The Merits of Remembering Allah
During Tashreeq1 Days
Part One
Praise be to Allah who has blessed whomever He willed to visit His Sacred House. I thank Him () for his great blessings and bounties and I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone with no partners, the Sovereign, the All-Holy, the Peace; and I bear witness that our Master and Prophet Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger, the seal of prophets and the Master of all humans. O Allah! Send Your Salat (Graces, Honors, Mercy, and Peace) on Your servant and Messenger Muhammad, on his family and Companions: the righteous Imams.
O servants of Allah! fear Allah and remember when you stand before Him, … the Day when man will see that (the deeds) which his hands have sent forth, and the disbeliever will say: "Woe to me! Would that I were dust!" [An-Naba': 40]
1 Tashreeq Days are the three days (11th, 12th and 13th of the month of Dhu-l-Hijja, the twelfth month of the Hijri calendar) that follow Eid Day (10th of Dhu-l-Hijja, also known as Slaughtering Day).
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O Muslims! Preserving one's life and saving one’s time from being wasted on despised things and on everything that hurts which will result in great loss, is the habit of the fortunate people and the method of the people of reason who take more care of their lives’ seasons which the Generous Lord has made available to them and urged them to seize the opportunity by trying all means to get closer to Him through various forms of obedience, hastening to do good deeds, and competing (with others) in the good works.
Allah ordered His servants to remember Him during certain days; they are among the greatest days and the most honorable and the most distinguished. They are days that deserve of a Muslim to do his best and to dedicate his heart and senses to worshiping Allah ().
These are -O servants of Allah!- the appointed days which Allah has mentioned in His words: And remember Allâh during the appointed Days [Al-Baqara: 203]. They are the three Tashreeq days which follow the Slaughtering Day. The Messenger of Huda (true guidance) () described them by saying: “The Tashreeq Days are days of eating, drinking and remembering Allah ()” [narrated by Muslim in his “Sahih” of the hadith related by Nubaishatah Al-Hudhali ()].
These are blessed days when the Muslim enjoys two graces: a grace for the heart achieved through remembering and thanking Allah and a grace for the body achieved through eating, drinking and enjoying the Mubahat (permissible acts) that were forbidden to the Hajji during Ihram. The connection between these two graces indicates that the blessings of Allah () should be used to obey Him and in what pleases Him. Whoever uses these blessings to obey Allah () then he would be thanking the One
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who bestows such blessings, but whoever uses the blessings of Allah ( ) to disobey Him and displeases Him, then he is denying these blessings and is not being thankful.
Among the most special blessings during these blessed days is the blessing of eating the meat of animals. These animals obey Allah and never disobey Him; they praise Him submissively as is attested in His words ( ): there is not a thing but glorifies His Praise. But you understand not their glorification. Truly, He is Ever Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving. [Al-Isrâ': 44]. They prostrate to Him as Allah () mentioned in Al-Nahl Chapter (in the Holy Qurān), and perhaps they praise Allah more than do some of Adam's children.
Allah () permitted slaughtering these obedient animals, that remember Him, to His believing servants so that their bodies get stronger and their pleasures are totally fulfilled. Through this, they will be enabled to seek useful knowledge, do good deeds, and remember Allah () and thank Him.
Since fasting during these Days will prevent these activities, Allah prohibited fasting during these Days in Mina and everywhere else in the Muslim world. For these Days are among Muslim feast days; in fact, the Messenger of Allah () has said in the Hadith included in Ahmad's Musnad and narrated as an authentic Hadith by Okbah Ibn Amer (): "The Day of Arafah, the Day of Slaughtering, and the Days of Tashreeq are our feast days people of Islam. They are days of eating and drinking".
Remembrance of Allah during these appointed Days takes various forms in order for the means of reward to be increased and the Muslim's balance of good deeds to grow bigger. Some of these forms of remembrance are:
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Remembering Him () at the end of the prescribed Salats (prayers) by making Takbeer (saying ‘Allah is Great’) and Tahleel (saying ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah’); the majority of Muslim scholars advise to make this remembrance till the last day of Tashreeq (The 13th of Thul-Hijja).
