Central Khutbah: “How the First Generations of Muslims Spent the First Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah”
Allah, the Most High, out of His immense mercy towards mankind, has appointed special periods during which good deeds are multiplied, sins are erased, and the believer is given the opportunity to draw closer to his Lord. Among the most virtuous of these times are the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah.
These are not ordinary days of the year. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ described them as the best days of this world, and the earliest generations of Muslims – the Companions, the Tâbi‘în, and those who followed them in goodness – welcomed them with great respect, increased worship, and a sincere determination not to allow a single moment to pass without benefiting from it.
The Best Days of This World
The Qur’an points to the greatness of these days. Allah, the Most High, says:
“By the dawn, and by the ten nights!”
(Surah Al-Fajr, 1–2)
The majority of Qur’an commentators among the Companions and the Tâbi‘în considered that the “ten nights” refer to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. It is reported from Ibn ‘Abbâs, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, that he said:
“They are the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.”
(Tafsîr Ibn Kathîr, commentary on Surah Al-Fajr, 1–2)
Allah, the Most High, also says:
“That they may mention the name of Allah during known days.”
(Surah Al-Hajj, 28)
Imam Al-Bukhârî narrated from Ibn ‘Abbâs, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, that the “known days” are precisely the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.
(Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, Kitâb Al-‘Îdayn, chapter on the virtue of performing good deeds during the days of Tashrîq)
The special status of these days is clearly shown in the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbâs, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“There are no days during which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days.”
The Companions asked:
“Not even striving in the path of Allah?”
He replied:
“Not even striving in the path of Allah, except for a man who goes out risking his life and his wealth, and returns with neither.”
(Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, no. 969)
It is narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“There are no days greater in the sight of Allah, nor days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days. So increase during them in saying tahlîl, takbîr and tahmîd.”
(Musnad Ahmad, no. 5446)
Tahlîl means saying:
Lâ ilâha illa Allah
(There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah)
Takbîr means:
Allahu Akbar
(Allah is the Greatest)
Tahmîd means:
Al-Hamdulillah
(All praise belongs to Allah)
It is narrated from Abû Bakr As-Siddîq, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“The best days of this world are the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.”
(Musnad Al-Bazzâr, no. 1128)
It is also narrated from Jâbir ibn ‘Abdillah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“The best days of this world are the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.”
He was asked:
“Are even the days spent in the path of Allah not equal to them?”
He replied:
“They are not equal to them, except for the person who covers his face with dust (in striving for Allah’s cause).”
(Al-Mundhirî, At-Targhîb wa At-Tarhîb, chapter on the virtue of the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah)
Hâfidh Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalânî explains:
“What appears evident is that the reason for the special virtue of the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah is that they combine the greatest acts of worship: prayer, fasting, charity and pilgrimage. This does not occur in any other time.”
(Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalânî, Fath Al-Bârî, commentary on hadith no. 969)
How the First Generations Perceived These Days
The first generations of Muslims did not speak about the virtue of these days only through words. Their knowledge was transformed into concrete actions.
When the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah arrived, the Tâbi‘î Sa‘îd ibn Jubayr would exert himself so greatly in worship that it became almost impossible for others to reach his level of devotion.
(Ad-Dârimî, Sunan Ad-Dârimî, no. 1815)
It is reported that Sa‘îd ibn Jubayr used to say:
“Do not extinguish your lamps during these ten nights.”
(Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalî, Latâ’if Al-Ma‘ârif, chapter on the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah)
Through these words, he encouraged people to spend their nights in prayer, recitation of the Qur’an, remembrance of Allah (dhikr), and other forms of obedience.
He also used to say:
“Wake up your servants so that they may take the pre-dawn meal (suhûr) in order to fast the day of ‘Arafah.”
(Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalî, Latâ’if Al-Ma‘ârif)
Suhayl ibn Abî Sâlih narrated from his father, who narrated from Ka‘b, that he said:
“Allah has chosen certain periods. Among these periods, He especially loves the sacred months. Among the sacred months, He especially loves Dhul-Hijjah, and among Dhul-Hijjah, what He loves most are its first ten days.”
(Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalî, Latâ’if Al-Ma‘ârif)
Abû ‘Uthmân An-Nahdî said:
“They used to give special importance to three periods of ten days: the last ten days of Ramadan, the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and the first ten days of Muharram.”
(Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalî, Latâ’if Al-Ma‘ârif)
For the first generations, these days did not pass like ordinary days. They increased their good deeds, protected their time, and encouraged one another towards obedience to Allah.
Reviving Takbîr and Dhikr
One of the most remarkable practices of the Companions during these days was the public proclamation of takbîr.
Imam Al-Bukhârî reports:
“Ibn ‘Umar and Abû Hurayrah would go out to the marketplace during the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and pronounce the takbîr. The people would then pronounce the takbîr following their example.”
(Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, Kitâb Al-‘Îdayn, chapter on the virtue of good deeds during the days of Tashrîq)
Their takbîr was not an organized and synchronized recitation performed with one single voice. Each person would remember Allah individually, but they reminded one another of this practice, until the markets, roads and homes became filled with the glorification of Allah.
Imam Al-Bukhârî also reports:
“‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, would pronounce the takbîr in his tent at Minâ. The people in the mosque would hear him and pronounce the takbîr. The people in the markets would also pronounce it, until Minâ would completely resound with takbîr.”
(Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, Kitâb Al-‘Îdayn, chapter on takbîr during the days of Minâ)
Therefore, the believer should frequently say during these days:
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,
Lâ ilâha illa Allah,
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,
wa lillâhil-hamd.
The takbîr is not merely the pronunciation of certain words. Through it, the believer affirms that Allah is greater than his worries, desires, fears, and everything that may distance him from obedience to Him.
Fasting During the First Nine Days
Fasting is among the greatest righteous deeds, and all good actions performed during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are especially beloved to Allah.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever fasts one day in the path of Allah, Allah will distance his face from the Fire by seventy years.”
(Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, no. 2840; Sahîh Muslim, no. 1153)
In another narration, it is reported:
“Whoever fasts one voluntary day, Allah will distance him from Hell by a distance equivalent to that between the heavens and the earth.”
(At-Tabarânî, Al-Mu‘jam Al-Kabîr; Al-Haythamî, Majma‘ Az-Zawâ’id)
For this reason, many members of the early generations sought to fast during these days, especially the day of ‘Arafah.
It is reported that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, used to fast the days of Dhul-Hijjah. Fasting during this period was also highly valued by Al-Hasan Al-Basrî, Muhammad ibn Sîrîn and Qatâdah.
(Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalî, Latâ’if Al-Ma‘ârif)
A special place belongs to fasting the day of ‘Arafah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Fasting the day of ‘Arafah, I hope that Allah will expiate the sins of the previous year and the year after it.”
(Sahîh Muslim, no. 1162)
Fasting applies to the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, because the tenth day is the day of Eid Al-Adhâ, during which fasting is prohibited.
Abû Sa‘îd Al-Khudrî, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited fasting on two days: the day of Eid Al-Fitr and the day of Eid Al-Adhâ.”
(Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, no. 1991; Sahîh Muslim, no. 1138)
Whoever is unable to fast all nine days should not completely abandon this opportunity for goodness. Let him fast according to his ability, and especially strive to fast the day of ‘Arafah.
The Night Prayer
The first generations of Muslims sought to combine fasting during the day with prayer during the night. Through this, they demonstrated their sincere struggle against their own laziness and their desire to benefit from every moment of this blessed period.
Allah, the Most High, swore by these ten nights:
“By the dawn, and by the ten nights!”
(Surah Al-Fajr, 1–2)
Therefore, the believer should not allow all these nights to pass in heedlessness.
We have already mentioned the statement of Sa‘îd ibn Jubayr:
“Do not extinguish your lamps during these ten nights.”
(Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalî, Latâ’if Al-Ma‘ârif)
It is not necessary to spend the entire night in prayer. A few units of prayer performed sincerely, in the tranquility of the night, may become a cause of immense goodness.
The important thing is that a person establishes at least one consistent act of worship: two units of night prayer, the witr prayer, seeking forgiveness before dawn, or reading a few pages of the Qur’an.
‘Â’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“The deeds most beloved to Allah are those which are done consistently, even if they are few.”
(Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, no. 6464; Sahîh Muslim, no. 783)
Charity and Helping Others
The members of the first generations increased their charity and their assistance to those in need during these days, hoping for the special reward promised for good deeds performed during this blessed period.
The basis for this is the general statement of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
“There are no days during which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than the deeds performed during these days.”
(Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, no. 969)
Charity does not only mean giving a large amount of wealth. It can be providing food to a poor family, helping someone in debt, giving a gift to an orphan, supporting a beneficial project, or easing the hardship of a person in difficulty.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever relieves a believer of one difficulty from the difficulties of this world, Allah will relieve him of one difficulty from the difficulties of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever makes things easy for someone in hardship, Allah will make things easy for him in this world and the Hereafter.”
(Sahîh Muslim, no. 2699)
During these days, the believer may decide to give charity every day, even if it is a small amount. The value of an action is not determined only by the quantity given, but also by the sincerity of the heart and the need of the person receiving the help.
Allah, the Most High, says:
“Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and openly, will have their reward with their Lord. They shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 274)
Perhaps a small charity given secretly will be the very deed through which Allah grants a person His forgiveness and salvation.
Keeping Company with the Qur’an
The first generations of Muslims increased their recitation of the Qur’an during these days.
It is reported regarding Abû ‘Awânah Al-Yashkurî, whose name was Waddâh ibn ‘Abdillah, that because of his immense respect for the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, he would complete a full recitation of the Qur’an (khatmah) every three nights.
(Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalî, Latâ’if Al-Ma‘ârif, chapter on the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah)
Not everyone is able to do the same, and not everyone is required to perform the same amount of worship. However, everyone can increase their daily portion of Qur’an recitation.
Some may read a juz’ (a section of the Qur’an), others a few pages, and others only one page with understanding and reflection. The important thing is that during these days the Qur’an receives a special place in our schedules and in our hearts.
Allah, the Most High, says:
“This is a blessed Book which We have revealed to you so that they may reflect upon its verses and so that those endowed with understanding may take heed.”
(Surah Sâd, 29)
The objective is not merely to complete a certain number of pages. The objective is to allow the words of Allah to reform our relationship with Him, our prayer, our family, our character, and our relationships with others.
Preserving One’s Tongue, Sight and Hearing
The first generations did not limit worship only to prayer, fasting and dhikr. They gave great importance to protecting their limbs from sins.
When these days arrived, some of the Tâbi‘în were known only as people devoted to worship, reciters of the Qur’an, those who remembered Allah, or those who protected their tongues from anything except goodness.
(Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalî, Latâ’if Al-Ma‘ârif)
They protected their tongues from backbiting, lying, arguments and useless speech. They protected their eyes from what is forbidden, their ears from harmful words, and their hearts from envy, arrogance and hatred.
Allah, the Most High, says:
“Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart — all of these will be questioned.”
(Surah Al-Isrâ’, 36)
It is reported from Fadl ibn ‘Abbâs, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said concerning the day of ‘Arafah:
“Whoever preserves his hearing, his sight and his tongue on that day, his sins will be forgiven.”
(Musnad Ahmad, no. 3041)
The benefit of fasting is not complete if a person abandons food and drink but does not abandon insults, backbiting and injustice.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever does not abandon false speech and acting upon it, Allah has no need for him to leave his food and drink.”
(Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, no. 1903)
It is not enough to pronounce the takbîr with one’s tongue if that same tongue harms people. True worship reforms the entire human being.
(Central khutbah by the Religious Leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on May 22, 2026, at the “Association Islamique de Luxembourg” in Bonnevoie)
