First 10 days of Zilhajj
At each of these ten nights, it is recommended to offer a two unit prayer between the Maghrib and `Isha' obligatory prayers and to recite at each unit Surah al-Fatihah once, Surah al-Tawhid once, and the following verse (7:142):
The reward of offering this prayer is to participate in the rewards of those who go on Hajj
وَوَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ ثَلَاثينَ لَيْلَةً
wa wa`adna musa thalathina laylatan
And We appointed with Moses a time of thirty nights
وَأَتْمَمْنَاهَا بِعَشْرٍ
wa atmamnaha bi`ashrin
and completed them with ten more,
فَتَمَّ مِيقَاتُ رَبِّهِ أَرْبَعينَ لَيْلَةً
fatamma miqatu rabbihi arba`ina laylatan
so the appointed time of his Lord was complete forty nights,
وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِأَخِيهِ هَارُونَ ٱخْلُفْنِي فِي قَوْمِي
wa qala musa li'akhihi haruna ikhlufni fi qawmi
and Moses said to his brother Aaron: Take my place among my people,
وَأَصْلِحْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
wa aslih wa la tattabi` sabila almufsidina
and act well and do not follow the way of the mischief-makers.
It is recommended to observe fasting on the first nine days of Dhu’l-hijjah, for it is equal to the fasting of one’s whole lifetime & perform these Aamal
It is recommended to recite the following supplication, which is reported by Shaykh al-Tusi and Sayyid Ibn Tawus from Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), after the obligatory Fajr and before the Maghrib Prayers, since the first day of Dhu’l-Hijjah and up to the eve of the `Arafat Night, the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah:
اَللَّهُمَّ هٰذِهِ ٱلأَيَّامُ ٱلَّتِي فَضَّلْتَهَا عَلَىٰ ٱلأَيَّامِ وَشَرَّفْتَهَا
allahumma hadhihi al-ayyamu allati faddaltaha `ala al-ayyami wa sharraftaha
O Allah, these days that You have preferred and favored on other days,
قَدْ بَلَّغْتَنِيهَا بِمَنِّكَ وَرَحْمَتِكَ
qad ballaghtaniha bimannika wa rahmatika
You have allowed me to attain them out of Your favor and mercy;
فَأَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ بَرَكَاتِكَ
fa'anzil `alayna min barakatika
so, (please) descend on us Your blessings
وَأَوْسِعْ عَلَيْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ نَعْمَائِكَ
wa awsi` `alayna fiha min na`ma'ika
and expand for us Your boons.
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّد
allahumma inni as'aluka an tusalliya `ala muhammadin wa ali muhammadin
O Allah, I beseech you to send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad
وَأَنْ تَهْدِيَنَا فِيهَا لِسَبِيلِ ٱلْهُدَىٰ
wa an tahdiyana fiha lisabili alhuda
and to guide us on these days to the path of guidance,
وَٱلْعِفَافِ وِٱلْغِنَىٰ
wal`afafi walghina
chastity, sufficiency,
وَٱلْعَمَلِ فِيهَا بِمَا تُحِبُّ وَتَرْضَىٰ
wal`amali fiha bima tuhibbu wa tarda
and doing that which You like and please.
