted and excerpted from Laṭā’if al-Ma’ārif)

Thank Allah for these Blessed Days

“The Days of Tashrīq combine both blessings of the body and the heart for the believers: the blessings of
the body through eating and drinking, and the blessings of the heart through dhikr and gratitude. This is
a completion of all blessings. Furthermore, whenever they thank Allah for a blessing, their gratitude in
itself is another blessing; and this requires further gratitude. And gratitude never ends.” (Ibn Rajab
(raḥimahullāh))

The Best Days Come to An End

As the best days of the year come to an end, conclude this season of worship with:

1. Istighfar. Like all other acts of worship, ask Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) to forgive your shortcomings
and sins. Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh) wrote: “lstighfār (seeking forgiveness) is the seal of all righteous acts:
ṣalāh, ḥajj, and the night prayer are concluded with it, and gatherings are concluded with it...”

2. Gratitude. Thank Allah for giving you this beautiful season of worship.

3. Hope and fear. Do not be deceived by your acts of worship. Have hope in Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā)
that He will accept it from you, and at the same time feel scared that your acts of worship will not be
accepted.

“l witnessed the predecessors exerting their utmost efforts in performing righteous deeds, but upon
performing them, anxiety would befall them as to whether their deeds would be accepted or not.” (ʿAbd
al-Azīz b. Abī Rawwād (raḥimahullāh)
Actions to Attain the Reward of Hajj
How many times have you performed ḥajj?

How many times would you have liked to perform ḥajj?

Although nothing compares to physically performing ḥajj, Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) from His kindness
and sheer generosity has provided us with the opportunity to receive the reward of ḥajj without actually
performing it.

“Allah has placed the love and longing in His slaves’ hearts to visit His Sacred House, and yet not
everyone is capable of doing so every year. Therefore, He made the ḥajj obligatory once in a lifetime for
the one who is able, and He made the season (the 10 days of Dhul Ḥijjah) for everybody: those travelling
to His House and those remaining behind at home. Thus, whoever is unable to perform ḥajj can still
perform acts of worship in these 10 days, the reward of which is greater than the reward of jihād; and
the reward of jihad is greater than the reward of ḥajj.” - Thus, whoever is unable to perform ḥajj can still
perform acts of worship in these 10 days, the reward of which is greater than the reward of jihād; and
the reward of jihad is greater than the reward of ḥajj.” - Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh)

Even though we cannot visit His Sacred House and be physically present in the inimitable atmosphere of
ʿArafah and ḥajj, we can still hope to obtain similar rewards inshā’Allah by performing the following
actions:

1. Fajr in congregation, dhikr until sunrise followed by two rakahs

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “Whoever offers Fajr in congregation and remains seated, engaging in
the remembrance of Allah until the sun has risen, and then offers two rakʿahs, he will have a reward
equal to that of performing ḥajj and ʿumrah.” He ‫ ﷺ‬said: “Complete, complete, complete (i.e. complete
reward).” (Tirmidhī)

The scholars have also stated that this reward is equally applicable to a woman (praying at home) who
sits in the place where she performs Fajr and remembers Allah or recites the Qur’ān until sunrise.

2. Salah in congregation

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “Whoever leaves his house having purified himself for the compulsory
prayer, his reward is like the reward of the pilgrim in iḥrām…” (Abū Dāwūd).

3. Going to the Masjid to learn or teach

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “Whoever goes to the Masjid, only intending to learn some good or
teach it, he will have the reward of a complete ḥajj” (Ṭabarānī).

In the past, people would travel far and wide to seek knowledge. Now, even though we have scholars
and classes on our doorsteps, we struggle to devote time to attending lectures and classes in the Masjid.
Let us change this by seeking knowledge in the Houses of Allah.

4. Financing someone’s hajj

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “Whoever equips a warrior, or finances a pilgrim or takes care of his
family in his absence, or provides ifṭār for the fasting person, he will have the same reward as them,
without their reward being diminished at all.” (Ibn Khuzaymah)

5. Tasbih, tahmid and takbir after salah

Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated: Some poor people came to the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and they said:
“The wealthy have taken the higher ranks and permanent bliss: they pray like we pray, they fast like we
fast; but they have more money through which they perform ḥajj, ʿumrah, jihād and charity.”

He ‫ ﷺ‬said: “Shall I not inform you of a matter which if you hold on to, you will catch up with those who
have outdone you; and nobody after you will be able to catch up with you, and you would be the best of
those amongst the people around you – except for the one who does the same as you: say Subḥanallāh,
Alḥamdulillāh and Allāhu Akbar thirty-three times after each ṣalāh.” (Bukhārī)

Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) wrote: “Thus, he (ʿazza wa jall) made dhikr a substitution for the ḥajj,
ʿumrah and jihād they had missed out on; and informed them that they would surpass them with this
dhikr.”

6. Umrah in Ramadan

The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “…Inform her that (performing ʿumrah in Ramaḍān) is equivalent to
performing ḥajj with me.” (Abū Dāwūd)

7. A genuine intention to perform hajj

Make a genuine intention in your heart that if Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) gave you the means, you
would travel to His House and perform ḥajj. If Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) sees that your intention is
sincere, He will grant you the reward of a complete ḥajj.

This is similar to what the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said about the companions (radiy Allāhū ‘anhum) who were
unable to join them in the Battle of Tabūk: “Indeed there are some people in Madīnah: you did not
travel any portion of the journey nor did you cross any valley except that they were with you.” The
companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah, whilst they are in Madīnah?” He replied: “Whilst they are in
Madīnah. A (genuine) excuse held them back.” (Bukhārī)

Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh) explains that those who remain behind due to a valid excuse partake in the
reward of those who perform the journey:

‫يا راحلين إلى البيت العتيق لقد سرتم جسوما وسرنا نحن أرواحا‬

‫إنا أقمنا على عذر وقد رحلوا ومن أقام على عذر كمن راحا‬
“O you who are journeying to the Ancient House, You have journeyed with your bodies and we have
journeyed with our souls. We have remained behind due to an excuse, and they have gone; And
whoever remains behind due to an excuse is like the one who has gone.”

Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh) goes on to say that whilst some of Allah’s servants physically travel to His
house, there are some servants who travel to Allah with their hearts. These individuals may surpass the
ones physically travelling to His House, due to their sincerity and determination.

Note: These acts do not absolve one from the farḍ ḥajj, nor are they entirely equal to physically
performing ḥajj. The reward for physically doing an act (e.g. ḥajj) is multiplied ten times and more in
accordance to the sincerity, time, sacrifice, costs and other deeds that accompany it.

May Allah (ʿazza wa jall) make us from those who always long, mentally and spiritually, to visit His Sacred
House. May we never be deprived from the mercy that surrounds it. And may our actions be a means of
securing the same rewards as the fortunate pilgrims.

The Best Days Come to An End

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