بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
“ ZILHAJJ “
In the blessed month of Dhu’l-Hijjah, the pious companions of the Holy Prophet and their followers used to do acts of worship extraordinarily. The first ten days of this month are called al-ayyam al-ma’lumat (The Stated Days) by the Holy Qur’an.
About these highly honorable days, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is reported to have said that nothing is more preferable to Almighty Allah than practicing acts of worship on these ten stated days.
Let us now state the devotional acts on these ten days:
“ UNIT PRAYER FOR FIRST 10 NIGHTS OF ZILHAJ “
First: It is recommended to observe fasting on the first nine days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, for it is equal to the fasting of one’s whole lifetime.
Second: At each of these ten nights, it is recommended to offer a two unit prayer between the Maghrib and Isha’ obligatory prayers and to recite at each unit Surah al-Faatehah once, Surah al-Tawheed once, and the following verse (7/142):
وَ وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَى ثَلاثِينَ لَيْلَةً وَ اَتْمَمْنَاهَا بِعَشْرٍ فَتَمَّ مِيقَاتُ رَبِّهِ اَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً وَ قَالَ مُوسَى لِاَخِيهِ هَارُونَ اخْلُفْنِي فِي قَوْمِي وَ اَصْلِحْ وَ لا تَتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ.
The reward of offering this prayer is to participate in the rewards of those who go on Hajj.
Third: It is recommended to say the following supplicatory prayer, which is reported by Shaykh al-Tusi and Sayyid Ibn Tawus from Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq(a.s.), after the obligatory Fajr and Maghrib Prayers since the first day of Dhu’l-Hijjah and up to the eve of the ‘Arafat Night, the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah:
اللّٰهُمَّ هَذِهِ الْاَيَّامُ الَّتِي فَضَّلْتَهَا عَلَى الْاَيَّامِ وَ شَرَّفْتَهَا قَدْ بَلَّغْتَنِيهَا بِمَنِّکَ وَ رَحْمَتِکَ فَاَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ بَرَکَاتِکَ وَ اَوْسِعْ عَلَيْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ نَعْمَائِکَ اللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْاَلُکَ اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ تَهْدِيَنَا فِيهَا لِسَبِيلِ الْهُدَى وَ الْعَفَافِ وَ الْغِنَى وَ الْعَمَلِ فِيهَا بِمَا تُحِبُّ وَ تَرْضَى اللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْاَلُکَ يَا مَوْضِعَ کُلِّ شَکْوَى وَ يَا سَامِعَ کُلِّ نَجْوَى وَ يَا شَاهِدَ کُلِّ مَلَإٍ وَ يَا عَالِمَ کُلِّ خَفِيَّةٍ اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ تَکْشِفَ عَنَّا فِيهَا الْبَلاءَ وَ تَسْتَجِيبَ لَنَا فِيهَا الدُّعَاءَ وَ تُقَوِّيَنَا فِيهَا وَ تُعِينَنَا وَ تُوَفِّقَنَا فِيهَا لِمَا تُحِبُّ رَبَّنَا وَ تَرْضَى وَ عَلَى مَا افْتَرَضْتَ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ طَاعَتِکَ وَ طَاعَةِ رَسُولِکَ وَ اَهْلِ وِلايَتِکَ اللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْاَلُکَ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَ اَنْ تَهَبَ لَنَا فِيهَا الرِّضَا اِنَّکَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ وَ لا تَحْرِمْنَا خَيْرَ مَا تُنْزِلُ فِيهَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَ طَهِّرْنَا مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ يَا عَلامَ الْغُيُوبِ وَ اَوْجِبْ لَنَا فِيهَا دَارَ الْخُلُودِ اللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ لا تَتْرُکْ لَنَا فِيهَا ذَنْبا اِلا غَفَرْتَهُ وَ لا هَمّا اِلا فَرَّجْتَهُ وَ لا دَيْنا اِلا قَضَيْتَهُ وَ لا غَائِبا اِلا اَدَّيْتَهُ وَ لا حَاجَةً مِنْ حَوَائِجِ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ اِلا سَهَّلْتَهَا وَ يَسَّرْتَهَا اِنَّکَ عَلَى کُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ اللّٰهُمَّ يَا عَالِمَ الْخَفِيَّاتِ يَا رَاحِمَ الْعَبَرَاتِ يَا مُجِيبَ الدَّعَوَاتِ يَا رَبَّ الْاَرَضِينَ وَ السَّمَاوَاتِ يَا مَنْ لا تَتَشَابَهُ عَلَيْهِ الْاَصْوَاتُ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اجْعَلْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ عُتَقَائِکَ وَ طُلَقَائِکَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَ الْفَائِزِينَ بِجَنَّتِکَ وَ النَّاجِينَ بِرَحْمَتِکَ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ وَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ اَجْمَعِينَ.
