The 10 Days of Thul-Hijjah

A Friday Sermon by the Great Scholar

Shaikh Muhammad Salih Al-Uthaimeen (d. 1421 AH)

(رحمه اللّه)

All praise is for Allah and I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah who is alone and without partner, a witness with which we hope for salvation on the day we meet Him and I bear witness that Muhammad His is servant, messenger, close friend, and guardian of His revelation, may His peace and blessings be upon him, his family, companions, and all of his followers in perfection until the day of judgment.

Servants of Allah, in these days you will be starting the 10 days of thul-Hijjah of which the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) conveyed the virtue of righteous action in them with his statement, “there are no days that contain righteous action more beloved to Allah than these ten days, ‘it was said, not even struggling in the way of Allah’ in which he replied, not even struggling in the way of Allah except for the one how goes out with his wealth and his life and none of it returns”.  So righteous action in the 10 days of Thul-Hijjah is more virtuous than righteous action in the last 10 of Ramadan and is more righteous than any day of the year.  This is what the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said but many people are ignorant of their significance thus you can hardly find anyone who distinguishes them from the other days of the year by increasing in righteous deeds.  Thusly I say, whoever the Sunnah of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) has reached then it is more befitting and rightful that he follow it in its obligations and desirable actions therefore you should increase in righteous action in these 10 days, increase in praying, reciting the Quran, remembering Allah, giving charity, and fast for fasting is from the most virtuous of actions as Allah the Mighty and Majestic said in a hadeeth Qudsi, “every action of the son of Adam is rewarded by 10 times to 700 times or more except for fasting for it is for me and I reward for it”.  In these ten days respect your sacrificial slaughter in regards to that which has been sanctified by the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as he said, “If the 10 days begin and one of you wishes to slaughter then do not cut your hair, trim your fingernails, or take from you skin anything”.  So whoever wants to slaughter then he is not to do any of that until he slaughters out of respect for the rights of the slaughter which is from Allah’s legislated ceremonies (or symbols) who said,

ذَلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ حُرُمَاتِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ * حُنَفَاءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُةُ الطَّيْرُ أُوْ تَهْوِى بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ *  ذَلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ  ( الحج :30 – 32  )

“That (meaning the prescribed duties of Hajj is the obligation that mankind owes to Allah), and whoever honours the sacred things of Allah, then that is better for him with his Lord. The cattle are lawful to you, except those (that will be) mentioned to you (as exceptions). So shun the abomination (worshipping) of idol, and shun lying speech (false statements). Hunafâ’ Lillâh (i.e. to worship none but Allah), not associating partners unto Him and whoever assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far off place. Thus it is [what has been mentioned in the above said Verses (27, 28, 29, 30, 31) is an obligation that mankind owes to Allah]. And whosoever honors the Symbols of Allah, then it is truly from the piety of the heart.” (Al-Hajj 22:30-32)

This statement demonstrates the importance of the sacrifice as the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) legislated for it sacred things which the individual is to honor when arranging it.

In which country is the sacrifice to be?  It is to be in the individual’s country, in his home and he is to establishe the symbols or rituals of Allah with it in Allah’s lands and it is not just charity intended for the needy in the Muslim countries but rather it is a special pious act in which the individual seeks to get closer to his Lord.  If it was just charity then it would be permissible to give it before and after the Eid prayer, it would be permissible to give from all the beasts of cattle, and it would be permissible for the animal who has come of age and the one who has not but it is a fixed type of worship that has been limited in its performance and time.  From this we know that it is incorrect to send money to another country to sacrifice with it for this is not from the Sunnah of the messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as he would send a sacrificial animal from Madinah to Makkah specifying the place and not the need of the people.  The prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) used to sacrifice in Madinah and if one was to send money for this sacrifice to another place then he would miss out on its many benefits such as establishing the ceremonies throughout the lands for sacrificing this animal is from the symbols and ceremonies of Allah and if the people sent their money to other lands to sacrifice then they would remain without establishing these ceremonies, they will miss out on remembering their Lord for whom they are sacrificing these animals for as Allah the Most High said,

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنْسَكاً لِيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَى مَا رَزَقَهُمْ مِنْ بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَام  (الحج : 34 )

“And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that they may mention the Name of Allah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food.” (Al-Hajj 22:34)

Following the Sunnah of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) will be missed out on as he would slaughter his own animal, mention the name of Allah, and ask Allah to accept it.  So if you send your money far away then who will take charge of this affair for you?  Would it not be the butcher? That is if we hold a good opinion and thought of him and put our trust in him and likewise the one whom we send the money with and if you were to do the sacrifice at your home then you would take charge of it if you were capable and ready and in turn you would glorify the symbols of Allah in your home and if you were to send it to another country then you would certainly miss out on this great benefit and you would miss out on eating from it as Allah has ordered to eat some of it and said,

وَالْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَاهَا لَكُمْ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهٌِ لَكُمْ فِيهَا خَيْرُ. فَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عليها صَوَافَّ فَإذا وَجَبَتْ جُنُوبُهَا فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْقَانِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ  ( الحج : 36 )

“And the Budn (cows, oxen, or camels driven to be offered as sacrifices by the pilgrims at the sanctuary of Makkah.) We have made for you as among the Symbols of Allah, therein you have much good. So mention the Name of Allah over them when they are drawn up in lines (for sacrifice). Then, when they are down on their sides (after slaughter), eat thereof, and feed the beggar who does not ask (men), and the beggar who asks (men).” (Al-Hajj 22:36)

And that which is known, if your sacrifice was in another country then it is not possible to act in accordance with the order of Allah by eating some of it as it is not with you, thus you miss out on this order from Allah the Mighty and Majestic.  Some of the people of knowledge have said that eating some of it is an obligation and if the individual does not eat from it then he is sinning, and there is no doubt that he is being disobedient in this order but is he sinning like the sinner or not?  This issue contains a difference of opinion between the scholars.  Likewise if you were to send your money to another country for the sacrifice you would not know when it would take place, would it be on the first day, which is better than the three after it, or would it be before the prayer or after the days of Tashreeq and you would remain on hold regarding when you could cut your hair, trim your finger nails, and take from you skin.  If you sent it to another country you would not know if the one purchasing the animal did his best to make sure that it was of the right age and free from defects, you will miss out on all of this.  O brothers it is incorrect for a person to send his money to another land to sacrifice because of what is missed out on of great benefits which you have heard.  If someone has extra money then I encourage him to send it to poor countries in need for the struggle in Allah’s way and Allah the Most High and Glorified possesses great virtue.

It is from the Sunnah for a man to sacrifice on behalf of himself and his family without a doubt and if he was to limit it to just himself then this is a practice in agreement to the Sunnah of Allah’s messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) was the most noble of the creation without a doubt, he loved righteousness and goodness the most from the creation without a doubt, was the first of the people to perform good deeds without a doubt, he was the legislator for his nation without a doubt, and he (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) did not slaughter on his own behalf of his family except once, and it is known that he had 9 women, each woman in her own house and he did not sacrifice more than that.  Therefore, what some people do today of waste in their sacrifice is in opposition to the Sunnah that which some.  Unfortunately, we have some people who sacrifice 10 animals and have no need for them, a man sacrifices for himself and his family as I said and then the daughter comes and says that she wants to sacrifice for her paternal grandfather and grandmother and for her maternal grandfather and grandmother and like this the sister and the wife have similar requests until one house has 10 sacrifices and no need for them which is waste.  So I say that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) did not sacrifice on behalf of Khadijah who was his most beloved wife, the mother of most of his children, and the women that he never took another wife with while she was present.  Likewise his uncle Hamzah Abdul-Muttalib (radi Allahu anhu) who was martyred in the battle of Uhud and was the lion of Allah and His messenger and the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) did not sacrifice on his behalf.  Likewise his daughters that passed away before his death, he did not sacrifice on their behalf, so where did we get this practice of sacrificing for the dead?  So whoever has one correct word from the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) that he sacrificed on behalf of his passed away relatives or that he ordered someone to sacrifice on behalf of their dead relatives then save us with it and we will accept it and follow it by the will of Allah, as for performing acts of worship seeking to get close to Allah based on pure emotion in our hearts then this is not allowed because the legislation is from Allah.  Do you not know that some of the scholars say that sacrificing on behalf of the dead is not correct as it was not mentioned in the Sunnah with the fact that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “whoever does a deed that has not been ordered by us then it is rejected”.  Do you not know that those who have made the sacrifice on behalf of the dead permissible have done so by comparing it with charity as charity has been mentioned in the Sunnah in the hadeeth of Sad ibn Ubadah when he “gave a dress on behalf of his mother with the permission of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)” and the man who said, O messenger of Allah, “My mother died suddenly, and I think that if she could speak, she would have given in charity. May I give in charity on her behalf? And he (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said yes” but did he ever say to his nation give charity on behalf of your deceased?  Did he ever say sacrifice on behalf of your deceased or did he every sacrifice on behalf of his deceased relatives?  This is were you derive the ruling, so what is our deal that we make one house have 10 sacrifices, give or take, for the deceased in one year?  So we say to those that have extra money, one slaughter is sufficient for everyone in one house so do not overstep the bounds of the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam).  Are you better than the messenger or is he better?  Are you more generous than the Messenger or is he?  Do you love obedience more or does he?  Bring your evidence if you are truthful.  By Allah, we are not more generous than the messenger of Allah nor are we more knowledgeable with what Allah loves nor quicker in doing that which Allah loves, rather the messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) is absolutely the most generous of the creation without a doubt and more loving of that which is good.  So we say that a man is to sacrifice for himself and on behalf of his family with one sheep and he who has extra money then he is to help his Muslim brothers in the Muslim lands for there are poor people who can only eat leaves and there are people who are not properly clothed and cannot warm themselves from the cold or dress appropriately in the heat so what is our deal?  We prevent them from what Allah has given us and then we waste it as Allah the Mighty and Majestic has said,

