DHUL HIJJAH PREPARATION SERIES part 2!

Assalamualikum Dear Brothers & Sisters,
Please read part 1 HERE. Let us continue with part 2!
8 deed tips for the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah (and beyond)

1.First things first.
Before talking about any voluntary actions (and bonuses), remind yourself to take care of all your obligations.
Action point: Focus on your five daily prayers; pray them on time, do your best to concentrate and perfect them as well as you can. O Allah help us to fulfill our obligations in the best way. Use the supplication: Bewaren اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّيْ عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ Allahumma a’innee ‘alaa dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ‘ibadatika – O Allah! Assist me in remembering You, in thanking You, and in worshipping You in the best of manners. [ Ahmad, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’i]

2.Revive the forgotten Sunnah prayers.
The best of all nawaafil (voluntary) prayers is tahajjud, the night prayer. Ask Allah the Most High to enable you to pray it each night in this blessed time.
The Prophet said:Whoever sticks to the habit of offering four rak`ah before dhohr prayer and four rak`ah after it, Allah will shield him against the Hell-Fire.[ An-Nasai] Seek this reward and convey it to others!
Guard the Duha prayer, two or more (even amount of) rak’ah between approx twenty minutes after sunrise and twenty minutes before dhohr.

Revive Salatul Tawbah; after a bad deed pray two rakah of repentance prayer. Get forgiven and rewarded for reviving a sunnah, by the will of Allah!
Pray two rak’ah after performing wudhu, tahiyyatul wudhu. Tell me about the best of your deeds (i.e. one which you deem the most rewarding) since your embracing Islam because I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise. Bilal (may Allāh be pleased with him) replied: I do not consider any act of mine more rewarding than that whenever I make ablution at any time of night or day, I perform prayer for as much as was destined for me to do. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

3.Live by your dhikr.
It’s sunnah to recite takbeer (Allahu Akbar), tahmeed (Alhamdulillah), tahleel (Laa ilaaha ill-Allah), and tasbeeh (SubhanAllah) during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.
Action point:Put a note on the wall (or car windscreen) to constantly remind yourself to recite them (at home or on the go). Feel their meaning in your daily life. Allah is greater than anything (Allahu akbar); put Him first. He gave you everything you have (Alhamdulillah); complain less. There is only One God (laa ilaaha ill-Allah); truly turn to Him for help and comfort. Glorified is Allah (subhanAllah); know this world is imperfect and our true happiness is with Him, in Paradise!

4.Earn the reward of a Hajj without going to Makkah.
Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until the sun has risen, then he prays two Rak’ah, then for him is the reward like that of a Hajj and Umrah. He said: The Messenger of Allah said: Complete, complete, complete. [Al-Tirmidhi]
Action point: Beg Allah to enable you to do this at least once in these blessed days.

5. Fill your seconds with the repeated dhikr.
Ten days are 14 400 minutes and 864 000 seconds. On those moments too busy to perform other good deeds, train yourself to keep your tongue moist with sunnah remembrance!
Action point: Say hundred times a day: SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi, subhanAllahil-Ádheem, astaghfirullah wa atoobu ilayh and laa ilaaha illal-laahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa ‘alaa kulli shay-in qadeer. Use notes/stickers to remind yourself! Tip: seek forgiveness for the entire Ummah and you’ll get reward for each one of them by Allah’s will; Allahumma‘ghfir lil mu’mineena wal mu’minaat.

6. Grab the rewards of sending blessings on the Prophet ﷺ
Every time you make salah and salam on the Prophet ﷺ an angel goes to the Prophet ﷺ and tells him that son of so and so did salam on you.
You attain ten blessings from Allah for every one blessing upon the Messenger, Allah raises you ten level, ten good deeds are written, and ten bad deeds are erased from your record. Ibnul Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, described 39 benefits of sending blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad!
Action point: You can say Allahumma salli wa sallam ‘ala nabiyyinaa Muhammad or use the last part of prayer. Extra: let the children join and teach them for each blessing they get ten back, get them counting!

7. Focus on birr-ul-walidayn.
Goodness towards your parents is one of the most beloved deeds to Allah. Abdullah bin Mas’ood (may Allāh be pleased with him), who observed: I asked Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) which deed was the best.” He replied: The Prayer at its appointed hour. I (again) asked: Then what? He replied: Kindness to the parents. I (again) asked: Then what? He replied: Earnest struggle (Jihad) in the cause of Allah. I refrained from asking any more questions for fear of annoying him.[Muslim]
Action point: Ask Allah to help you to give your parents their right, if they passed away increase in supplications for them and ask Him to forgive you for your shortcomings. Use this dua’:

رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا – Rabbirham-humaa kamaa rabbayaanee sagheeraa– O my Lord! have compassion on them, as they brought me up (when I was) a child.

8. Watch your tongue.
Avoid the two biggest problems we have with this muscle: gossiping and excessive talking. Just like the person performing Hajj must refrain from getting into disputes and acts of disobedience or risk the acceptance of their Hajj, you should try to do the same!
Action point: Use this supplication after a sitting or gathering for expiation: سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهََ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوْبُ إِلَيْكَ
Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bihamdika, ‘ash-hadu ‘an laa ‘ilaaha ‘illaa ‘Anta, ‘astaghfiruka wa ‘atoobu ‘ilayka. A gathering is even sitting with your spouse or children!

Finally, if you have not yet fulfilled the obligation of Hajj, make special dua to Allah to grant you the opportunity to do so soon and in the best of manners. In your next sujood- ask Allah to help you make the best of these days.

Khawlah bint Yahya – United Kingdom

JazakAllahu khairan
Understand Qur’an Academy