Another form of remembrance is remembering Allah () at slaughtering the Nusuk (sacrifice during Hajj), as He () said: And the Budn (cows, oxen, or camels driven to be offered as sacrifices by the pilgrims at the sanctuary of Makkah) We have made them for you as among the Symbols of Allâh, wherein you have much good. So mention the Name of Allâh 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 poor who does not ask (men), and the beggar who asks (men). Thus have We made them subject to you that you may be grateful. [Al-Hajj: 36] It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allâh, but it is piety from you that reaches Him. Thus have We made them subject to you that you may magnify Allâh for His Guidance to you. And give glad tidings (O Muhammad صلى الله
عليه وسلم ) to the Muhsinûn (doers of good). [Al-Hajj: 37]
Again, another form of remembrance is by Takbeer (saying ‘Allah is Great’) and, at Ramy Al-Jimār, i.e. while throwing the pebbles as the Prophet () did according
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to what Jabir Bin Abdullah narrated describing the Prophet's Hajj (pilgrimage) in (the Sahih of) Muslim and other and books; and as Ibn Omar's Hadith included in Bukhari and Muslim too. It is remembrance that is exclusive to the people staying in Mina.
Here yet another form: it is remembering Allah at the time of eating and drinking, a remembrance that brings forth the pleasure of Allah () as the Hadith included in Sahih Muslim (Muslim’s Book of authentic hadiths): Anas Ibn Malik () said that Allah's Messenger () said: "Allah will be pleased with a servant eating a meal and thanking Him for it, and having a (halal, lawful) drink and thanking Him for it."
Another form: it is remembering Him () freely without any limits of time, condition or situation; it is a form of remembrance that includes all times, and it is advisable to increase such remembrance especially in these days. The Commander of the Faithful, Omar Ibn Al-khataab (), used to make Takbeer in the Mosque of Mina (and in another narration, in its Dome) and all those in the mosque would follow him in making Takbeer so that all corners of Mina would shake of Takbeer until the it reaches the Holy Mosque (in Makkah) and people would say Omar had made Takbeer and they themselves would start making Takbeer. Imam Bukhari narrated this in his Sahih (authentic book of hadiths).
Another form of remembrance is remembering Allah () at the end of Nusuk in obedience to His order when He says: So when you have accomplished your Manâsik, remember Allâh as you remember your forefathers or with a far more remembrance. But of mankind there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us (Your Bounties) in this world!" and for such
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there will be no portion in the Hereafter. [Al-Baqara: 200]. And of them there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!". [Al-Baqara: 201]
Saīd Ibn Jubair – may Allah bless his soul- narrated that Ibn Abbas () said: "Some people of the Araab (Bedouins) used to come to the Mawqif (place of standing in Hajj) and say: O Allah! Make this year a year of rain and good breeding without mentioning anything of the matters of the Hereafter, so Allah revealed about them these verses: But of mankind there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us (Your Bounties) in this world!" and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter. [Al-Baqara: 200]. Others from among the believers would come after them and say: "Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!".[Al-Baqara: 201]. So Allah revealed: For them there will be allotted a share for what they have earned. And Allâh is Swift at reckoning. [Al-Baqara: 202]
It is a du’a (supplication) that includes every good in this worldly life and the Hereafter; it was the most preferred du’a for the Prophet (), as Anas Ibn Malik () related in the hadith that was reported by Imam Ahmad in his “Musnad” with an
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authentic ascription. That is why many of our ancestors –may Allah be pleased with them all– preferred to repeat such du’a quite a lot during these days.
In ordering His servants to keep remembering Him () after the end of the hajj rituals, there is an indication –as scholars say– that all acts of worship do come to a conclusion, whereas the remembrance of Allah is continuous. It never ends but rather continues with the believer in this life and the Hereafter. All our works can be done with except Allah’s remembrance. It can never be done with; neither can it come to an end. All our deeds finish off with the end of this worldly life, but remembrance never stops. In fact, the believer lives on the remembrance of Allah, dies on it and will be resurrected on it.
O Allah! Make us of those who remember You frequently, who thank You for Your graces and who seek the waseelah (means) to win Your pleasure. May Allah benefit you and I of His Book's guidance and His Prophet's () Sunnah. This is said, I ask Allah, the Almighty, the Exalted to forgive my sins, yours and those of all Muslims; He is truly Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Part Two
Praise be to Allah! We praise Him and seek His help and forgiveness; we seek refuge with Allah from the evils of ourselves and the wickedness of our deeds. He whom Allah guides, nobody will be able to mislead, but he whom Allah sends astray, he will have nobody to guide him. And I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship save Allah alone, Who has no partners, and I also bear witness that
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Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O Allah! Send Your Salat (Graces, Honours and Mercy) and Peace on Your servant and Messenger Muhammad, on his family and Companions!
O servants of Allah! These merits and ranks that people of the hajj season gain in Mina are not only confined to them but to the rest of Muslims in other countries who also have their big share of such merits. For they had been partners with the hajjis –during hajj– in their diligence and fatigue by fasting, remembering Allah and all other pious deeds with which they had sought their Lord’s pleasure during those ten days. They were also partners with Hijjis in trying to get closer to Allah by offering blood sacrifices (Adhahee), by recreating during Eids, and by eating, drinking and doing all that Allah has made lawful.
