Checkout

Friday Talks
faheemfb@gmail.com

181

      

 

      
 

     


In the name of Allah most gracious most merciful. 

The first ten days of Thel-Hejjah

 

Written by:  Sk Abd-Razzag Taher Farih

Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa

 

30 Thel-Qadah 1437.

02 September 2016.

 

Dearly beloved,

Dearly beloved, we have just reached the first ten days of the month of Thel-Hejjah in the Islamic calendar. Those days are blessed days, days with which Allah Has made an oath due to its high status and nobility. Because He; may He be elevated, can make an oath with whatever He so wishes of His creations. Allah says: {Making a pledge with Asr (later afternoon time), and the ten nights}. Normally, a pledge or an oath is only made with a great or a noble thing, something which would cause people to notice and pay attention to. And as Allah says:{Remember Allah throughout the appointed days} 2:203. Ebn-Abbas said those are the first ten days of the month of Thel-Hejja. The messenger ppbu said: {there are no other days during which a good deed is more loved by Allah than that deed which is done during those days}. They said: better than the deed of Jihad in the line of Allah. The messenger ppbu said: {even better than Jihad in the line of Allah, except for when a man goes out for jihad by putting forward himself and his money and nothing comes back}.

And the question is: Why is it that a good deed is more loved to Allah during those ten days? Listen to what the scholar Hafith Ebn-Hajar said: Because those days contain within them the cradle or foundation of all worships, such as prayers, fasting, Hajj (pilgrimage) and Sadaqa (donations). Those do not happen in other than those days.

Fasting is one of the best deeds. And for that reason the prophet ppbu used to fast during those days. The messenger ppbu said: {Any slave who fasts a day purely for Allah, then Allah shall push away hell fire from the slave a distance of seventy autumns}. The messenger commanded us to remember Allah a lot during those days. He said: {during those days do plenty of takbeer (glorifying Allah), praising Allah and giving thanks to Allah}. So, Takbeer is recommended during those days. Takbeer itself; is of two types: Absolute and Conditional. The absolute takbeer starts at the start of the ten days. The conditional takbeer is required from the person who is not performing Hajj (pilgrimage), which starts at the dawn of the day of Arafa (that is the day before Eid Adha day). The person should do takbeer (say: Allah Akbar) after each prayer in a heard voice. This is done  after every prayer; up to Asr prayer of the last day of Tashreeq days (Tashreeq days are the three days of Eid, 10,11 and 12 of Thel-Hejjah). It is recommended to practice plenty of both absolute and conditional takbeer during those days.

Slaves of Allah, those ten days have their specific rules and terms. One of those rules is that when the ten days start, and if a slave intends to slaughter a sacrifice on Eid day then he should not trim his hair or nails or skin. The messenger ppbu was reported to recommend that. Some scholars said the point in this rule is that a Muslim should share this act with the person who is performing Hajj. All Muslims doing hajj are commanded not to trim their hair or nails until after they do the sacrifice or do the ritual of stoning the Jamarah rocks.

Dear Muslims, some of the benefits of those ten days is that they contain within them: day of Arafa. The ninth day is called day of Arafa. That is the day when all those doing Hajj (pilgrimage) assemble on mount of Arafa. It is a great day with tremendous glory and a generosity. The messenger ppbu said: {No other day has as many people saved and set free from hell fire; more than on the day of Arafa}. O Allah; make us amongst those you set free from hellfire. Remember the words of your prophet, as he said that Allah with all His glory shall get closer. Closeness befitting His highness and perfectness; despite how you may imagine Allah, remember that there is nothing like Him, and that He sees and hears all. He gets closer to those Muslims at Hajj assembling on day of Araf on the mountain of Arafa and boasts away in proudness and glory with them to His angels, and He (all glory be to Him) says: {what do all those want? All those who came to their Lord covered in dust and tussled and untidy, from all far lands and deep valleys. They ask Him alone, and they beg him to grant them forgiveness. The messenger was reported saying: {At no other time or day Satan was seen to be as belittled and as mad and more insignificant and more beaten and defeated than he is on this day}. That is because he is able to see all the mercies and blessings coming down from Allah, and the forgiveness by Allah of so many great sins. Yes, all those blessings are contributed to those who are doing Hajj. But, you, whom Allah Has not enabled to do Hajj, what do you need to do? Get closer to Allah with deeds of obedience and deeds which get you closer to Him. Fasting, Quran reciting and remembering Allah are all deeds of obedience.

