الموقع الرئيسي

Articles

Some Blessings of the First Ten Days of Thul-Hijjah
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 25-09-2014

 

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

1- Doing good deeds on those days is better than doing them on other days: ‎‎‎‎‎it was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Prophet said:‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎“No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these days (meaning the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah).”Then some companions of the Prophet said, ”Not even Jihaad ?” He replied: “Not even Jihaad, except that of a man who puts himself and his property in danger (for the Sake of Allaah) and does not return with any of those things.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]‎‎‎‎.

2- It was reported that the Prophet(PBUH) used to observe fasting in those days: One of the Prophet`s wives said: “ The Messenger of Allah used to fast nine days of Thul-Hijja, the Day of Ashora`, and three days of every month-Mondays and Thursdays.”{Abu Dawood}.      

3- ‎‎‎‎Allah, The Almighty, Says (what means):‎‎‎‎‎ {‎By the dawn And [by] ten nights}  [Quran 89:1, 2] . The ten nights are the ten days of Thul-Hijjah‎‎‎‎. Allah, The Almighty, swore by these days and He only swears by whatever is exalted and lofty in stature. 

4- Allah, The Almighty, says: “ and celebrate the name of God, through the Days appointed, over the cattle which He has provided for them (for sacrifice).”{Al-Hajj/28}.The Days appointed are the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah as stated by scholars of Tafseer (exegesis).

5- The Prophet(PBUH) said that these days are the best days in life: Jabir(May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet(PBUH) said: “ The best days of this life are the ten days- the ten days of Thul-Hijja. The companions said: aren`t there days spent for Allah`s sake better than them ?he said: there aren`t, except for a man who goes out for Jihaad . “ {Albazzar& Al-Monziri}

6-‎These days have the Day of ‘Arafah, (the Day of major Hajj )which is the ninth day of Thul-Hijjah.‎ The virtues of this Day are great and innumerable. It was reported that the Prophet(PBUH) urged Muslims-non-pilgrims- to observe fasting on this great Day. He said: "Fasting the Day of Arafah atones the sins committed a year before  it and those which will be committed a year after it."{Muslim}.

7-‎These days have the Day of Nahr (sacrifice) which is the tenth day of Thul-Hijjah, the Day of Eid. This is the best day as stated in the following Hadeeth:‎ ‎‎‎‎"The best of days in the sight of Allah, The Almighty, is the Day of Nahr, then the Day of Qurr( the first day of Tashreeq)." [Ahmad, Abu Daawood: Saheeh chain of narrators]‎‎‎‎.

Article Number [ Previous | Next ]

Read for Author




Comments


Captcha


Warning: this window is not dedicated to receive religious questions, but to comment on topics published for the benefit of the site administrators—and not for publication. We are pleased to receive religious questions in the section "Send Your Question". So we apologize to readers for not answering any questions through this window of "Comments" for the sake of work organization. Thank you.




Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on performing ablution (wudu') and ritual bathing (ghusl) with Zamzam water?

It is permissible to perform ablution and ritual bathing with Zamzam water. However, scholars disliked using it for cleaning after relieving oneself (istinja'). And Allah the Almighty knows best.

How to perform the witr prayer in terms of connection (wasl) and separation (fasl)?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The Witr prayer has several forms that vary in terms of virtue:
 
The First Form: Separating every two units (rak‘ah) with a Tashahhud and a Taslim (salutation). This is superior to connecting the units, even if it is only a single rak‘ah. This is based on the Hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray eleven units between the end of the ‘Isha prayer and dawn, performing the Taslim after every two units and performing Witr with a single unit.' (Related by al-Bukhari & Muslim).
 
The Second Form: Connecting the units with only one final Tashahhud at the very end.
 
The Third Form: Connecting with two Tashahhuds—meaning reciting the Tashahhud before the final unit without performing the Taslim, then standing to complete the final unit. This form is considered the lowest in rank so that the Witr prayer remains distinct from the obligatory Maghrib prayer, as stated in the Hadith: 'Do not make the Witr resemble the Maghrib prayer.' (Narrated by Al-Daraqutni, who stated its narrators are trustworthy).
 
It is stated in Bushra al-Karim Sharh al-Muqaddimah al-Hadramiyyah: 'It is permissible to connect [the Witr] with one Tashahhud in the final unit—which is better—or with two Tashahhuds in the last two units, as both methods are established in Sahih Muslim from the actions of the Prophet ﷺ. In the connected method, more than two Tashahhuds are prohibited. Furthermore, separating (al-Fasl) is better than connecting (al-Wasl) if the number of units is the same, because the Hadiths supporting it are more numerous and it involves more devotional actions.' And Allah the Exalted knows best."

What is the ruling on the prayer of one who said "Subḥāna Rabbiya al-ʿAẓīm" in prostration (*sujūd*) and forgot to correct it?

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Saying “Subḥāna Rabbiya al-ʿAẓīm” in bowing (rukūʿ) and “Subḥāna Rabbiya al-Aʿlā” in prostration (sujūd) is one of the hayʾāt (non-essential sunnahs) of the prayer. Whoever omits it, whether deliberately or by forgetfulness, or replaces it with another remembrance (dhikr), his prayer is valid and he does not perform sujūd al-sahw. Shaykh al-Islām Imam al-Nawawī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Our school holds that one does not prostrate for omitting the audible or silent recitation, the tasbīḥ, and the rest of the hayʾāt.” [al-Majmūʿ, Vol.4/p.127]
If he performs sujūd al-sahw for something that does not call for it, his prayer is invalidated, because he introduced a prostration of forgetfulness without a cause, and he must repeat the prayer. The exception is one who did so out of forgetfulness or ignorance, whether because he recently entered Islam or because he lives far from scholars; he is excused and his prayer is not invalidated.
It is stated in Mughni al-Muḥtāj (Vol.1/p.417): “It is stated in al-Anwār: If he does something that does not call for sujūd al-sahw, thinking that it does, and then prostrates, his prayer is not invalidated if he is ignorant because he recently entered Islam or because he is far from scholars.”
Since this issue is hidden from the laity, as it is among the subtleties of knowledge, and the laity are excused for ignorance of whatever is of such a nature, and their act of obedience is not invalidated because of it, it may be said that the prayer of one who has not acquired knowledge of the issue is not invalidated. As for after knowing it, the prayer is invalidated.
Whoever realizes while still in the prayer that his prostration was out of place, it is sunnah for him to perform sujūd al-sahw. And Allah Almighty knows best.

"I told my family at night: 'I will fast tomorrow as qaḍā' (a make-up fast),' but I forgot to make the intention before sleeping. Is my fast valid?"

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
 
The intention is obligatory in acts of worship. For obligatory fasting, the required intention is to resolve to fast during the night [before dawn]. Its proper locus is the heart, while verbalizing the intention out loud in acts of worship is a sunnah — so that the tongue may align with the heart. If the intent behind the statement in question was the intention to fast, then it is valid; but if the intent was merely to inform someone, or reflected hesitation or doubt, then it is not valid.
 
It is stated in *Bushrā al-Karīm* (Vol.1/P.216): "It is a sunnah to verbalize the intention — that is, whatever has already been intended in the heart, whether an obligatory or a voluntary act — such as specifying the number of rak‘ahs, just before the opening takbīr — so that the tongue may assist the heart, and because this is further removed from whispered doubts (waswasah), and in order to accommodate the view of those who held it obligatory in every act of worship that requires an intention (even though this is a minority position), by analogy with Ḥajj."
 
Accordingly: if the intention to fast arose in your heart before the second adhān [i.e., before Fajr], then your fast is valid.
 
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.