They also shared, during these ten days, all kinds of pious deeds which involved, in performing them, fatigue and patience. The whole Muslim ummah (nation) became the guest of Allah, benefiting from His endless grace, from His generosity and beneficence. The whole ummah is united around His Holy Book () and His remembrance, preferring what satisfies Him over selfish fancies and desires. This illustrates the reality of our ummah that Allah () describes as follows: Truly! This, your Ummah [Shari‘ah or religion (Islâmic Monotheism)] is one religion, and I am your Lord, therefore worship Me (Alone). [Al-Anbiyâ’: 92]
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Fear Allah, O Servants of Allah, and remember His Grace upon you; He gave you life which you spend in His worship and satisfaction; and this sets your hearts at rest, purifies your souls and makes your lives agreeable.
Always remember that Allah has ordered you to ask Him to send His Salat (Graces, Honours and Mercy) and Peace upon the Seal of prophets and Messenger of the Lord of Al-alamin (the Worlds). He says in His Qur’ân: Allâh sends His Salât (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy) on the Prophet (Muhammad صلى
الله عليه وسلم ), and also His angels (ask Allâh to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your salat on (ask Allâh to bless) him (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islâmic way of greeting (salutation i.e. As-Salâmu ‘Alaikum). [Al-Ahzâb: 92]
O Allah! Send Your Salat (Graces, Honors, and Mercy) to Your servant and Messenger Muhammad ()! Be pleased with the four Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali, with the Prophet’s family, Companions, the tab'in, and those who follow them righteously until the Day of Resurrection! O Allah! Be also pleased with us all, along with them, by Your Pardon, Generosity and Bounty, O You, the Most Generous and Bounteous of all!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims! O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims! O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims! Protect the unity of Your
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Religion! Destroy the enemies of religion and all tyrants and corrupters! Unite the hearts of Muslims, unify them, guide their leaders and unite their word on the Truth, O You, Lord of al-'ālamîn (the Worlds)!
O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet Muhammad () and Your truly-believing servants.
O Allah! Grant us security in our homelands, make good our leaders and those responsible for our affairs, support with truth our Imam and leader, provide him with righteous retinue and guide him to do whatever you love and accept! O You. All-Hearing of our prayers! O Allah! Guide him, his Crown Prince and his brothers to do what is good for Islam and Muslims! O You to whom people shall return on the Day of Resurrection!
O Allah! Reward him with the best and greatest reward for providing the hajjis (pilgrims) of Your Sacred House with the required services. O Allah! Reward whoever provides the hajjis of the Sacred House of Allah with the services, civilians and soldiers, with the greatest reward! O You, Lord of al-'ālamîn (the worlds)!
O Allah! Make good all our last deeds (just before we die)! Save us from the disgrace of this Worldly life and the punishment of the Hereafter! O Allah! Make better our belief which is the bond of our lives! Make better our Dunya (life in this world) where we live! Make better our Hereafter to which we are returning! Make life an increase of everything good and death a relief from every evil!
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O Allah! We ask You to guide us to do good deeds, forsake reprehensible actions and love the needy! O Allah! We ask You to forgive us and have mercy upon us! O Allah! If You want to send an affliction on a nation, please make us die before your affliction was sent!
O Allah! Cure those of us who are sick. O Allah! Bless the souls of those of us who are dead. O Allah! Fulfill our hopes in accordance with Your pleasure and make our last deeds good ones!
O Allah, protect Muslims everywhere! O Allah, protect them in Syria, Palestine and Burma! O Allah, grant them victory over Your enemies and theirs! O Allah, grant them a big victory. O Allah! be with them and not against them! O Allah, reunite them, have mercy upon their weakness, cure the wounded among them and accept their dead as martyrs, O You, Lord of al-'ālamîn (the Worlds)! O Allah, cover their deficiencies and reassure them, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Protect us against Your enemies and ours in any way that pleases You! O Allah! Protect us against Your enemies and ours in any way that pleases You! O Allah! Protect us against Your enemies and ours in any way that pleases You! O Allah! We leave Your enemies and ours to You (to deal with them) and seek refuge in You from their evils! O Allah! We leave Your enemies and ours to You (to deal with them) and seek refuge in You from their evils! O Allah! We leave them to You (to deal with them) and seek refuge in You from their evils!
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O Allah! Make it an accepted hajj into the grace of the Lord, a forgiven sin and an approved Umrah!
"Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower". [Al Imran: 8]. "Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers." [Al-A’raf: 23]. Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire! [Al-Baqarah: 201].2
O Allah! Send Your Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy) and Peace on our Prophet, Muhammad, on his family and Companions. All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
2 This is du’a from the Holy Qur’ān.
