Virtues & Etiquette of The First Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah & Days of Tashrîq

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Allâh says:

-وَالْفَجْرِ- وَلَيالٍ عَشْرٍ-

“By the dawn; by the ten nights” (al-Fajr 89:1-2)

Ibn ‘Abbâs, Ibn al-Zubayr, Mujâhid and others of the earlier and later generations said that this refers to the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah.

(Tafsîr Ibn Kathîr)

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

قال النبي –صلى الله عليه وسلم- مامن أيام العمل الصالح فيها أحب إلى الله من هذه الأيام قالوا يا رسول الله : ولا الجهاد في سبيل الله قال ولا الجهاد في سبيل الله إلا رجل خرج بنفسه وماله فلم يرجع من ذلك بشئ

“There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allâh than these ten days.” The people asked, “Not even jihaad for the sake of Allâh?” He said, “Not even jihaad for the sake of Allâh, 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 nothing.”

Sahîh al-Bukhâri, 2/457

It was narrated from Hunaidah ibn Khâlid from his wife, that one of the wives of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, who said:

أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يصوم تسعة من ذي الحجة ويوم عاشوراء، وثلاثة أيام من كل شهر: أول اثنين من الشهر، وخميسين

“The Prophet used to fast on the first nine days of Dhu’l-Hijjah and the day of ‘Âshoora’, and three days every month: the first Monday of the month and two Thursdays.”

Sunan An-Nasâi 2419. Sunan Abu Dawûd 2437. Declared Sahîh by Shaykh Al-Albânî

Allâh says:

-وَيَذْكُرُواْ اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِى أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَـتٍ عَلَى مَا رَزَقَهُمْ مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الاٌّنْعَامِ-

“And mention the Name of Allâh on appointed days, over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice)” (Al-Hajj 22:28)

Ibn Abbâs: “The appointed days are the Ten days of Dhul-Hijjah”

(Tafsîr Ibn Kathîr)

The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“There are no days greater in the sight of Allâh and in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so during this time recite a great deal of Tahlîl (“La ilâha ill-Allâh”), Takbîr (“Allâhu Akbar”) and Tahmîd (“Alhamdulillah”).”

Musnad of Imâm Ahmad, 7/224. Declared Sahîh by Ahmad Shâkir.

* It is legislated to recite the Takbîr – [i.e Allâhu Akbar, Allâhu Akbar, Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh Allâhu Akbar, Allâhu Akbar, wa lillâhil-hamd (Allâh is Great, Allâh is Great, none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh, Allâh is Great, Allâh is Great, To Allâh belongs all praise)] – anytime from the onset of the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah until the end of the Days of Tashrîq.

[This refers to the GENERAL TAKBÎR, which is said anytime and is not restricted to a particular time or place]

(See Zad-ul Ma’ad of Ibn al-Qayyim, Majmû Fatawa of Ibn Baz, Sharh al-Mumti of Shaykh Ibn Uthaymîn for further detail of the Takbîr)

The Day of ‘Arafah (9th Dhu’l-Hijjah)

The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Fasting the day of ‘Arafah, I ask Allâh that it may expiate for the sins of the year that comes before it and the year that comes after it” (Sahîh Muslim 1162)
The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “There is no day when Allâh ransoms more slaves from the Fire than the day of ‘Arafah. He draws near, then He boasts about them before the Angels and says: ‘What do these people want?'” (Sahîh Muslim 1348)
A day by which Allâh swore an oath – – وَشَـهِدٍ وَمَشْهُودٍ – [By The Witnessing Day and by The Witnessed Day] (Surah Al-Burûj 85:3). The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:” Al-Yawmul-Mashhûd (The Witnessed Day) is the Day of ‘Arafah” (Jâmi At-Tirmidhî 3339. Declared Hasan by Shaykh Al-Albânî)

* It is established [through the practise of ‘Ali, Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn Mas’ûd] to recite Takbîr- [i.e Allâhu Akbar, Allâhu Akbar, Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh Allâhu Akbar, Allâhu Akbar, wa lillâhil-hamd (Allâh is Great, Allâh is Great, none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh, Allâh is Great, Allâh is Great, To Allâh belongs all praise)] – beginning after praying Fajr prayer on the Day of ‘Arafah until the ‘Asr prayer of the last of the Days of Tashrîq.

[This refers to the SPECIFIC TAKBÎR, which is said following completion of the obligatory prayers, and thus is restricted]

(See Irwâ al-Ghalil 3:125 for the wording and timing of the Takbîr)

(See Zad-ul Ma’ad of Ibn al-Qayyim, Majmû Fatawa of Ibn Baz, Sharh al-Mumti of Shaykh Ibn Uthaymîn for further detail of the Takbîr)

‘Eid al-Adhâ [The Feast of The Sacrifice] (The 10th of Dhu’l-Hijjah)

The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:” The greatest of all days before Allâh is the Day of Nahr (sacrifice)..” (Sunan Abû Dawûd 1765. Declared Sahîh by Shaykh Al-Albânî)
The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:”The day of ‘Arafah, The day of Nahr, and The days of Tashrîq are Eid for us, the people of Islâm, and they are days of eating and drinking” (Jâmi’ At-Tirmidhî 773. Declared Sahîh by Shaykh Al-Albânî)
Abû Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allâh صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade fasting on these two days: ‘Eid-ul-Adhâ and ‘Eid-ul-Fitr. (Sahîh Muslim 1138)

The Days of Tashrîq (11th, 12th, 13th of Dhu’l-Hijjah)