Best 10 days of the year are fast approaching

AsSalam Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuh.

Dhul-Hijjah will start Friday the 28th or Saturday the 29th of November, InshaAllah.

Know that the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah are the best and most virtuous days of the year –for both the pilgrim and those who stay behind. They are days of striving to gain closeness and proximity to Allaah and seeking His Mercy and Forgiveness. They are days of Salaah, and Zakaah, Fasting, Du'aa and remembrance of Allah, sincere repentance, and all other virtuous deeds.
 

And Allah swore by these days in His saying:
"By the Dawn, and by the Ten Nights." [Al-Fajr (89):1-2]

And the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam) said:
"The best days in the dunyaa are the ten days." ¹

And the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam) said:
"There are no days during which good righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than the ten days (the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.)" So the Companions asked: "Not even Jihad in the Path of Allah?" He said: "Not even Jihad in the Path of Allah, except for a man who goes out with his soul and his wealth, and comes back with nothing." ²

During these days it is recommended to increase in making takbeer, tahleel, and tahmeed, and to increase in all types of righteous deeds, like prayer, fasting, giving in charity and so on.

 

Fasting the Day of 'Arafah

And from these righteous actions is fasting the Day of 'Arafah. The Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam) said:
"It expiates (the sins) of the previous year, and the following year." ³

And this fast is for those who remained behind, as fasting the Day of 'Arafah by those who are at 'Arafah is not from the guidance of the Prophet
(Sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam) and his Companions. ⁴

 

The Sacrifice

Of these 10 blessed days is the Day of an-Nahr, or 'Eedul-Adhaa. The Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam) said:

"Verily the greatest of Days with Allaah- the Blessed and Most High- is the Day of Sacrifice, then the Day of Rest [following it]." ⁵

And know that the sacrifice is from those actions that are highly stressed upon for those who have the ability, as the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam) said:

"Whoever has the means, and does not sacrifice, should not approach our Musallaa." ⁶

And the one who has the ability and intends to sacrifice an animal, then he is not to cut his hair and nails, from the first day of Dhul-Hijjah up until after he sacrifices.

And Allaah has made the days of An-Nahr (the day of 'Eed) and at-Tashreeq (the 3 days that follow it) days of eating and drinking.
 

The Takbeeraat

From the day of 'Arafah (9th of Dhul-Hijjah) up until the 'Asr prayer on the 13th day of Dhil-Hijjah, after the Salaah, we make the takbeeraat. Ibn Abee Shaybah reported that 'Alee used to make the takbeer beginning after the Fajr prayer on the Day of 'Arafah, up until after the 'Asr prayer on the
last day of Tashreeq (the 13th day of Dhil-Hijjah) . As for the wording of the Takbeer, then there is nothing authentically reported from the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam). Rather, what we find is the 'Abdullaah bin Mas'ood (Radiyallaahu 'anhu) used to say:

Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Laa ilaaha illallaah, wallaahu akbar,

Allaahu Akbar, wa lillaahil-Hamd ⁷
 

And Ibn 'Abbaas (Radiyallaahu 'anhumaa) used to say:

Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, wa lillaahil-Hamd.
Allaahu Akbar wa ajalla, Allaahu Akbar 'alaa ma hadaanaa. ⁸

So it is upon us to exert ourselves in obedience to Allah during these 10 blessed days, from their beginning till their end; increasing in our Salaah, trying to fast the Day of 'Arafah, making mention of Allah in abundance, Sadaqah, sacrificing an animal on the Day of An-Nahr or the days that follow
it, recitation of the Qur'an, Repenting to Allah, seeking His mercy and forgiveness, and so forth. For there is no time like these 10 days:

"There are no days during which good righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than the ten days."

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¹ al-Bazzaar. See Saheehul-Jaami' of Shaykh Al-Albaanee (#1133)
² Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim from Ibn 'Umar and others, al-Bukhaaree from Ibn 'Abbaas, Muslim from Abee Sa'eed, At-Tahaawiyyah (#734), Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood (#2438), and As-Saheehah (#1471).
³ Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhee (#749)
⁴ Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhee (#751)
⁵ Saheeh Sunan Aboo Daawood (#1552)
⁶ Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah (#2549): Hasan.
⁷ Reported by Ibn Abee Shaybah
⁸ al-Bayhaqee (3/315)