Excellence of worship in the first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah

Sayyiduna ʿAbdullah bin ʿAbbās رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا was a leading authority in Quranic commentary, a cousin of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, and an esteemed Companion. He narrates how our beloved master, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم explained:

مَا مِنْ اَيَّامٍ اَلْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ فِيهَا اَحَبُّ اِلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْاَيَّامِ

There are no days in which Allah loves the performing of good deeds, more than these (ten) days.

Allah also loves good deeds that are performed for Him in all other days. These too carry great excellence and earn many blessings. Yet in comparison to them, the carrying out of good deeds in the first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah especially, is particularly beloved to Him.^[1]

It is stated in another hadith, وَالْعَمَلُ فِيهِنَّ يُضَاعَفُ سَبْعَ مِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ – “The reward of good deeds in these (ten) days is multiplied by seven hundred.”^[2]

In a hadith narrated in Tirmidhi, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

مَا مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُتَعَبَّدَ لَهُ فِيهَا مِنْ عَشْرِ ذِي الحِجَّةِ يَعْدِلُ صِيَامُ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ مِّنْهَا بِصِيَامِ سَنَةٍ وَقِيَامُ كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ مِّنْهَا بِقِيَامِ لَيْلَةِ القَدْرِ

There are no days more beloved to Allah that He be worshipped in, than the first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. Fasting on a single day from them is equivalent to fasting for a year, and standing in their every night (staying awake to worship) is equivalent to standing in Laylat al-Qadr.^[3]