….:: 2. Al-Baqarah -The Heifer ::….

[2:197] The pilgrimage is (performed in) the well-known months; so whoever determines the performance of the pilgrimage therein, there shall be no intercourse nor fornication nor quarrelling amongst one another; and whatever good you do, Allah knows it; and make provision, for surely the provision is the guarding of oneself, and be careful (of your duty) to Me, O men of understanding.

(The pilgrimage is (in) the well known months) ritual consecration for the pilgrimage takes place in the well known months of Shawwal, Dhu’l-Qa’da, and the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijja, (and whoever is minded to perform the pilgrimage therein) whoever enters in a state of ritual consecration in these months (there is (to be) no lewdness) no sexual intercourse once in a state of ritual consecration (nor abuse) no verbal abuse or name calling (nor angry conversation) between one person and another (on the pilgrimage) when in a state of ritual consecration; it is also said that this means: there is to be no heated argument about the obligatoriness of the pilgrimage. (And whatsoever good ye do) whatever you abstain from whether it is lewdness, abuse or angry conversation in the Sacred Precinct (Allah knoweth it) Allah will accept it. (So make provision for yourselves) O people of sound minds, from the provision of this world; Allah says here: take from the provisions of this world, O people of sound minds, what is enough to spare you from asking others, otherwise just trust in Allah; (for the best provision to ward off evil) for trust in Allah is the best provision in this world. (Therefore keep your duty unto Me) fear Me in the Sacred Precinct, (O men of understanding). This verse was revealed about some people from the Yemen who used to perform the pilgrimage without taking any provisions with them. As a consequence, they used to wrongfully obtain provisions from the settlements they found on their way and hence Allah now prohibited them from doing so.

It expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year.      

(Reported by Muslim)

Allaah is the greatest.
O Allaah, let this crescent moon (month) pass over us in safety, faith, peace, and Islaam, and in agreement with all that You love and pleases You.
(O moon!) My Lord and your Lord is Allaah.

Our Lord! grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the fire.

When you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah, and one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him refrain from (removing anything) from his hair or nails. (Narrated by Muslim)

According to another version:

Let him not remove anything of his hair or skin.

According to a version narrated by Abu Dawood, Muslim and al-Nasaai:

Whoever has a sacrifice to offer, when the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah begins, let him not remove anything from his hair or nails until he has offered the sacrifice.

The Prophet testified to that. He said:

“There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days” (Bukhaari)

WHAT ACTIVITIES IN THESE 10 DAYS WILL BRING THE REWARD OF JANNAH?

Obviously, Hajj is one of the best deeds that one can do during these ten days. However for those of us who were not invited to His House this year, there are still many, good deeds that one can do and earn the Pleasure of Allah.

Some of these are:

1) Fast all nine days and especially fast the Day of Arafah

The Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Anyone who fasts for one day for Allah’s pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years” (Bukhari, Muslim)

The Prophet (PBUH) used to fast on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah and he said:

“Fasting the Day of Arafah (ninth Dhul-hijjah) is an expiation for (all the sins of) the previous year and an expiation for (all the sins of) the coming year” (Muslim)

2) Do a LOT of Dhikr and Takbeer

The Prophet (PBUH) 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 Allahu akbar) and Tahmeed (saying al-hamdu Lillaah)"(Ahmad -Saheeh)

Ibn Umar and Abu Hurayrah used to go out in the marketplace during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, reciting Takbeer, and the people would recite Takbeer when they heard them. (Bukhaari)

Takbeer at this time is a Sunnah. So recite it in the masjid, in your home, on the street and every place where it is permitted to remember Allah.

Revive the Sunnah that have been virtually forgotten and earn great rewards for doing so.

The Prophet said:

"Whoever revives an aspect of my Sunnah that is forgotten after my death, he will have a reward equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without it detracting in the least from their reward" (Tirmidhi- a hasan hadeeth)

Men should recite these phrases out loud, and women should recite them quietly.

3) Stand in Night Prayers: (Tahajud, Qiyam al Layl)

Remember the virtues of spending the night in prayer, and its sweetness in Ramadan?

Why not revive this beautiful act of worship during these nights as well?

Remember, how in the last third of every night, Allah Almighty calls out to us, His servants:Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to his invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him? (Bukhaari, Muslim)

Why do we miss this golden opportunity? So, seize the chance NOW and expose yourself to His Divine Generosity and Mercy, ask Him to forgive you and guide you and set things aright. He will surely listen.

