A Month Special to Everyone
By Ibrahim Naseem
It’s important to remember that time is not equal. Though seconds, hours, and days pass at the same pace, there are days and months that are “special,” a word that has lost some of its meaning in the modern, corporate, and materialistic world.
The Hajj, or Pilgrimage, is an obliged rite of worship. But it occurs in a sacred month, 29 or 30 days that are hold immeasurable blessings for anyone who seeks them, whether you plan on going on the Pilgrimage or not, whether you are in Makkah or in Chicago.
This is especially true for the first 10 days of Dhu’l-Hijja (the name of the 12th month of the Islamic lunar year). In the Quran, God Himself (the Exalted and Gracious) makes an oath by these nights so that we may be reminded of their immense blessings. “By the dawn, and the ten nights, and the even and the odd, and the night when it passes away—there surely is a mighty oath in this for mindful people” (Quran, 89:1-5).
It is God’s prerogative to give prominence and nobility to whatever He wills. And it is by His endless mercy that God invites His creatures to gather these blessings while life remains and as time dwindles down for each of us.
The Prophet (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There are no days during which good actions are more beloved to God than those ten days” of Dhu’l-Hijja. The ninth day of the day of Arafa is a particularly great day and opportunity for Divine forgiveness and great reward. God forgives the sins and misdeeds of the past year and the following year for those who fast on this day.
People of religion use the word “blessings” a lot. But what are they? Essentially, blessings are those things (seen or unseen) that bring our lives into closer harmony with God’s will. Religion asks two things from us: that we believe in Truth and that we conduct our lives (that is, make choices) such that Truth remains important to us. A blessing can be material, such as provisions from God, safety, and more. Success is acknowledging that these blessings are from God and that we feel grateful. But the greatest blessings are those that come in the form of God’s reward and pleasure, which ultimately will be of tremendous benefit in the Hereafter, when we all shall stand before God.
Again, in modern times it has become more difficult to appreciate what all of this means. For many, it becomes too abstract, so they ignore it. And for many others, they participate only because they’ve heard someone talk about them. What we need to do is revive the long sacred tradition that helps us to actually “feel” and “perceive” what these blessings are. And this begins by participating in what these special times invite us to do.
Imam Zaid Shakir sums up nicely those things that help us to gather the best of these best of days:
1. We should try to fast as many of the first nine days as possible. We should make an extra effort to fast the Day of ‘Arafah. It is related in Sahih Muslim that the Noble Prophet, Peace and Blessings of God be upon him, said, “I anticipate that Fasting the Day of ‘Arafah will atone for the sins of the previous and coming year.”
2. We should carefully monitor our speech, what we listen to, and what we allow our gaze to fall on during these days, again, especially on the Day of ‘Arafah. The Noble Prophet, Peace and Blessings of God be upon him, said, “[Concerning] the Day of ‘Arafah, whoever controls his hearing, gaze, and speech on that day, he will be forgiven.”
3. We should be excessive in repeating the declaration of Tawhid, with special emphasis on the phrase, “La ilaha ilallah, Wahdahu La Sharika lah, Lahul Mulk, wa lahul Hamd, biyadihi Khayr, wa Huwa ‘ala kulli Shayin Qadir: There is no God but Allah. He is alone without partners. His is the dominion, and unto Him is all praise. With Him is all good, and He over all things has power.” Imam Tirmidhi relates that this was the supplication that the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of God be upon him, repeated more than any other on the Day of ‘Arafah.
4. We should pray for forgiveness and liberation from Hellfire during these days, especially the Day of ‘Arafah. Imam ‘Ali, May God be pleased with him, related, “God liberates people from the Hellfire everyday. And there is no day when more people are liberated from the Hellfire than the Day of ‘Arafah.”
Finally, whenever we remember God or perform a rite of worship (whether it is obliged or voluntary), we should keep in mind that ultimately it is by God’s grace that these rites have meaning. What we “do” cannot grant us salvation or generate grace. This is God’s right, and no one but Him can bestow grace or blessings. So when we act, let us also ask that our deeds are accepted. And we have every reason to hope for God’s acceptance and, in fact, look forward to it.