Are you making the sacred Hajj pilgrimage this year? Don’t worry if you’re not – there’s so much you can do from home to earn the blessings and forgiveness of Allah.
Start as you mean to continue! It’s time to get your spiritual house in order and commit to attending all daily prayers in the masjid if you’re male and able, and performing Dhikr in all spare moments. After a couple of days, chanting Takbir, Tahlil and Tahmid and uttering Subhan Allah will become second nature.
Try to walk to work if it’s possible. Those on Hajj this year will be doing plenty of walking, so we should try to emulate their actions as much as possible. Make a list of the duas you really want to be answered. This will help you remember to read them every day.
These 10 blessed days are an amazing time to give to charity because all the rewards you receive from giving Sadaqah or paying your Zakat will be multiplied many, many times over. You can easily make Sadaqah donations to a variety of excellent projects and both calculate and pay Zakat [link] through Human Appeal.
Decide which country you’d like to give your Qurbani shares in and pay Qurbani with Human Appeal. Remember that a small animal such as a sheep or goat counts for one Qurbani share, and a larger animal like a cow or camel makes up seven Qurbani shares. All the Qurbani meat we distribute will be received by vulnerable families in famine-stricken or conflict-affected locations worldwide.
Make sure you’re keeping up with prayers, recitations and reading the Qur’an. Reading just a single letter of the holy book earns 10 spiritual rewards outside of this blessed month, so imagine the blessings you’ll receive for reading the Qur’an every day of Dhul Hijjah.
Wear plain, simple clothes to reflect the Ihram garments that those making the Hajj pilgrimage will be dressed in. Allah is pleased with those who honour their parents, so spend time talking and listening to your mother and father, running errands for them and seeking their guidance with your life choices.
The 10 blessed days of Dhul Hijjah provide a golden opportunity for giving up bad habits and improving your lifestyle. If you’re a smoker or you have someone at work that you often argue with, make an effort to stop.
Ensure that your mind is in the right place before the sacred day of Arafah. All your actions should work to glorify Allah and be performed in accordance to His will.
The day of Arafah is one of the most sacred days in the Islamic calendar. It’s recommended that you fast for 9 of the 10 blessed days, but if you can’t manage this, just make sure that you fast on the day of Arafah. This is the most important time to fast.
The Prophet Muhammad said: “The observance of three days’ fast every month and that of Ramadan every year is equivalent to fasting for the entire year. I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of ‘Arafah may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming years, and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of ‘Ashura’ may atone for the sins of the preceding year.” [Muslim]
Every single one of the above ideas for maximising your blessings at home during Dhul Hijjah will earn more rewards if performed on the day of Arafah, so don’t let this amazing opportunity go to waste.
The festival of Eid ul-Adha has arrived! It’s time to share a meal with family and friends, to commemorate the trials and triumphs of the Prophet Ibrahim (as). Eid ul-Adha is traditionally when the Qurbani sacrifice would be carried out, but if you pay Qurbani earlier, organisations have more time to distribute. The sooner we receive your Qurbani payment, the better our chance of delivering fresh meat to a hungry family in time for the Eid celebrations. Everyone should be able to eat a nutritious meal on Eid ul-Adha!
If you’ve not performed good deeds or prayed enough so far, there’s still time to make up for it before Eid ul-Adha. Make sure that you mark the day of Arafah with fasting, worship and generous giving to those in need.
Give your Qurbani with Human Appeal today.
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