4) Make Sincere Repentance.

One of the most important action during these ten days is to repent sincerely to Allah and to give up all kinds of disobedience and sin right away because we do not know when we will die and thus become unable to repent, and also because one evil deed leads to another.

But what does repentance mean?

It means that you come back to Allah and give up all the deeds, open and secret, that He dislikes… that you regret whatever you did in the past, giving it up immediately and be determined never ever, to return to it, and resolve to adhere firmly to the Truth by doing whatever Allah loves.

"But as for him who repented, believed and did righteous deeds, then he will be among those who are successful" [Al-Qasas 28:67]

5) Come back to the Quraan

It is time now to dust off your copy of the Quraan and return to its refuge. Make it a daily habit, using these 10 days the beginning of a strong and beautiful relationship with it. Read it with meaning, reflect on it, understand it, and then implement it in your daily life.Remember that reading one letter of the Quraan earns you ten rewards.

In this way, reading Surat Al-Fatihah, which doesn’t take more than two minutes, will give you more than one thousand rewards!

This is on ordinary days, so what about these magnificent days! Certainly the reward will be far greater, Insha Allah.

6) Increase ALL the types of good deeds.

If we are unable to go to Hajj this year, we should occupy ourselves in the worship of Allah; pray extra prayers (Nafilah) recite the Quraan. Make Dhikr of Allah, send Salaams on the Prophet, make dua, give charity, honor our parents, uphold ties of kinship, enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and add other good deeds and acts of worship during these days.

"So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it; And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it"

[Al-Zalzalah 99:7-8]

7) Get the reward of Hajj wherever you are:

You may be unable to do Hajj this year, and you may feel sad. However, you can get the reward of it right where you are.The Prophet said: "Whoever prays Fajr Prayer in congregation, and then sits and remembers Allah until the sun rises, then (after a while) prays two rakas, he will gain a reward equal to that of making perfect Hajj and Umrah" [He repeated the word "perfect" thrice.] (At-Tirmidhi)

8. Slaughter an animal and distribute the meat.

Ibn Umar said:“The Prophet lived in Madeenah for 10 years and every year he slaughtered an animal”(Ahmad-Saheeh by al-Albaani)

9) Attend Eid prayers

But remember that Eid prayer is a form of worship and we should avoid unislamic behavior (especially) in dress and in etiquette during these times.

10) Thank Allah.

One of the best forms of worshipping Allah Subhaanahu wa Taala is to thank Him, deeply, sincerely and continuously.

Alhamdulillah, there is much to be gained in these coming days. Hasten to do good deeds and striving hard in worship .

"And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (death)"

[Al-Hijr 15:99]

The Prophet (may peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

A servant of Allah will remain standing on the Day of Judgment till he is questioned about his age and how he spent it;
and about his knowledge and how he utilized it;
about his wealth from where he acquired it
and in what (activities) he spent it;
and about his body as to how he used it.

Tirmidhi.

Allahumma aslamtu wajhi ilaika,
wa fauwadtu amri ilaika,
wa alja’tu Zahri ilaika raghbatan
wa rahbatan ilaika.
La Malja’ wa la manja minka illa ilaika.
Allahumma amantu bikitabika-l- ladhi anzalta
wa bina-biyika- l ladhi arsalta

(O Allah! I surrender to You
and entrust all my affairs to You
and depend upon You for Your Blessings
both with hope and fear of You.
There is no fleeing from You,
and there is no place of protection and safety
except with You O Allah!
I believe in Your Book (the Qur’an)
which You have revealed
and in Your Prophet (Muhammad)
whom You have sent).

Then if you die on that very night, you will die with faith (i.e. or the religion of Islam). Let the aforesaid words be your last utterance (before sleep)."

I repeated it before the Prophet and when I reached

"Allahumma amantu bikitabika-l- ladhi anzalta

(O Allah I believe in Your Book which You have revealed)."

I said, "Wa-rasulika (and your Apostle)."

The Prophet (sal-allahu- alleihi-wasallam ) said,

"No, (but say): ‘Wanabiyika- l-ladhi arsalta

(Your Prophet whom You have sent), instead."

[Sahih Bukhari : Volume 1, Book 4, Number 247]

Help your Muslim brother whether he is an oppressor or is oppressed.

A man asked: O Rasullullah! (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) I will help him when he is oppressed, but how can I help him when he is an oppressor?

He (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) replied: You stop or prevent him from oppression for indeed that is your help to him.

(Bukhari)