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يَا مَوْضِعَ كُلِّ شَكْوَىٰ
allahumma inni as'aluka ya mawdi`a kulli shakwa
O Allah, I beseech You, O object of all complaints,
وَيَا سَامِعَ كُلِّ نَجْوَىٰ
wa ya sami`a kulli najwa
O Hearer of all confidential talks,
وَيَا شَاهِدَ كُلِّ مَلأٍ
wa ya shahida kulli mala'in
O Attendant in all sessions,
وَيَا عَالِمَ كُلِّ خَفِيَّةٍ
wa ya `alima kulli khafiyyatin
O Knower of all hidden matters,
أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّد
an tusalliya `ala muhammadin wa ali muhammadin
to send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad,
وَأَنْ تَكْشِفَ عَنَّا فِيهَا ٱلْبَلَاءَ
wa an takshifa `anna fiha albala'a
relieve us from all hardships on these days,
وَتَسْتَجِيبَ لَنَا فِيهَا ٱلدُّعَاءَ
wa tastajiba lana fiha alddu`a'a
respond to our prayers,
وَتُقَوِّيَنَا فِيهَا وَتُعِينَنَا
wa tuqawwiyana fiha wa tu`inana
grant us power, aid us,
وَتُوَفِّقَنَا فِيهَا لِمَا تُحِبُّ رَبَّنَا وَتَرْضَىٰ
wa tuwaffiqana fiha lima tuhibbu rabbana wa tarda
and lead us successfully to all that which You, O our Lord, like and please
وَعَلىٰ مَا ٱفْتَرَضْتَ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ طَاعَتِكَ
wa `ala ma iftaradta `alayna min ta`atika
and to do acts of obedience to You that which You have made obligatory upon us
وَطَاعَةِ رَسوُلِكَ وَأَهْلِ وَلَايَتِكَ
wa ta`ati rasulika wa ahli wilayatika
as well as acts of obedience to Your Messenger and to the men of Your leadership.
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ ٱلرَّاحِمِينَ
allahumma inni as'aluka ya arhama alrrahimina
O Allah, I beseech You, O most Merciful of all those who show mercy,
أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّد
an tusalliya `ala muhammadin wa ali muhammadin
to send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad
وَأَنْ تَهَبَ لَنَا فِيهَا ٱلرِّضَا
wa an tahaba lana fiha alrrida
and grant us [Your] pleasure on these days.
إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَاءِ
innaka sami`u alddu`a'i
You are verily Hearer of prayers.
وَلَا تَحْرِمْنَا خَيْرَ مَا تُنْزِلُ فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَاءِ
wa la tahrimna khayra ma tunzilu fiha min alssama'i
Do not deprive us of the good that You cause to come down from the heavens on these days,
وَطَهَّرْنَا مِنَ ٱلذُّنوُبِ
wa tahhirna min aldhdhunubi
purify us from sins,
يَا عَلاَّمَ ٱلْغُيوُبِ
ya `allama alghuyubi
O Knower of all unseen things,
وَأَوْجِبْ لَنَا فِيهَا دَارَ ٱلْخُلوُدِ
wa awjib lana fiha dara alkhuludi
and make certain for us the abode of immortality.
اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
allahumma salli `ala muhammadin wa ali muhammadin
O Allah, send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad
وَلَا تَتْرُكْ لَنَا فِيهَا ذَنْباً إِلاَّ غَفَرْتَهُ
wa la tatruk lana fiha dhanban illa ghafartahu
and do not leave for us a sin but that You forgive it,
وَلَا هَمّاً إِلاَّ فَرَّجْتَهُ
wa la hamman illa farrajtahu
no depression but that You relieve it,
وَلَا دَيْناً إِلاَّ قَضَيْتَهُ
wa la daynan illa qadaytahu
no debt but that You help us settle it,
وَلَا غَائِباً إِلاَّ أَدَّيْتَهُ
wa la gha'iban illa addaytahu
no absent but that You make join us,
وَلَا حَاجَةً مِنْ حَوَائِجِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلآخِرَةِ
wa la hajatan min hawa'iji alddunya wal-akhirati
and no need in this world and the Next World
إِلاَّ سَهَّلْتَهَا وَيَسَّرْتَهَا
illa sahhaltaha wa yassartaha
but that You make it easy and obtainable.
إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىٰءٍ قَديرٌ
innaka `ala kulli shay'in qadirun
You, verily, have power over all things.
اَللَّهُمَّ يَا عَالِمَ ٱلْخَفِيَّاتِ
allahumma ya `alima alkhafiyyati
O Allah! O Knower of all hidden things!
يَا رَاحِمَ ٱلْعَبَرَاتِ
ya rahima al`abarati
O Merciful of all tears!
يَا مُجِيبَ ٱلدَّعَوَاتِ
ya mujiba aldda`awati
O Answerer of all prayers!
