In what follows are suggested ideas on how to make the best use of the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah:
Repent to Allah
Make a sincere repentance to Allah Ta’ala and promise Him that you will not do bad deeds again. This may be your last chance. You are not sure if you will live till next year.
Pray at the Mosque
Try to perform the five daily prayers in the mosque. If you have time after Fajr prayer, try to sit in the mosque, read a juz’ (part) of the Quran, make duaa, or recite some Adhkar(remembrance of Allah). Then offer two rakahs before you go home. If you do so, you are reviving a tradition that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to do, a tradition which these days has been neglected by many Muslims.
Observe Fasting in the First Nine Days
Abu Sa`id al-Khudri said: I heard the Prophet saying, “Indeed, anyone who fasts for one day for Allah’s Pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years.” (Muslim)
Do not observe fasting on the tenth day because it is an `Eid day and it is prohibited to fast that day.
Good deeds are rewarded abundantly in these first ten days; and as fasting is a good deed, it is recommended to fast these nine days.
Do not Miss Fasting the Day of Arafah
On the day of Arafah, non-pilgrims are highly recommended to maintain fasting. It is reported that the Prophet was asked about fasting on the day of Arafah, whereupon he said: “It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year.” (Muslim)
He also said: “There is no day in which Allah frees a greater number of His slaves from the Hellfire than the Day of Arafah.” (Muslim)
Make a Lot of Supplications (duaa) on the Day of Arafah
The Prophet said: “The best supplication is that of the Day of `Arafah, and the best thing that I and other Prophets before me said, is: La ilaha illa allahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-hamdu wa huwa `ala kulli shai’in qadeer (There is no Allah Ta’ala but Allah alone. He has no partners. To Him belong the sovereignty and all praise. He has power over all things.) (Al-Tirmidhi)
Try to Do Something New this Year
If you used to recite a part of the Quran last year, try to finish reading the whole Quran this year. Try to pick some verses everyday and check the books of Tafsir (exegesis of the Quran) to reflect on their meaning in order to derive lessons from them in your daily life.
Maintain your Family Relations
Visit your relatives even for a few minutes. If they live far away, give them a call. Do not forget your parents. Be kind to them, visit them, and attend to their needs. Some new Muslims think that after their conversion, they should cut off their family members. Allah Ta’ala orders Muslims to be kind to their parents even if they are non-Muslims. This occasion might be a good opportunity to talk about Islam to your non-Muslim parents.
Give to Charity
Make it a daily habit to help the needy. Look for humanitarian organizations in your neighborhood and help them in any way you can.
