The Best 10 Days of The Year
Each year we eagerly wait for Ramadan, and just as quickly as it comes it comes to an end. We try our best to take advantage of each blessed moment and take advantage of the best ten nights of the year. After Ramadan, you might be missing that spiritual high and wishing for an opportunity to do more good - we’re fortunate enough to have another opportunity for good coming up in Dhul Hijjah in the next few days.
While the last ten nights of Ramadan are considered the blessed ten nights, the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are considered the blessed ten days. The Prophet (peace be upon him) Said, “There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
While it is the month of Hajj, even those of us not performing Hajj can still take advantage of the many blessings of these days. Here are six acts of worship you can do to make the most of the 10 days of Dhul Hijjah.
Fast
“The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Fasting the day of `Arafah expiates the sins of two years: the past one and the coming one.””
Fasting is one of the most beloved deeds to Allah, so try to fast for all ten days, but if you cannot, try to fast on the day of Arafah - Just as we have Layl atul Qadr in Ramadan being the best night of the year, the Day of Arafah is the best day of the year.
Engage in Dhikr
“Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There are no days that are greater before Allah or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days, so recite a great deal of tahlil, takbir, and tahmid during them.” ”
Tahlil - La ilaha illa Allah - The is No God but Allah
Takbir - Allahu Akbar - God is the Greatest
Tahmid - Alhamdulillah - All Praise to Allah
Dhikr is one of the easiest and most underestimated forms of worship. Make it a habit to keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah during these ten days and beyond, starting with tasbeeh after each salah.
Seek Sincere Repentance
The Prophet (saw) said, ’There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than on the day of ‘Arafah’. (Muslim)
Engage in sincere repentance on the day of Arafah and the days leading up to it and insha’Allah you will be forgiven.
Give Qurbani/Udhiya
Dhul Hijjah is the month of sacrifice, and we give Qurbani to honor Ibrahim AS and provide meat to those less fortunate. This year, Sakeenah is offering qurbani locally and will be providing meat to the women and children in our homes in the GTA. Consider donating your qurbani locally this year. You can learn more about our Qurbani program here.
Donate Charity
Scholar Hasan al-Basri, (Allah have mercy on him) said, “Going to fulfill the need of your brother is better for you than performing Hajj after Hajj.”
Consider donating to a local organization like Sakeenah Canada to help your brothers and sisters in your community. If you have not donated your zakat, we have a 100% Zakat policy you can learn more about here.
Be Consistent With Your Deeds
“The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked, “What deeds are loved most by Allah?” He said, “The most regular constant deeds even though they may be few.”
Even outside of the best ten days of the year, the best deeds are those that are consistent. Whether that is reciting Quran daily, attending a lecture weekly, or making a habit of volunteering at your local community cente, be sure to engage in some form of worship consistently. Becoming a monthly donor at Sakeenah is a great way to do this, as it helps us sustain our programming to help countless women and children each month - you can even automate your donations!
We hope this post was helpful for you to make the most of the blessed month of Dhul Hijjah and reap the rewards of the 10 best days.
Written by Hira Irfan - Marketing Coordinator at Sakeenah Canada. I love anything creative and using that creativity to serve my community. I’m a proud cat mom of two!
About Sakeenah Canada
Sakeenah Canada, a national charitable organization, was founded in 2018 in response to a gap in culturally and religiously sensitive services available for women and children facing domestic violence and homelessness. Since then, our services have expanded to include mental health therapy and counseling, child and youth programming, a food program to help combat food insecurity, an anti-human trafficking program, and foster care. Sakeenah Canada currently operates 9 homes for Muslim women and children across Canada, which includes shelters in Toronto, Brampton, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Regina, and St. John’s; and a long-term housing project in Windsor.
Charitable Registration Number: 776013310 RR 0001
