10 Importance of Dzulhijjah Month – Brief Historical

Review by : Yuli SE., MM

Dzulhijjah month is one of the sacred and special month for The Moslems. As said by Rasullullah Sholallahu Alaihi Wassalah as follow:

“Truthfully, time has gone back to how it was at the time Allah created the heaven and the earth. A year has twelve months, which four of them are sacred: 3 months consecutive, Dzulga’dah, Dzulhijjah and Muharram and one separated month which is Rajab Mudhar, which existed between month of Jumada Akhiroh and Sya’ban”. (Hadith of Bukhari and Muslim)

The people of Arab name this month as Dzulhijjah since in this month they do the pilgrimage (Hajj) as the form of Ibrahim Alaihissalam thoughts, and the practice already established since the age of ignorance. Dzulhijjah came from two words, that is Dzul that means an owner and Al-Hijjah that means Hajj (pilgrimage). See Also : The Importance of Islamic Month

Allah SWT gave a commandment in Al-Qur’an Surah Al-Fajr, Verse 1 and 2 :

“By the dawn, And (by) ten nights”

Most of the interpreter (muffasir), the Companions, and Islamic scholars stated that the meaning of the tenth night is the first ten days of month Dzulhijjah. This is the point of the importance of that month (Dzulhijjah), especially the first ten days. According to that, Moslems are recommend to increase their worship and good deeds in this month, especially in the first ten days.

The Massenger of Allah has said as follow :

“If you come in to the first ten days of Dzulhijjah month, then make every effort until you could not overcome (doing) it”. (Hadith of ad Darimi)

Why is the month of Dzulhijjah said to be a special month and we as Muslims should make every effort to worship Allah in this sacred month? It is because in month of Dzulhijjah there are a lot of importance things.

Here are the importance of Dzulhijjah month that you should know :

1. Allah loves the good deeds that had been done by his servant in the month of Dzulhijjah, especially in the first ten days

Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam has said as follow :

“And there are no days during which good deeds in it, more beloved to Allah compared to this days (which is the first ten days in month of Dzulhijjah)’. Then the Companions said, ‘Not also Jihad in the path of Allah, O Rasulullah?’ And He replied, ‘Not also Jihad in the path of Allah, unless the one who came out to Jihad with himself and his wealth and then he does not come back (ie martyred).” (Hadith of Bukhari)

2. Dzulhijjah is the Month where Majority of the Main Worship Gathered

In Fath Al-Bar, Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani ever convey that,

“The obvious reason about the importance of the first ten days in Dzulhijjah month is because that days where all the good worship gathered, ie. Pray, Shaum (fasting), Shadaqah (alms), and Hajj (pilgrimage). And they do not exist in the days other than that.”

3. Dzulhijjah is a Month where The Deeds Reward would not Decrease, and Even It Multiplied

As it said by Rasulullah Sholallahu Alayhi Wassalam which mean :

“There are two months where the reward of deeds would not decrease, those two month is Id (month of Ramadhan) and Dzulhijjah”. (Hadith of Al Bukhari and Muslim) [AdSense-B]

4. Dzulhijjah is a month that has special days

8 Dzulhijjah

Tarwiyah day that falls on 8 Dzulhijjah. Some opinions stated that Tarwiyah derived from the word ar-rawiyah which means to think or musing. 8 Dzulhijjah called as Tarwiyah day because in that day, the prophet Ibrahim Alayhissalam think and musing about the meaning of his dream.
Nowadays, Moslems who does not implement Hajj will recommend to do fasting (shaum), as the Prophet said in the following hadith:

“Whoever not going on Hajj (pilgrimage), then he recommended to do fasting in the day of Tarwiyah which is the 8th day of Dzulhijjah, where he will obtain the goodness from Allah in the form of forgiveness of his sins in the past 1 year.” (Hadith of Bukhari)

9. Dzulhijjah

Arafah day that falls on 9 Dzulhijjah. Named as Arafah day because in 9 Dzulhijjah all the pilgrims (people doing Hajj) perform wukuf in field of Arafah. And on that day, Moslems who did not perform Hajj recommended to do fasting (Shaum). Arafah day is a day full of blessing, since Allah give a freedom to all people from the flame of hell and He praised all the pilgrims in front of His Angels.
From Aisyah radhiallalu anha, she said that Rasulullah Shalallahu ‘Alaihi Wassalam had said as follow :

