A chance to do something good.
All praise and thanks belong to Allah, the Lord of all the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon His Final Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad, his family, his Companions and all those who follow him until the Day of Judgement.
Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
The month of Dhu’l-Hijjah is upon us; the month of the Hajj. For those of us not performing the pilgrimage this year, there are many ways in which we can remember Allah, ta’ala, follow the sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, and thereby perform good and noble deeds.
1. Fast the first nine days (of Dhu’l-Hijjah)... The Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said: “There are no days in which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” They said: O Messenger of Allah, not even jihad for the sake of Allah? The Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said: “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah, unless a man goes out with his self and his wealth and comes back with neither.” [al-Bukhari & at-Tirmidhi]
2. Fast the Day of ‘Arafah – which is the 9th day of Dhu’l-Hijjah... Allah’s Messenger, sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said (of fasting the day of ‘Arafah): “It is an expiation for the sins of the preceding year and the current year.” [Muslim]
3. Make Takbeer from the 1st to the 13th of the month (of Dhu’l-Hijjah)... Allah says:
“That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade), and mention the Name of Allah on appointed days” [Qur’an 22:28]
“And remember Allah during the appointed Days” [Qur’an 2:203]
The Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said: “The days of Tashreeq are the days of eating, drinking and remembering Allah.” [Muslim].
Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to go out to the market-place on the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, reciting Takbeer, and the people used to recite Takbeer because of their Takbeer. [Bukhari]
Umar ibn al-Khattaab and his son ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to recite Takbeer during the days of Mina in the mosque and in the camps, and they would raise their voices until Mina echoed with their Takbeer.
4. Recite Takbeer after each of the 5 daily prayers from Fajr on the Day of ‘Arafah until ‘Asr on the 13th... The Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, and a group of the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to recite Takbeer following each of the five prayers from Fajr on the day of ‘Arafah until ‘Asr on the thirteenth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah.
In al-Musnad it is narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said: “There are no days on which good deeds are greater or more beloved to Allah than on these ten days, so recite much Tahleel (saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah), Takbeer (saying Allaahu akbar) and Tahmeed (saying al-hamdu Lillaah).”
Men should recite out loud and women should recite quietly.
The takbeer is as follows:
“Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaah il-hamd (Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god but Allah; Allah is Most Great and to Allah be praise)”. [The Allaahu akbar may be recited two or three times].
5. Offer a sacrifice... ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam stayed in Madinah for ten years, offering sacrifice (every year on Eid).” [Ahmad; at-Tirmidhi; and classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 1475].
And once you have made your intention to sacrifice refrain from cutting hair and nails...Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said the Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said: “When you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah – according to another version, When the ten days (of Dhu’l-Hijjah) begin – and any one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him refrain (from cutting) his hair and nails.” [Ahmad & Muslim]. According to another version, “Let him not remove anything from his hair and nails until he has offered the sacrifice.” And according to yet another version, “He should not touch his hair or skin.”
6. Make Tawbah...Abu Hurairah may Allah be pleased with him said that the Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said: "Verily Allah has a sense of 'Ghayrah' (honour, prestige and anger over its violation), and Allah's sense of Ghayrah is provoked when a person does that which Allah has made prohibited." [Bukhari & Muslim].
Reviving Sunnahs that have been forgotten brings a great deal of reward, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam: “Whoever revives one of my Sunnahs that has died out after I am gone, will have a reward like that of everyone who does it, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest.” [at-Tirmidhi (hasan because of corroborating reports].
Let us hasten to make the most of these great days, before the negligent regrets what he did, and before he asks to go back and receives no response.
It seems Eid will fall on Friday this year inshAllah and so here is the following reply to a question many ask:
“What should be done if Eid coincides with Friday? If Eid al-Fitr coincides with Friday, is it permissible for me to pray the Eid prayer and not to pray Jumu’ah or vice versa?
Praise be to Allaah.
If the day of Eid coincides with Friday, then whoever prays Eid with the imaam does not have to attend Jumu’ah (it is not obligatory on him); in his case it becomes Sunnah. If he does not pray Jumu’ah, he has to pray Zuhr. This is in the case of people other than the imaam. As for the imaam, he has to be present for Jumu’ah and lead those Muslims who attend the prayer. The Jumu’ah prayer should not be forsaken completely on this day.
Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan”
May Allah purify our hearts, invigorate our efforts, accept our repentance and be pleased with our deeds.