يَا رَبَّ ٱلأَرَضِينَ وَٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ
ya rabba al-aradina walssamawati
O Lord of the [layers of the] earth and the heavens!
يَا مَنْ لَا تَتَشَابَهُ عَلَيْهِ ٱلأَصْوَاتِ
ya man la tatashabahu `alayhi al-aswatu
O He Who is not confused by various sounds!
صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّد
salli `ala muhammadin wa ali muhammadin
(Please) send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad
وَٱجْعَلْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ عُتَقَائِكَ وَطُلَقَائِكَ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ
waj`alna fiha min `utaqa'ika wa tulaqa'ika min alnnari
and include us, on these days, with those whom You release and discharge from Hellfire,
وَٱلْفَائِزِينَ بِجَنَّتِكَ
walfa'izina bijannatika
those whom You make win Your Paradise,
وَٱلنَّاجِينَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ
walnnajina birahmatika
and those whom You save, out of Your mercy.
يَا أَرْحَمَ ٱلرَّاحِمِينَ
ya arhama alrrahimina
O most Merciful of all those who show mercy!
وَصَلَّىٰ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ أَجْمَعينَ
wa salla allahu `ala sayyidina muhammadin wa alihi ajma`ina
Allah may send blessings to our master, Muhammad, and to his entire Household.
Importance of the Dua
On of the deeds for the first day of Zil-Hajjih until the afternoon of the Arafa day is the above dua narrated through a chain of documents to Abi Muhammad Harun ibn Musa al-Talakbari – may God be pleased with him – on the authority of Abil Mufazzal Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Shaybany – may God have mercy on him, on the authority of Abu Ali Muhammad ibn Humam al-Iskafi, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Mabandad, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Hilal, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr, on the authority of Ibn Miskan, on the authority of Bakr ibn Ubaydullah – partner of Abi Hamzaal-Thumaly, on the authority of Abu Abdullah Ja‟far ibn Muhammad (as). Abu Abdullah (as) said the following supplications for the first day of Zil-Hajjih until the afternoon of the Arafa day after the morning prayer and before the evening prayer.
It is recommended to say the following five testaments on the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah:Archangel Gabriel has conveyed these five testaments as gift of Almighty Allah to Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) and instructed him to say them on the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah.An excellent reward has been mentioned to be for whoever repeats these five statements one hundred times each day. However, `Allamah al-Majlisi says that each of these five testaments can be also repeated ten times each day.
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ
ashhadu an la ilaha illa allahu
I bear witness that there is no god save Allah,
وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ
wahdahu la sharika lahu
alone without having any partner.
لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ
wa lahu alhamdu
His is the kingdom and His is all praise.
بِيَدِهِ ٱلْخَيْرُ
biyadihi alkhayru
In His Hand is all goodness,
وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَديرٌ
wa huwa `ala kulli shay'in qadirun
and He has power over all things.
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ
ashhadu an la ilaha illa allahu
I bear witness that there is no god save Allah,
وَحْدَهُ لَا شَريكَ لَهُ
wahdahu la sharika lahu
alone without having any partner.
أَحَداً صَمَداً
ahadan samadan
One and Only and Besought of all.
لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ صَاحِبَةً وَلَا وَلَداً
lam yattakhidh sahibatan wa la waladan
He has not taken to Himself wife nor son.
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ
ashhadu an la ilaha illa allahu
I bear witness that there is no god save Allah,
وَحْدَهُ لَا شَريكَ لَهُ
wahdahu la sharika lahu
alone without having any partner,
أَحَداً صَمَداً
ahadan samadan
One and Only and Besought of all.
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
lam yalid wa lam yulad
He begets not, nor is He begotten,
وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ
wa lam yakun lahu kufwan ahadun
and there is none comparable to Him.
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ
ashhadu an la ilaha illa allahu
I bear witness that there is no god save Allah,
وَحْدَهُ لَا شَريكَ لَهُ
wahdahu la sharika lahu
alone without having any partner.
لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ
lahu almulku wa lahu alhamdu
His is the kingdom and His is all praise.
يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ
yuhyi wa yumitu
He brings to life and causes to die,
وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ
wa huwa hayyun la yamutu
and He is Ever-living and never dies.
بِيَدِهِ ٱلْخَيْرُ
biyadihi alkhayru
In His Hand is all goodness
وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَديرٌ
wa huwa `ala kulli shay'in qadirun
and He has power over all things.
حَسْبِيَ ٱللَّهُ وَكَفَىٰ
hasbiya allahu wa kafa
Sufficient to me is Allah and nothing else.
سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ لِمَنْ دَعَا
sami`a allahu liman da`a
May Allah listen from him who prays to Him.
لَيْسَ وَرَاءَ ٱللَّهِ مُنْتَهَىٰ
laysa wara'a allahi muntaha
There is no end beyond Allah.
أَشْهَدُ لِلَّهِ بِمَا دَعَا
ashhadu lillahi bima da`a
I bear witness to Allah for all that He has invited to,
وَأَنَّهُ بَرِيءٌ مِمَّنْ تَبَرَّأَ
wa annahu bari'un mimman tabarra'a
and that He is free of what He has disowned.,
وَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ ٱلآخِرَةَ وَٱلأُولَىٰ
wa anna lillahi al-akhirata wal-ula
and Allah’s is the end and the beginning of all things.
These tahlilaat (hymns of God's unity) that have been quoted from Imam Ali (peace be upon him), have numerous rewards. It would be preferable to recite them ten times a day. On everyday of these ten days one should say these tahlilaat (there is no God but Allah)
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ عَدَدَ ٱلَّلَيَالِي وَٱلدُّهُورِ
la ilaha illa allahu `adada allayali waldduhuri
There is no god save Allah as often as nights and ages.
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ عَدَدَ أَمْوَاجِ ٱلْبُحُورِ
la ilaha illa allahu `adada amwaji albuhuri
There is no god save Allah as often as the waves of oceans.
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ وَرَحْمَتُهُ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ
la ilaha illa allahu wa rahmatuhu khayrun mimma yajma`una
There is no god save Allah and His mercy is better than what they amass.
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ عَدَدَ ٱلشَّوْكِ وَٱلشَّجَرِ
la ilaha illa allahu `adada alshshawki walshshajari
There is no god save Allah as often as thorns and trees.
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ عَدَدَ ٱلشَّعْرِ وَٱلْوَبَرِ
la ilaha illa allahu `adada alshsha`ri walwabari
There is no god save Allah as often as hairs and furs.
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ عَدَدَ ٱلْحَجَرِ وَٱلْمَدَرِ
la ilaha illa allahu `adada alhajari walmadari
There is no god save Allah as many times as there are stones and loams.
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ عَدَدَ لَمْحِ ٱلْعُيُونِ
la ilaha illa allahu `adada lamhi al`uyuni
There is no god save Allah as often as sights of eyes.
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ فِي ٱللَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ وَٱلصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ
la ilaha illa allahu fi allayli idha `as`asa walssubhi idha tanaffasa
There is no god save Allah in the night when it departs and in the morning when it brightens.
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ عَدَدَ ٱلرِّيَاحِ فِي ٱلْبَرَارِي وَٱلصُّخُورِ
la ilaha illa allahu `adada alrriyahi fi albarari walssukhuri
There is no god save Allah as often as the wind blows over deserts and rocks.
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلْيَوْمِ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُنْفَخُ فِىٰ ٱلصُّورِ
la ilaha illa allahu min alyawmi ila yawmi yunfakhu fi alssuri
There is no god save Allah from this day up to the day when the Trumpet will be blown.
Signifance of Zilhajj Amaal
Beware that at times when the Almighty God has specified for man to remember God more than other times, a worshipper should exalt God more than at other times. And he should nobly remember God with his intellect and heart and pay attention to the fact that he is present before God who is the Knower of the unseen.
One should spend these times to do good deeds and purify all his words and deeds since the Almighty God has chosen these times for remembering Him; He has appointed them as the treasure of His Secrets; He has considered these times to be worthy of exaltation; and He has established them as a chance for doing good and bestowing charity and an opportunity for thanking God. The first ten days of the month of Zil-Hajjih are one of these times since the Almighty God says: “Celebrate the praises of Allah during the Appointed Days.”1The Holy Qur‟an: Al-Baqara 2:203.
