Virtues of Dhul Hijjah - Shaykh Wasim Kempson

Virtues of Dhul Hijjah

All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, we ask for His help, we ask for His forgiveness, and we ask for His guidance. And we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and from the evil of our deeds.

Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide him, and whomsoever He misguides, none can guide him. And I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except as Muslims.

O you who have believed, fear Allah and say what is rightfully said. He will amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed attained a great triumph.

Indeed, all praise and thanks and gratitude is due to Allah. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His final Messenger. And your Lord creates whatever He wills and He chooses.

Allah Chose Certain Times and Places

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is the creator of everything. And the fact that He subhanahu wa ta'ala created everything, decreed everything, and chose that certain places would have a virtue over others. For the one who prays in Masjid al-Haram will have the reward of 100,000 Salah. And that is a virtue not to be matched. And praying in the Masjid of Rasulullah has the virtue of 1,000 prayers. So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala chose certain places to be enviable, to be sacred, and that their virtue and blessings would be over others.

Similarly, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala decreed that certain times would have a virtue and a blessing over others. So each year in the month of Ramadan, the Muslim does as much as they can in getting close to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Everybody is engaging in the same ibadah, in the same worship. Everybody is fasting. So there is a constant reminder for everybody that we are in the month of Ramadan. Even the non-Muslim is aware that Muslims are in their month and that they are fasting. And that the last 10 nights, we are all looking for Laylatul Qadr — a night which is better than a thousand months:

So we come to the masjid, we may pray at home, offering Qiyamul Layl, the night prayer, asking Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to forgive us and to guide us — all the things that we are asking for.

The First Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah

However, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala also chose other times during the year — that there would be a time which would be better and greater than what we know during the month of Ramadan. And not necessarily going into too much depth as to why it is that so many Muslims are unaware, or do not take as seriously the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah as they should. Bearing in mind, in the hadith of Ibn Abbas radiyallahu 'anhu, that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 969)

"There are no days in which righteous actions are more beloved to Allah than these ten days of Dhul Hijjah." Sareeh — very clear. No days more beloved to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in which righteous actions are done than these 10 days of Dhul Hijjah.

Dhul Hijjah of course is the last month of the Islamic calendar. It is something that is just about upon us in a few days' time. We will start the month of Dhul Hijjah. And just a week into that month you will find millions of people — for some of them it will be the journey of a lifetime — going to the plains of Arafah. And they will make du'a to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala like they have never made du'a to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in their lives. Quite possibly the most important day of du'a in their lives, if that person only makes hajj once in their life.

And that Day of Arafah is the day that you put it all out there to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala — all your desires, your wishes, your du'as, your supplications, everything that you ever desired and wished for should be said on that day, when you made that sacrifice to go to the plains of Arafah in the heat, wearing two sheets, or for the woman wearing hijab — stifling hot. But you make that sacrifice. The money that you paid, the money that you saved, really becomes nothing on that day when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala enabled you, facilitated for you to be there. To be from those chosen — 3 million people — to make du'a at that place on that day. What a blessing that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala allows a person to be granted to be from those people at that time at that place.

This is something that years pass by and the person intends or wishes that they would be there but is not making much of an effort to be there. So why is it that the Muslim is really unaware of the blessings? Because they're not performing hajj, so it passes them by. Is this time only for the hujjaj? We say no, it is not. The ahadith which talk about the ahabbu ayyam ilallah — the most beloved days to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala — and afdhalu ayyam ad-dunya — the best 10 days of this world — are these first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah.

What Should We Do During These Days?

So what should we be doing? Well, there are so many things that we can be doing insha'Allah ta'ala during these days. We've established that they are the very best days. We cannot let this opportunity, which comes around every single year, pass by such that we treated it like all other days during the year. The last 10 nights of Ramadan are special. But these 10 days, they are also very special. So what do we do? We engage in those ibadat which are beloved to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Udhiyah (Qurbani)

From them: organising an udhiyah, a qurbani. Yes, the ulama have differed over whether it is a wajib or sunnatun mu'akkadah — a stressed sunnah or something which is an obligation. At the very least, if you have the means to organise a qurbani, then you should do it, knowing that a sheep or a portion in a cow or a camel is sufficient for your household. And if you can do more, then you should do so. And the one who is organising it should refrain from trimming their nails and taking any hair from their bodies during this time until it is done after the day of Eid, after Salatul Eid.