Dear Muslims, you should fast, and be certain to fast day of Arafah (day before Eid day). Listen to the good tiding for the non-hajj person. The messenger ppbu said:  {Fasting the day of Arafa will clean the sins of the previous year and the remaining year}. This is such a great grace from Allah. A Muslim should maximise the benefit from those blessed days. Remember he who protects his/her worldly life through the obedience of Allah; then Allah will protect his next life, and the person will find what he/she does in advance in this life, will find it saved and multiplied with Allah. Similarly, whoever wastes away his present life; then consequently his/her next life will be lost. There are those who will lose both their worldly life and their next life, and that is the clear great loss.

Notes:

  1. Adhan - The call to prayer.

  2. Ahmad (Ahmed)- Another name for the messenger Muhammad (PPBU).

  3. Allah - The Arabic word for "god."  It is often used as a name for God in Islam.

  4. Ansar (or Al-Ansar): The inhabitants of the city of Al-Medina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.

  5. Assalam Alaikum - The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.

  6. Aya (or Ayah): is a verse of the Koran. It also means a miracle or a sign from God.

  7. Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat): is a mountain outside the city of Mecca that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day.

  8. Badr - The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.  

  9. Caliph - A Muslim ruler. See: (Khalifa) 

  10. Dajjal - Antichrist or the False Massiah.

  11. Dawah - The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.  

  12. Deen (Din) - Religion or way of life. 

  13. Duaa: a prayer in the form of talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help.

  14. Fatwa - Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.

  15. Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.

  16. Fiqh - Religious law.

  17. Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.

  18. Hajar - The Black Stone set into the corner of the Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.

  19. Hajj - The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar.  One of the five pillars of Islam.

  20. Hasana or hasanas: is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.

  21. Hadith - The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his followers.  Considered authoritative and perfect.

  22. Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.

  23. Hijra (or Hejrah): the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.

  24. Ibadah - Worship. All the words and deeds with which Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.

  25. Iblis - (Ibleese): On of Satan's names.

  26. Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn Omar.

  27. Imam (or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.  

  28. Iman: belief or faith

  29. Injil (Enjeel) - The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the Christians.

  30. Islam - Submission, the religion of all the prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.

  31. Jannah - The heavenly garden, Paradise.  The place of the faithful in the afterlife.

  32. Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the fight one's self against temptations. It also means "holy war."

  33. Jinn - Supernatural, invisible beings race of beings, below angels.  They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on Judgment Day.

  34. Ka'aba: A cube shaped building in Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers. Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage in a ritual known as Tawaf.

  35. Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".

  36. Khutbah  - A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.

  37. Kufr - Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.

  38. Koran - Also spelled Qur'an.  The holy book of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel.  Koran literally means "the recital."  It is the final revelation of Allah given to the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)

  39. Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to. Then it was called Yathrib.

  40. Masjid - A center for Muslim activity.  It is referred to as a mosque.

  41. Masiah - A sin, or a sinful act

  42. Mecca or Makkah: is the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).

  43. Mosque - A Muslim house of worship.

  44. Muhajir - (Muhajireen) Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median and Ethiopia.

  45. Muhammad - the final messenger and prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations.  He received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah

  46. Muslim - One who holds faith to the religion of Islam.

  47. Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.
  48. Nasara - Christians.  Nasrani: A Christian individual. Nasraniah: Christianity.

  49. Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.

  50. Paradise - Another word for heaven.  A garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels. All live  in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.

  51. PPBU (P.B.U.H.) : Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.
  52. Qadar - Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.

  53. Qadr - (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. Or when the Koran was brought down to the nearest heaven in one go, and from there it was brought down in bits and few verses at a time over a period of 23 years. This night is considered the holiest night for Muslims with tremendous advantages.
  54. Qibla - The direction which Muslims turn for daily prayers, towards Mecca.

  55. Quraish - An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger Muhammad belonged.

  56. Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.

  57. Salat - Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is performed to worship Allah five times daily.

  58. Shiaa: A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.

  59. Shirk - Associating another god with Allah.  Or associating anyone or anything with Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of Monotheism or Tawheed.  

  60. Siam  or Soam- Fasting

  61. Sunni: is a the title of  those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.

  62. Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.

  63. Surah - A chapter of the Koran.  

  64. Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.

  65. Tauhid - Tawheed - Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)

  66. Taqwah - Proper fear and veneration of Allah.  A divine spark that enables the person to understand God.

  67. Taurat: The old Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.

  68. Ummah - the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.

  69. Umrah - (Amrah): A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic year, Umrah can be performed at any time.

  70. Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.

  71. Zaboor - The Psalms

  72. Zakat - The third pillar of Islam.  Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.

 


Faheem Bukhatwa, my email address is : faheemfb@gmail.com