“And there are no days when Allah gave a freedom to His servant from the torment of hell rather than the day of Arafah. Indeed He (on that day) approaching, then praised them (pilgrims of Hajj) in front of all Angels.” And then He said, “What are that pilgrims of Hajj want (desired) to?” (Hadith of Muslim)

[AdSense-A]

10 Dzulhijjah

An-Nahr day that falls on 10 Dzulhijjah. An-Nahr means “slaughtered”. Thus, in date of 10 Dzulhijjah is a day where a lot of people slaughtered sacrificial animals (Qurban). On that day Moslems celebrate the sacred Eid Al-Adha and perform Sunnah prayer Eid, along with slaughtered Qurban. And on that day, all Moslem is prohibited from fasting, as The Prophet said in the following :

“The days of Mina (day of nahr and tasyriq) are days for feast (eating and drink) and remembrance to Allah SWT.” (Hadith of Muslim)

With so many importance which are owned by mont of Dzulhijjah, therefore we are Moslems should perform good deeds such as perpetual deeds (Jariyah Deeds) which will bring the reward and help from Allah SWT.

5. Performing Hajj and Umrah

Allah SWT said in Al-Qur’an Surah Ali-Imron Verse 97 as follow :

“And (due) to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find there to a way.”

Rasulullah also said that :

“An Umrah to another will eliminate (sins) doing in between it and good pilgrimage (Hajj) for it no recompense other that Heaven”.

6. Fasting

Moslems are recommended to utilize the first ten days of Dzulhijjah month by doing a lot of main (Shari’a) deeds in Islam, one of which is doing sunnah fasting in the first nine days in Dzulhijjah month, especially in the date of 9.

Why is that?

Rasulullah Sholallahu Alayhi Wassalam said that :

“There are no days more beloved to Allah than the first 10 days of Dzulhijjah month.” Fasting every day of them is equivalent to a year of fasting, and standing every night of them is equivalent to standing on the Night of Laylat Al-Qadr. (Hadit of Tirmidzi and Ibn Majah)Rasulullah also said that :“Whoever fasting in the date of 1 Dzulhijjah as if he doing in Jihad in the path of Allah SWT for 2.000 years without any rest. To Those fasting in the second day as if he worshipping Allah for 2.000 years and fasting in the third day as if he free 3.000 slaves in the Prophet Ismail AS era. And for fasting in the fourth day they will reward equal to 400 years of pray. For the fifth day the reward will equal to gave a clother for 5.000 peoples undress, fasting in the sixth day equal as a reward for 6.000 Syuhada (martyr) and fasting in the seventh day, all the doors to heaven becomes forbidden to him and for fasting in the eight day, all the doors to heaven will opened for him.”
And from the hadith of Rasulullah on fasting in the date of 9 in Dzulhijjah or also named as Arafah fast are: “(Arafah fast) eliminates a year sins after”. (Hadith of Muslim)

And :

“There are no other days where Allah gave free of His servants from the flame of Hell, more that the day of Arafah”

7. Increasing Dhikr (Remember of Allah)

Allah SWT already said :

“And remember (Dhikr to) Allah during (specific) numbered days”. (Surah Al-Baqarah verse 203)

Rasulullah Sholallahu Alayhi Wassalam said that :

“There are no deeds which is done on a greater and more beloved by Allah more than the deeds which is done in the dates of 1 – 10 Dzulhijjah. Therefore, increase reading tahlil, takbir, and tahmid on that day.” (Hadith of Ahmad and Sanadnya validated by Syekh Ahmad Syakir)

In Al-Lajnah Ad-Da’imah the scholars mentioned the following fatwas :

“It is recommended (Shari’a) on Eid Al-Adha to perform takbir muthlaq and takbir muqayyad. As for takbir muthlaq then (it has been Shari’a to done) in all time since entering month of Dzulhijjah until the last days of tasryq. Whereas takbir muqayyad (it has been Shari’a to done) every time after the Salah Fard (main prayer) from Fajr on the day of Arafah until after Ashr after the days of tasryiq. And that Shari’a shown by Ijma and done by the Companions of The Prophet.”