Make the most of Dhul Hijjah's first ten days
“Allah has identified these first ten days of the month of Dhul Hijjah as the ten best days of the year.”
The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are the best ten days of the year, so Muslims must prepare now and maximize worship, fasting, dhikr, repentance, and sacrifice during them.
The khutbah in 8 steps
- Opening praise and hadith that Jummah with proper wudu expiates sins between Fridays
- Dhul Hijjah begins next Monday; reminders benefit the believers even if heard before
- Why these ten days are best: Allah swore by them, Islam was perfected during them, they contain Hajj, Arafat, and Eid al-Adha
- First secure obligatory duties (prayer on time, zakat), then add sunnah prayers, fasting, charity, and takbir
- Earn the reward of Hajj and Umrah daily via Fajr in congregation followed by dhikr until sunrise and two rak'ahs
- Fast, especially on the day of Arafat (May 26), and use that day for repentance and dua
- Offer the udhiyah sacrifice; if intending to, stop cutting hair and nails from Sunday; befriend the Quran
- Closing dua and disclaimer that correctness is from Allah and error from himself
In the khateeb's words
“Allah has identified these first ten days of the month of Dhul Hijjah as the ten best days of the year.”
“there are no days during which the righteous actions is more pleasing to Allah than these days”
“and then they sit remembering Allah until the sun rises, and then prays Turaqah, for him is the reward like that of Hajj and Umrah.”
“he should not cut his hair or his nails until after he has offered his sacrifice.”
For the dinner table
Today the khateeb reminded us that the best ten days of the whole year, the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, begin next Monday, and that everything we did over the past eleven months, including our Ramadan fasting, was preparation for them. He called these days our 'final exam for the year,' like an athlete who trains for years for one short race. Even if we are not going to Hajj, Allah has given us ways to share in its reward: praying Fajr in the masjid and remembering Allah until sunrise earns a reward like Hajj and Umrah. He taught us to first perfect our obligations, praying on time, paying zakat, and then add fasting, takbir, charity, and lots of Quran reading, since every letter earns a good deed multiplied tenfold. The most important day is Arafat on Tuesday, May 26th, when fasting wipes away minor sins and Allah frees more people from the fire than on any other day, so it is the perfect time to repent and make dua. He finished by reminding us not to waste this golden, once-a-year opportunity, and to remember those offering the sacrifice not to cut their hair or nails until it is done.
- If the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are our 'final exam' for the year, what is one thing you want to do every single one of those days?
- Would you be willing to wake up for Fajr at the masjid to earn a reward like Hajj and Umrah, what would make that easier for you?
- On the day of Arafat, when Allah frees the most people from the fire, what is one dua you really want answered?
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