This excerpt is taken from Dr. Tariq Humayun Sheikh's book Eid ul-Adha.
Actions to Perform in the First Ten Days of Dhu al-Hijjah
❀ The command of the Almighty Allah is:
وَالْفَجْرِ ﴿1﴾ وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ ﴿2﴾
“By the dawn, and by the ten nights.”
Reference: (89-Al-Fajr:1-2)
Imam Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, says this refers to the ten nights of Dhu al-Hijjah.
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “There is no deed more virtuous than the deeds done in these ten days.” People asked, “Not even Jihad?” He, peace be upon him, said: “Yes, not even Jihad, except for the person who goes out with his wealth and life (for Jihad) and returns with nothing (i.e., becomes a martyr).”
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 969, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2438, Sunan Ibn Majah: 1727, Sunan Tirmidhi: 757)
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “There is no day more virtuous in the sight of Allah than these (first) ten days. Nor is there any deed more beloved than the deeds done in these days. So, frequently say the phrases of glorification, magnification, and praise of Allah during these days.”
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad: 2/75)
Performing Deeds for the Sake of Allah
It is narrated from Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyida Aisha Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: I said, O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)! Allah Almighty has said:
وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوا وَّقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ رَاجِعُونَ ﴿٦٠﴾
"And those who give what they give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord."
Reference: (23-Al-Mu’minun:60)
Does this mean a person who commits adultery, theft, and drinks alcohol? The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "No, O daughter of Siddiq! It means a person who fasts, gives charity, and prays, and fears that perhaps (his deeds) will not be accepted."
Reference: (Sunan Ibn Majah: 4198, Sunan Tirmidhi: 3175)
Performing Deeds for Show and Fame
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"Whoever shows off (in any good deed), Allah will reveal his (bad intention) reality (on the Day of Judgment), and whoever does good for fame, Allah will publicize it (on the Day of Judgment)."
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 6499, Sahih Muslim: 2987, Sunan Ibn Majah: 4207, Sunan Tirmidhi: 2381, Musnad Ahmad: 4013)
❀ It is narrated from Sayyidina Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: I am the most self-sufficient and free of need compared to other partners. Whoever acts (apparently) for Me but associates others with Me, then I disassociate from him. And that (deed) is for the one whom he associated with Me."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 2985, Sunan Ibn Majah: 4202)
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"When all people are gathered on the Day of Resurrection, it will be announced: Whoever associated partners in deeds done for Allah, he will seek the reward of that deed from other than Allah, because Allah is the most self-sufficient and free of need compared to other partners."
Reference: (Sunan Ibn Majah: 4203, Sunan Tirmidhi: 3154)
❀ Sayyidina Abu Saeed Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, says that we were discussing the Dajjal when the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, came and said:
"Shall I not inform you of something more dangerous than the trial of the Dajjal?" We said, "Why not (please inform us)." He, peace be upon him, said: "Hidden shirk (polytheism) is more dangerous than the Dajjal, and that is when a person stands for prayer and beautifies (lengthens) the prayer so that someone is watching him."
Reference: (Sunan Ibn Majah: 4204, Musnad Ahmad: 3/30)
❀ Sayyidina Shaddad bin Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, says that I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, say: "Whoever prays for show has committed shirk, whoever fasts for show has committed shirk, whoever gives charity for show has committed shirk."
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad: 43)
Not Cutting Nails and Hair
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever has a sacrificial animal that he intends to slaughter (on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah), after sighting the crescent of Dhu al-Hijjah, let him not cut his hair (head, armpits, and pubic hair) nor trim his nails until he has performed the sacrifice."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1977, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2791, Sunan Tirmidhi: 1523)
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"I have been commanded regarding the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) to celebrate it as a festival which Allah Almighty has made special for this Ummah." A man asked: (O Messenger of Allah, if I do not find any animal other than a milking animal, should I sacrifice it?) He ﷺ said: "No, rather (after the Eid prayer) you should cut your hair, trim your nails and mustache, and clean the hair of your armpits and pubic area. This is your perfect sacrifice before Allah Almighty."