And my grandfather Abu Ja‟far al-Tusi has quoted the following on the authority of As-Sadiq (MGB) in his book Al-Misbah Al-Kabir and elsewhere, "The Appointed Day in the above verse refers to the first ten days of Zil-Hajjih."
Thus, it is best for you to try to become informed of the Almighty God using your intellect, heart and soul in the month of Zil-Hajjih that God has granted you and has established it as a courier or means to deliver its hidden virtues to you.
You should try to be like those who receive the blessings of the Almighty God with exaltation and praising, and treat these couriers with generosity and thanking for the great virtue to which they have been guided to.
You should employ each of your body parts in performing especial acts of worship so that you remember God in all your acts and sayings during these ten days.
Suppose the king of your time or one who has granted something to you and has done good to you, has set a special time for you to be in his presence and praise him. Will you not try to prepare a speech using superior words and beautiful meanings to thank him and describe his favors to you? Will you not completely concentrate on being sincere in your behaviour in his presence such that you cannot neglect him when the king sees you and you are with him?
Obviously the Almighty God deserves the most to be treated this way and to be polite in front of Him. He is more preferable than the king to get near to and ask of. Then, why do you swerve to the right and the left and go astray by ignoring God?
Do not be negligent since your life is in His Hands - you shall die and you are from the progeny of those who have died and everyone is the product of God's Blessing and the remnants of His Mercy.
From Iqbal Aamal explanation
The following is narrated through a chain of documents to Al-Mufid Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Al-Nu‟man – may God sanctify his soul – on the authority of Al-Sharif Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan al-Alavi al-Hamedani, on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Ali al-Salehi, on the authorityof Abil Hassan al-Fazi, on the authority of Sahl ibn Ibrahim ibn Hisham ibn Ubaydullah, on the authority of his grandfather Hisham ibn Ubaydullah ibn Umayr, on the authority of Muhammad ibn al-Fazl, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Abdullah ibn Abd ibn Umayr, on the authority of Abi Ja‟far (as),
“Indeed God the Sublime bestowed five supplications on Jesus the son of Mary (as) that were brought to him by Gabriel during the ten days."He said, “O‟ Jesus! Say these supplications as there are no better acts of worship than this which God loves his servants to do during these ten days, i.e. the ten days of Zil-Hajjih.”
The disciples of Jesus (as) asked him, “O‟ God‟s Spirit! What is the reward of one who says these words?” Jesus (as) replied, “There are no better deeds for all the residents of the Earth than saying them. For whoever says the first one one-hundred times, He shall have more good deeds than everyone else on the Resurrection Day.”
Anyone who says the second one one-hundred times, it would be as if he has recited the Torah and the Bible twelve times, and he would receive its reward.” Jesus (as) asked, “O‟ Gabriel! What is its reward?”
Gabriel replied, “All the angels in the seven heavens cannot endure reciting even one letter of the Bible or the Torah until me and Israfil are resurrected, since he is the first servant to say “There is no Change or Power except with God.” Then Jesus (as) continued and said, “Whoever says it three-hundred times, God would record ten-thousand good deeds and remove ten-thousand of his bad deeds and grant him ten-thousand ranks. Seventy-thousand angels would descend from the heavens who raise up their hands and pray for what he said.”
Then Jesus (as) said, “O‟ Gabriel! Do the angels send blessings for anyone other than the Prophets?” Gabriel answered, “Whoever believes in what the Prophets and the Messengers have brought and do not change their belief shall be given the reward of the Prophets. Whoever says the fourth one-hundred times, an angel will take up what he said to the Irresistible God and God shall take a look upon the person who said it. Anyone looked upon by God shall never be wretched.” Jesus asked, “O‟ Gabriel! What is the reward of the fifth?” Gabriel answered, “That is my prayer and I am not allowed to explain it.”
Text, translation and recitation from Duas.org