والله لا يحب المسرفين

“Allah does not like the wasteful”

So we say to those that desire to benefit their deceased, give generously with this money for other than the sacrificial animal, give it in the form of charity and give it to your brothers who are dying of starvation in great number.  O brothers, I invite you and myself to follow the Sunnah and not to follow emotions and to move forward with the prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as our guide and role model and not to overstep that which he did or be wasteful in that which Allah dislikes waste.

Some people rely upon week narrations that in every hair of the sacrificial animal there is a good deed which is not authentically reported from the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam). The most important thing regarding the sacrifice is that the blood is spilt seeking the face of Allah, glorifying Him the Mighty and Majestic, the Most High said,

لَنْ يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَكِنْ يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَى مِنْكُمْ  ( الحج : 37 )

“It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him.” (Al-Hajj 22:37)

This is what reaches Allah, that we fear Him the Mighty and Majestic in what we seek to get closer to Him with and we mention His name, enjoy eating from it, us, our children, neighbors, brothers, and the poor.  More importantly are those that send money from the endowments of their deceased relatives to sacrifice in other countries and how this is rationalized.  The guardian of these endowments is a trustee and it is not permissible for the trustee to act by himself as he is only authorized by the permission of the authorizer and that permission is impossible as he is deceased.  The intent of the deceased is apparent for they wanted those after them to enjoy eating this sacrifice, to mention the name of Allah over it, to praise Allah for the food, and to supplicate for them. This is the intent of the trust, not to sacrifice from across the oceans and seas.

Servants of Allah, do not act according to your emotions, you have scholars, so ask them because that which is built upon knowledge and evidence is real authentic worship and that which is built upon thought, confusion, and emotion which has no reference from the book of Allah, the Sunnah of His messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) or from the rightly guided predecessors is vain and false in accordance with the statement of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam), “whoever does a deed which has not been ordered by me will have it rejected.

In conclusion, whoever has a sacrificial animal then do not send it to another country, slaughter it in your country making the symbols of Allah apparent and following the Sunnah of the messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) in order to obtain the many great benefits which we have mentioned that if it was sent out of the country they would be missed out on.  Secondly, waste in the sacrifice, there is no reason to have more than one sacrifice as that is enough for a man and his family and whoever has extra money and wants to benefit his deceased relatives then he is to give it in the form of charity to those in other countries in more need than those here in this country.  Thirdly, we have mentioned that the person who wants to slaughter is not to cut his hair, trim his fingernails, or remove any of his skin from the beginning of Thul-Hijjah until he slaughters and whoever is having a slaughter done for him then there is no problem for taking from them, for example the family members if the man of the family wants to slaughter on behalf of them then they can cut their hair and trim their nails with no problem for the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “whoever of you wants to slaughter” and he did not say, wants to sacrifice or sacrifice on behalf of , likewise it was not reported that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) told his family not to cut their hair, trim their nails, or take from their skin when he wanted to sacrifice on behalf of them and the origin of this affair is permissibility until there is sufficient evidence of prohibition.  Thus this prohibition does not include the people of the house rather it is specific for the one who wants to perform the slaughter.

O brothers, know that the best speech is the book of Allah and the finest guidance is that of Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam).  I ask Allah the Most High to make us adhere to the guidance of Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) until we meet Him pleased with us.  The worst of affairs are newly invented matters for every newly invented matter in the religion is an innovation, every innovation is a going astray, so stick to the main body of Muslims for Allah’s hand is over them and whoever strays, strays into the fire.  Know that Allah the Most High orders you to send you salutations of peace and blessings upon you prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) and has said,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً (الأحزاب : 56 )

“Allah sends His blessings on the Prophet (Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)) and also His angels too. O you who believe! Send your salutations of peace and blessings upon him.”  (Al-Ahzab 33:56)

Translated by John ‘Eesa’ Starling

Found in:

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, December 2008

Tags: Adha. Thul-Hijjah, Fasting, Islam, reward, righteous deeds, Uthaimeen, worship