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In The Name Of Allah, Ar- Rahman Ar-Raheem and Peace and Blessing be upon our Master Muhammad (S)
Sighting for Islamic Month: Zul-Hijjah 1430 (2009)
Makkah has announced that the month of Zul Hijjah will begin on Wednesday November 18, millions of Haji's will be at the Plain of Arafat on Thursday 26 November and thus Eid ul Adha in Makkah will be on Friday, November 27 2009 .
For More Information on Moon Sighting Please visit http://www.icoproject.org or http://moonsighting.com
Importance and great benefit of the First 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah
"By the dawn, By the ten nights And by the even and the odd" (TM Qur'an Al Fajr 89)
Allah swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "By the dawn; by the 10 nights" . Ibn Abbaas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Mujaahid and others of the earlier and later generations said that this refers to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. 'Ibn Kathir Said : 'This is the correct opinion.' (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/413)
Abu Hurairah relates that the Prophet said, 'There are no days more loved to Allah for you to worship Him therein than the ten days of
Dhul Hijjah. Fasting any day during it is equivalent to fasting one year and to offer Salatul Tahajjud (late-night prayer) during one of its nights is like performing the late night prayer on the night of power (i.e., Lailatul Qadr)"
This is related by al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and al-Bayhaqi Ref: Fiqh-us-Sunnah by Sayyid Saabiq
Sayyidina Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) reported that the Messenger (SAW) said: ' There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days. The people asked, Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah? He said, Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with neither. [Bukhari, Riyadh Saleheen, 1249].
What are the recommended acts in these days?
1. The Prayer - It is highly recommended to perform the obligatory acts at their prescribed times (as early as possible) and to increase oneself in the superogatory acts, for indeed, this is what brings a person closer to their Lord. The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: "Upon you is to increase in your prostration to Allah, for verily you do not prostrate to Allah with even one prostration, except that He raises you in degrees and decreases your sins because of it." [Reported by Muslim]
2. Fasting - This has been mentioned as one of the acts of righteousness where Hanbada ibn Khālid reports on the authority of his wife who reports that some of the wives of the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: The Prophet, upon whom be peace, would fast on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of Āshūra and three days in every month. [Recorded by Ahmad, Abu Dāwūd, an-Nisāī and others]
Al-Imām an-Nawawī said that fasting in these ten days is extremely recommended. (Please also read point No. 4 Below)
3. Saying allahu akbar; lā illaha illallah and alhamdulillāh - It is found in the aforementioned narration of Ibn 'Umar: "So increase yourselves in saying lā illaha illallah, allahu akbar and alhamdulillāh."
Al-Imām Bukhārī, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Ibn 'Umar and Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with them both, used to go out to the markets in the ten days saying the takbīr causing the people to follow them in this action."
He also said:"Umar ibn al-Khattāb used to say the takbīr in his minaret in Mina, whereupon the people of the mosque hearing 'Umar, would start to say the takbīr as would the people in the markets until the whole of Mina was locked in glorifying Allah."
Ibn 'Umar used to say the takbīr in Mina during these ten days and after prayers, whilst on his bed, in his tent, in his gathering and whilst walking. What is recommended is to say the takbīr aloud due to the fact that 'Umar ibn al-Khattāb, his son and Abū Hurayrah used to do likewise, may Allah be pleased with them all.
Strive with us O Muslims in reviving this sunnah that has become lost in these times and it was almost forgotten, even amongst the people of righteousness and goodness all of which is unfortunately in opposition to what the best of generations were upon (preserving and maintaining the superogatory acts).
There are a number of ways of making takbīr that have been narrated by the companions and their followers and from these ways is the following:
- Allahu akbar, allahu akbar, allahu akbar kabīrun.
- Allahu akbar, allahu akbar, lā ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar, wallahu akbar, wa lillahil hamd.
- Allahu akbar, allahu akbar, allahu akbar, lā ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar, allahu akbar wa lillāhil hamd.