Reference: (Sunan Abu Dawood: 2789, Sunan Nasai: 4370)
Prayer
Hastening towards the obligatory acts. Performing as many voluntary prayers as possible. Because this is the most virtuous deed in the sight of Allah.
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Thawban (may Allah be pleased with him) that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: "Prostrate frequently before Allah; for every prostration before Allah, Allah will raise you one degree and erase one sin of yours."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1093)
Fasting
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, never abandoned four acts:
➊ Fasting on the day of Ashura
➋ Fasting the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah
➌ Fasting the three white days (the 13th, 14th, and 15th of every month)
➍ The two Sunnah prayers of Fajr.
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad: 287/6)
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to fast during the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijjah, on Ashura in Muharram, and on every month's first Monday and Thursday.
Reference: (Sunan Abu Dawood: 2437, Sunan an-Nasa’i: 2374)
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"I hope from Allah that by fasting on the Day of Arafah, Allah will forgive the sins of the past year and the coming year."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1162, Sunan Tirmidhi: 749)
Performing Umrah and Hajj (for the Muslim who intends to go for Hajj)
❀ Allah Almighty has said:
وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٩٧﴾
"And whoever is able to reach the House (Kaaba), let him perform Hajj to the House; and whoever disbelieves (refuses this command despite ability), then indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds."
Reference: (3-Al Imran:97)
❀ The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Whoever performs Hajj to the House of Allah and avoids obscenity, sin, and disobedience, will return as the day his mother bore him."
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 1521, Sahih Muslim: 1536 - 1350)
❀ The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"The reward of an accepted Hajj (Hajj Mabrur) is nothing but Paradise."
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 1773, 1820; Sahih Muslim: 1349; Sunan Nasai: 2628; Sunan Ibn Majah: 2888, 2889)
Tahleel, Takbeer, and Tahmeed
❀ The Lord of the Worlds said:
وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَعْدُودَاتٍ
"And (your Lord's command is) to remember Allah during the appointed days."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:203)
❀ The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"There is no day more virtuous in the sight of Allah than these ten days, nor is there any deed more beloved than those performed in these days. So frequently say the phrases of praise, glorification, and exaltation of Allah during these days."
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad: 2/75)
Tahleel لا إله إلا الله Takbeer الله أكبر Tahmeed الحمد لله
Tahleel, Takbeer, and Tahmeed are separately found in all books of hadith. The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) has described great virtue in these remembrances. Declaring the greatness of Allah during these days is the command of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). The noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and the female companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to say Takbeerat on the two Eids.
❀ الله أكبر، الله أكبر، الله أكبر كبيرا
Reference: (Bayhaqi: 3/316)
is narrated with an authentic chain from Sayyiduna Salman al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him) and الله أكبر، الله أكبر، لا إله إلا الله والله أكبر، الله أكبر ولله الحمد
Reference: (Ibn Abi Shaybah: 2/187)
from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him).❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) and Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to go out to the market during these ten days, and people would say Takbeer upon hearing the Takbeer of these elders. Muhammad bin Baqir also used to say Takbeer after voluntary prayers.
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari before Hadith: 969)
❀ Umm Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), we were commanded to go towards the Eidgah. Virgin girls and menstruating women would also come out in veil. They would stay behind the men. When the men said Takbeer, they would also say Takbeer, and when they prayed, they would also pray. They hoped to gain the blessings and purity of that day.
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari: 971, Sahih Muslim: 888, 891, Sunan Abu Dawood: 1138)
Explanation:
These Takbeerat are to be recited not only after the obligatory prayers but throughout the entire ten days (from Fajr prayer on 1st Dhu al-Hijjah until after Asr prayer on 13th Dhu al-Hijjah).
Righteous Deeds:
Those deeds about which people are generally heedless, for example:
➊ Recitation of the Quran
➋ Giving abundant charity
➌ Spending on the poor
➍ Enjoining good and forbidding evil, etc.
Maintaining consistency in the above deeds is a great blessing from Allah Almighty.