Wasalaam.
Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
The month of Dhu’l-Hijjah is upon us; the month of the Hajj. For those of us not performing the pilgrimage this year, there are many ways in which we can remember Allah, ta’ala, follow the sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, and thereby perform good and noble deeds.
1. Fast the first nine days (of Dhu’l-Hijjah)... The Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said: “There are no days in which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” They said: O Messenger of Allah, not even jihad for the sake of Allah? The Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said: “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah, unless a man goes out with his self and his wealth and comes back with neither.” [al-Bukhari & at-Tirmidhi]
2. Fast the Day of ‘Arafah – which is the 9th day of Dhu’l-Hijjah... Allah’s Messenger, sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said (of fasting the day of ‘Arafah): “It is an expiation for the sins of the preceding year and the current year.” [Muslim]
3. Make Takbeer from the 1st to the 13th of the month (of Dhu’l-Hijjah)... Allah says:
“That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade), and mention the Name of Allah on appointed days” [Qur’an 22:28]
“And remember Allah during the appointed Days” [Qur’an 2:203]
The Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said: “The days of Tashreeq are the days of eating, drinking and remembering Allah.” [Muslim].
Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to go out to the market-place on the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, reciting Takbeer, and the people used to recite Takbeer because of their Takbeer. [Bukhari]
Umar ibn al-Khattaab and his son ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to recite Takbeer during the days of Mina in the mosque and in the camps, and they would raise their voices until Mina echoed with their Takbeer.
4. Recite Takbeer after each of the 5 daily prayers from Fajr on the Day of ‘Arafah until ‘Asr on the 13th... The Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, and a group of the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to recite Takbeer following each of the five prayers from Fajr on the day of ‘Arafah until ‘Asr on the thirteenth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah.
In al-Musnad it is narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said: “There are no days on which good deeds are greater or more beloved to Allah than on these ten days, so recite much Tahleel (saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah), Takbeer (saying Allaahu akbar) and Tahmeed (saying al-hamdu Lillaah).”
Men should recite out loud and women should recite quietly.
The takbeer is as follows:
“Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaah il-hamd (Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god but Allah; Allah is Most Great and to Allah be praise)”. [The Allaahu akbar may be recited two or three times].
5. Offer a sacrifice... ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam stayed in Madinah for ten years, offering sacrifice (every year on Eid).” [Ahmad; at-Tirmidhi; and classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 1475].
And once you have made your intention to sacrifice refrain from cutting hair and nails...Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said the Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said: “When you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah – according to another version, When the ten days (of Dhu’l-Hijjah) begin – and any one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him refrain (from cutting) his hair and nails.” [Ahmad & Muslim]. According to another version, “Let him not remove anything from his hair and nails until he has offered the sacrifice.” And according to yet another version, “He should not touch his hair or skin.”
6. Make Tawbah...Abu Hurairah may Allah be pleased with him said that the Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam, said: "Verily Allah has a sense of 'Ghayrah' (honour, prestige and anger over its violation), and Allah's sense of Ghayrah is provoked when a person does that which Allah has made prohibited." [Bukhari & Muslim].
Reviving Sunnahs that have been forgotten brings a great deal of reward, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet sallAllahu alayhi wa salaam: “Whoever revives one of my Sunnahs that has died out after I am gone, will have a reward like that of everyone who does it, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest.” [at-Tirmidhi (hasan because of corroborating reports].
Let us hasten to make the most of these great days, before the negligent regrets what he did, and before he asks to go back and receives no response.
It seems Eid will fall on Friday this year inshAllah and so here is the following reply to a question many ask:
“What should be done if Eid coincides with Friday? If Eid al-Fitr coincides with Friday, is it permissible for me to pray the Eid prayer and not to pray Jumu’ah or vice versa?
Praise be to Allaah.
If the day of Eid coincides with Friday, then whoever prays Eid with the imaam does not have to attend Jumu’ah (it is not obligatory on him); in his case it becomes Sunnah. If he does not pray Jumu’ah, he has to pray Zuhr. This is in the case of people other than the imaam. As for the imaam, he has to be present for Jumu’ah and lead those Muslims who attend the prayer. The Jumu’ah prayer should not be forsaken completely on this day.
Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan”
May Allah purify our hearts, invigorate our efforts, accept our repentance and be pleased with our deeds.
Wasalaam.