4. Fasting on the day of 'Arafah - Fasting has been affirmed on the day of 'Arafah, where it has been confirmed from the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he said regarding fasting on the day of 'Arafah: "Be content with the fact that Allah will expiate for you your sins for the year before (the day of 'Arafah) and the year after (the day of 'Arafah)." [Reported by Muslim]
However, whoever is at 'Arafah as a pilgrim then fasting is not expected of him, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, stopped at 'Arafah to eat.
May the peace of Allah be upon his Prophet, the family of the Prophet and all of his companions
The Blood Sacrifice offered on the day of 'Id al-Adha'
The jurists disagree about sacrifices whether they are obligatory or are a sunna. Malik and al-Shafi'i held that it is one of the sunna mu'akkada (emphatic sunna). Malik made an exemption in the case of the pilgrim for relinquishing it at Mina. Al-Shafi'i did not make distinction between pilgrims and others
Abu Hanifa's said that the sacrifice is obligatory for those residents of the cities who can afford it,
and that it is not obligatory for travellers. He was opposed in this by his two disciples Abu Yusuf and Muhammad who maintained that it is not obligatory (but is a sunna). The same opinion as Abu Hanifa's is also related from Malik.Ref: Page 516-517 Vol 1 Bidayat al Mujtahid The Distinguished Jurist's Primer by Ibn Rush-
There are two reasons for their disagreement. The first is whether the act of the Prophet (God's peace and blessing be upon him) in this is to be construed as implying an obligation or recommendation. This is so as the Messenger of Allah (God's peace and blessing be upon him), in what is related from him, never gave up offering of sacrifices even while travelling, as is laid down in the tradition of Thawban, who said " The Messenger of Allah (God's peace and blessing be upon him) slaughtered his sacrificial animals and said ' O Thawban carve out the meat of this sacrificed animal'. I continued to feed him [The Prophet] from its meat [to people] until he reached Madina". The second reason is their dispute about the traditions that lay down the ahkam of sacrifices. It is established from the Prophet (God's peace and blessing be upon him) in the tradition of umm Salama that he said " When the first ten days (of Dhu al-Hijja) begins and one of you intends to make a sacrifice, he should not clip his hair or nails [until he makes the sacrifice] " ,366 They said that his words," one of you intends to make sacrifice", contains an evidence that sacrifice is not obligatory. When the prophet (God's peace and blessing be upon him) ordered Abu Burda to repeat his sacrifice for he had slaughtered it before the prayer, a group of jurists understood this to imply obligation. The opinion of Ibn Abbas is that there is no obligation. Ikrima said that Ibn Abbas sent him with two dirhams to buy meat, and said : Tell the person you meet that this is the sacrifice of Ibn Abbas. It is related from Bilal that he sacrificed a rooster. Arguing on the basis of tradition that has not been laid down on the specific issue is weak.
They disagreed about whether it is binding upon a person, who intends to make a sacrifice, not to clip his hair and nails in the first ten days (of thou al-hijja). The tradition about it is authentic. 367
From Page 516-517 Bidayat al Mujtahid The Distinguished Jurist's Primer by Ibn Rush-
Extra Dua
Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, the Prophet (saw) said,
"The best supplication is the one on the day of Arafah,
and the best thing which I and the prophets before me have said is, There is no god but Allah alone who has no partner; to Him belongs the dominion, to Him praise is due, and He is Omnipotent (able to do all things)
(La ilaaha illallah wahdahu la sharikalah, lahulmulk, wa lahulhamd, wa huwa ala kulli shay in qadir)
(Tirmidhi, Malik)
10th of Dhul-Hijjah is known by most as 'Eid al-Adha . It is incumbent for the Muslim ( who is not making Hajj) to make every effort to perform the `Eid Prayer wherever it is performed, and to be present for the Khutbah and benefit from it. He must know the wisdom behind the legislation of this `Eid. It is a day of thankfulness and performing deeds of righteousness. So, he must not make it a day of wildness, pride and vanity. He should not make it a season of disobedience and increase in the forbidden things like, uncontrolled amusement, intoxicants and the like - those things which could cause the cancellation of the good deeds done in these ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.
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