Fasting the Day of Arafah

On the 9th day of Dhul Hijjah is Yawmu Arafah — the Day of Arafah — on which, on the plains of Arafah, millions of people are supplicating to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. For those not making hajj, then you are to fast this day insha'Allah ta'ala if you can. Because the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has said:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1162)

"Fasting the Day of Arafah is an expiation of sins for the previous year and the coming year." Fasting one day is an expiation of your sins for two entire years. So when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam told us that these are the very best days of the year, these are some of the reasons why we should know that there are no other days in the year that are equal to this. The opportunities are like none other.

Fasting the First Nine Days

Not only fasting the ninth, but it is also narrated that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would fast the first nine days of Dhul Hijjah. And it is a commonly asked question: Can I fast the first nine days? Of course the tenth day is the day of Eid — none of us will fast. But to fast the first nine days — fast. Do as much as you can during these days.

Charity, Night Prayer, and Dhikr

Can I spread out my sadaqah during these days? Then give charity during these days — each and every one of these days if you can. Can I offer tahajjud and night prayer? Yes, do it, because these are the best days during the year. Make lots of takbeer — praise of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala — saying:

Throughout all of these days, mention Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala frequently and as much as you can. Making the takbeer in these days is almost like a sunnatun mahjurah — a forgotten sunnah with many people. And remember, if you revive this sunnah, then you will have the reward of all those who then implement this particular sunnah. Of course, this is what the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam told us.

Hajj — The Journey of a Lifetime

And if the person has the ability to perform hajj during these days — knowing that hajj itself is how long? Five days. Al-hajjul mabrur — the accepted hajj — has no other reward than the paradise. That the person stayed away from cursing and swearing and relations with their spouse. They went there for ibadah for five days, and accepted hajj — the reward for that is the paradise. How merciful Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is, that for the work that you put in for five days in your life, you will receive the paradise. It doesn't mean that for the rest of your life you can do as you wish. But the point is that you have made an effort in that hajj such that you return a different person.

We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to allow us to perform the hajj. We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to place in our hearts the desire to want to make the pilgrimage to His house. Allahumma ameen.

Second Khutbah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ

All praise belongs to Allah. And may the peace and blessings of Allah Jalla wa Ala be upon His final Messenger Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

When talking about the ten days of Dhul Hijjah — its virtue, its blessing — you almost go down into a subject which opens up so many different topics, which in this short khutbah is impossible for us to cover and talk about in any great depth.

The Story of Ibrahim and the Sacrifice

But we think about the story of Ibrahim alayhi salam and the sacrifice that was asked of him by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala — to offer his own son Ismail alayhi salam. We think about the Hajj of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. We think about the Khutbatul Wada' — the farewell sermon of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

The Farewell Sermon

One of the greatest — if not the greatest — sermons ever delivered, not only to a people but to mankind. The words that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned, the advice that was given — universal, comprehensive — applicable to the Sahabah that were there, more than 110,000 of them. That it was delivered on that occasion would be sufficient to address all the needs and advice that we need here today. About the rights of men and women and children and the old and the rich and the poor. The equal share and fair distribution of wealth and the removal of oppression. And reminding us — every single one of us — of our origin: where every single one of us came from and where we will all be returning to.

In that sermon, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would frequently say to them, "Have I not informed you? Have I not conveyed the message to you?" And the companions radiyallahu 'anhum would say, "Indeed you have conveyed the message, O Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam."

But on this day where everybody should recognise and know that you are all on an equal plane — regardless of your wealth, your status, whoever you are — the most noble in the sight of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is the one who has taqwa. You will not be able to bargain with your money. You will not be able to bargain with your status and your fame on Yawmul Qiyamah. All of that will have no worth. What you put forth — your struggles, your sacrifice in this worldly life — that is all that will be of worth to you on Yawmul Qiyamah.

If you have problems with one another, resolve them. If you have debts to be paid, pay them. If you have repentance that is owed to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala — and we all have that — then repent to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, before a day comes where regret will come to you and there will be no turning back.

We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to forgive us of our sins. We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to give victory to all the Muslims around the world. We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to protect us from ad-dalalah.

وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