By the emerging dawn (that dispels the darkness of night), And by the ten (blessed) nights, And by the even and the odd.  Surah Fajr (89:2)

 

The clarification about which nights are meant by these is mentioned in the exegesis of the Holy Quran and the Hadith. There is a Hadith:

 

Hadhrat Jabir (May Allah be well pleased with him) narrates from the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: The 10 nights mentioned here are the 10 nights of Dhul Hijjah, “Watr” means 9th Dhul Hijjah, the day of ‘Arafaat and the word “Shaf‘a” means 10th Dhul Hijjah, the day of sacrifice.  (Musnad Imam Ahmad Bin Hambal, Hadith No. 14885)

 

There is a Hadith in Jame’ Tirmidhi about the worship of the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah:

 

It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him) and he narrates from the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that He said: The worship of the first 10 nights of Dhul Hijjah is more liked by Allah Most High than the worship of other days.  Fasting for one day in this month has the reward of fasting for the whole year and worship of one night in Dhul Hijjah has the reward of standing up in worship for the whole year.  (Jame’ Tirmidhi, Vol. 1, Pg No. 158, Hadith No: 763)

 

There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari:

 

Hadhrat Abdullah Bin ‘Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them) narrates from the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: There is no good deed which is superior to the deeds done in these days.  The Companions asked: What about Jihad? The answer was:  Not even Jihad except the person who strives in the path of Allah Most High endangering his life and property and does not return with anything.  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 926)

 

There is a Hadith in Shu‘abul Iman:

 

Hadhrat Harun Bin Moosa says:  I heard Hadhrat Hasan (May Allah be well pleased with him) narrating on the authority of Hadhrat Anas Bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him):  Every single day of the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah is equal to 1000 days in reward and the day of ‘Arafah is equal to 10,000 days.  (Shu‘abul Iman, Hadith No. 3607)

 

Ghouse Azam Hadhrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah be well pleased with him) has recorded a Hadith in “Al Ghunya Lit Talibi Tariqil Haqqi”:

 

Whoever spends in worship one night of the first 10 nights of Dhul Hijjah will get the reward of performing Hajj that year and the reward of performing ‘Umrah for the whole year and whoever fasts for one day in it will be considered to have performed worship of Allah Most High for the whole year.

 

(Al Ghunya Lit Talibi Tariqil Haqqi, Vol. 2, Pg No. 25)

 

Much stress has been laid on worship and obedience to Allah Most High in these 10 days.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:

 

When the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah start, perform worship of Allah Most High, as these are the days, which Allah Most High has granted superiority and has made its nights sacred like its days.  (Al Ghunya Lit Talibi Tariqil Haqqi, Vol. 2, Pg No. 25)

 

Some special forms of worship for these 10 days

 

In these blessed days Hajj is performed and those who are performing Hajj are in a state of Ihraam.  Thus, to develop some kind of resemblance with them, for those who are performing sacrifice of an animal, it is commendable not to cut their hair or trim their nails.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has prohibited us from doing so.  There is a Hadith in Sahih Muslim:

 

It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Umar bin Muslim bin ‘Ammaar (May Allah be well pleased with him), he says:  I heard Hadhrat Sa‘eed bin Musayyib (May Allah be well pleased with him) say:  I  heard the mother of the believers Hadhrat Umm Salma (May Allah be well pleased with her) say that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  The person who has an animal for sacrifice, on seeing the moon of Dhul Hijjah, should neither remove/cut hair nor cut nails until he slaughters it.  (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 5236)

 

Takbeer Tashreeq

 

From the Fajr of 9th Dhul Hijjah to the ‘Asr of 13th Dhul Hijjah, after every Salaat, every Muslim man and woman should recite Takbeer Tashreeq as well.  As mentioned in Fatawa A’alamgiri:

 

(Fatawa A’alamgiri, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 152)

 

To say the Takbeer Tashreeq once is Wajib (compulsory) and saying it thrice is better (Afdhal).  The Takbeer Tashreeq is this:

 

Transliteration of Dua: Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar La Ilaha Illallahu Wallahu Akbar Wa Lillahil Hamd.

 

Muslims should also fast in the first 9 days of Dhul Hijjah.  At the very least, one should fast on 9th Dhul Hijjah, which is recommended by the Sunnah and has much excellence.

 

Thus, there is a Hadith in Sahih Muslim:

 

Fasting 3 days of every (Islamic) month, fasting in one Ramadhan after the last one has reward of fasting for the whole life.  By fasting on the day of ‘Arafah (9th Dhul Hijjah), I hope that Allah Most High will forgive the sins of the year prior to it and the year following it.  I hope that by fasting on the 10th of Muharram, Allah Most High will forgive the sins of the year gone by.  (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2803)