Honouring the ten days of Dhul Hijjah with worship, repentance and remembrance
All praise is due to Allah, who has appointed for His servants sacred seasons through which they attain His pleasure, and days in which they draw ever nearer to Him, exalted is His Majesty. In them, He multiplies their rewards and grants them abundant recompense. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that our master and Prophet Muḥammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. O Allah, send Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon him, upon his family, his companions, and all who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment.
To continue: I advise you, servants of Allah, and myself, to fear Allah, obey Him, and hasten toward what pleases Him. Allah Most High says in His Noble Book: “O you who believe, fear Allah, and let every soul look to what it has sent forth for tomorrow. And fear Allah; surely Allah is fully aware of all that you do.” (Qur’an 59:18)
O believers: among the greatest, purest, and most exalted days of our lives are days which, when they arrive, bring with them Divine breezes, descending mercies, and successive gifts and blessings. They are the first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah — days whose rank Allah has magnified and whose status He has elevated, such that He swore by them in His Book: “By the dawn, and by the ten nights.” (Qur’an 89:1–2)
The scholars said: these are the ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. They are also the “appointed days” concerning which our Lord says: “And that they may mention the Name of Allah during the appointed days.” (Qur’an 22:28)
Their station with Allah is immense, and His grace within them is abundant. Our noble Prophet (PBUH) said: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days (meaning the ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah)” (Abu Dawūd)During these blessed days, the sincere race toward their Lord, hoping for His mercy and knocking upon His door. And how could it be otherwise, when Allah has gathered within them the foundations of worship? In them are prayer and fasting, charity and pilgrimage, remembrance of Allah and recitation of the Qur’an, takbīr and supplication, repentance and seeking forgiveness, honouring one’s parents, maintaining family ties, and showing excellence toward people — acts of devotion that do not gather together in any other days besides these. Thus, the truly successful person is the one who seizes these days, invests their moments in obedience, and does not waste even a single instant of them.
Servants of Allah: among the greatest ways a believer welcomes these days is through sincere repentance — reviewing oneself, purifying the heart, and restoring people’s rights to them. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever has wronged his brother in any matter, let him seek his pardon.” (Al-Bukhārī)
Let the constant motto of the believer in these days be the remembrance of his Lord, and an abundance of takbīr, tahlīl, taḥmīd, and tasbīḥ, in response to the command of the Prophet (PBUH) who said: “There are no days greater in the sight of Allah, nor in which deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days. So, increase in them your declaration of lā ilāha illa Allāh, your takbīr, and your praise of Allah.” (Ahmad)
These are but a few simple words upon the tongue, yet they are immense in the sight of Allah. He raises them to the highest assembly, where they continue to mention the name of the one who uttered them. The Prophet(PBUH) said: “The words of glorification, praise, and declaration of Allah’s greatness and oneness that you utter circle around the Throne with a humming like the humming of bees, mentioning the name of the one who said them. Would not one of you love to have something with Allah that continues to mention him?” (Ahmad)
So, repeat them throughout all times. Guard your obligatory prayers and increase in voluntary prayers so that you may attain the love of the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Allah says in the sacred hadith: “My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him; and My servant continues drawing near to Me through voluntary acts until I love him.” (Al-Bukhārī)
So, do not neglect prayers that draw you nearer to your Lord. Fill your time with takbīr and tasbīḥ. Remain devoted to reciting the Book of your Lord. Give charity from what your Provider has granted you. Honor your parents. Maintain ties of kinship. Show goodness to others. Pardon those who wronged you — seizing these blessed days before they pass away.
For when a sacred season departs, it becomes only a memory; and when life itself passes, it becomes but a trace. Truly, the intelligent person is the one who takes from today for tomorrow, from health for sickness, from free time for busyness, and from life for what comes after death. Allah Most High says: “O you who believe, obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those entrusted with authority among you.” (Qur’an 4:59) I say these words of mine, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you — so seek His forgiveness.
All praise is due to Allah alone, and peace and blessings be upon the one after whom there is no prophet.
As for what follows: O you who are eager to seize the blessings of these ten days — indeed, fasting during these days carries immense reward and tremendous virtue. So, strive to fast as many of them as you are able, following the example of the Prophet (PBUH), for: “He (PBUH) used to fast the first nine days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah.” (Abu Dawūd)
And let your greatest concern be the fasting of the Day of ʿArafah, for its merit is immense for those who truly recognize its worth. Listen to the words of the Prophet (PBUH) encouraging its fast: “Fasting the Day of ʿArafah — I hope from Allah that it expiates the sins of the year before it and the year after it.” (Muslim)