Fourth: It is recommended to say the following five testaments on the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah:
(1) اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيکَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْکُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى کُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (2) اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيکَ لَهُ اَحَدا صَمَدا لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ صَاحِبَةً وَ لا وَلَدا (3) اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيکَ لَهُ اَحَدا صَمَدا لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ وَ لَمْ يَکُنْ لَهُ کُفُوا اَحَدٌ (4) اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيکَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْکُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَ يُمِيتُ وَ هُوَ حَيٌّ لا يَمُوتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى کُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (5) حَسْبِيَ اللّٰهُ وَ کَفَى سَمِعَ اللّٰهُ لِمَنْ دَعَا لَيْسَ وَرَاءَ اللّٰهِ مُنْتَهَى اَشْهَدُ لِلَّهِ بِمَا دَعَا وَ اَنَّهُ بَرِيءٌ مِمَّنْ تَبَرَّاَ وَ اَنَّ لِلَّهِ الْآخِرَةَ وَ الْاُولَى.
Archangel Gabriel has conveyed these five testaments as gift of Almighty Allah to Prophet Jesus (a.s.) and instructed him to say them on the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah.
An excellent reward has been mentioned to be for whoever repeats these five statements one hundred times each day. However, ‘Allamah al-Majlisi says that it is not improbable that each of these five testaments is repeated ten times each day. Yet, to repeat them one hundred times is better.
Fifth: It is recommended to say the following doxology, which is reported from Imam AliAmeer al-Momineen(a.s.), on the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. An excellent reward has been reported for those saying this doxology, which should preferably be repeated ten times a day:
لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ اللَّيَالِي وَ الدُّهُورِ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ اَمْوَاجِ الْبُحُورِ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ وَ رَحْمَتُهُ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ الشَّوْکِ وَ الشَّجَرِ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ الشَّعْرِ وَ الْوَبَرِ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ الْحَجَرِ وَ الْمَدَرِ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ لَمْحِ الْعُيُونِ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ فِي اللَّيْلِ اِذَا عَسْعَسَ وَ [فِي] الصُّبْحِ اِذَا تَنَفَّسَ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ الرِّيَاحِ فِي الْبَرَارِي وَ الصُّخُورِ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ مِنَ الْيَوْمِ اِلَى يَوْمِ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ
“ 1ST DAY OF ZILHAJJ ”
A number of devotional acts may be practiced on this blessed day:
First: It is recommended to observe fasting on this day, for its reward is equal to the reward of eighty-month worship.
Second: It is recommended to offer Salat Fatimah. According to Shaykh al-Tusi, this prayer consists of four units each couple of which are offered separately. At each unit, Surah al-Faatehah is recited once and Surah al-Tawheed repeated fifty times. After the Taslim statement, the famous Tasbih al-Zahra’ litany is done. Thereafter, the following doxology is said:
سُبْحَانَ ذِي الْعِزِّ الشَّامِخِ الْمُنِيفِ سُبْحَانَ ذِي الْجَلالِ الْبَاذِخِ الْعَظِيمِ سُبْحَانَ ذِي الْمُلْکِ الْفَاخِرِ الْقَدِيمِ سُبْحَانَ مَنْ يَرَى اَثَرَ النَّمْلَةِ فِي الصَّفَا سُبْحَانَ مَنْ يَرَى وَقْعَ الطَّيْرِ فِي الْهَوَاءِ سُبْحَانَ مَنْ هُوَ هَکَذَا وَ لا هَکَذَا غَيْرُهُ
Third: It is recommended to offer a two unit prayer half an hour before midday. At each unit, Surah al-Faatehah is recited once and Surah al-Tawheed, Ayah al-Kursi, and Surah al-Qadr repeated ten times each.
Fourth: One who fears an oppressor and says the following words on this day will be saved, by Almighty Allah:
حَسْبِي حَسْبِي حَسْبِي مِنْ سُؤَالِي عِلْمُکَ بِحَالِي
On this day, Prophet Abraham (a.s.) was born.
On this day too, yet according to the narration of the two Shaykhs, Imam AliAmeer al-Momineen(a.s.) married Lady Fatimah al-Zahra’(a.s.).
“ THE SEVENTH OF DHU’L-HIJJAH ”
This is a sad day for the Shi’ah, for Imam Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (a.s.) departed life on this day at the holy city of al-Madinah in AH 114.
“ THE EIGHTH OF DHU’L-HIJJAH “
The eighth of Dhu’l-Hijjah is called the Tarwiyah Day. To observe fasting on this day brings about a great reward. According to a narration, it erases the sins of sixty years. Shaykh al-Shahid (the martyr) has said that it is recommended to bathe oneself on this day.
Source: Mafatih al-Jinan (Keys to Heavens)
Author: Sheikh Abbas Al-Qummi
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