(Dhul-Hijjah begins October 28, 2011)

For those of us who could not attend Hajj this year, it is important that we utilize the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah the same way we do the last 10 nights of Ramadan.

Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings be upon him) has said about the first ten days of Dul-Hijjah: There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” The people asked, “Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah?” He said, “Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing (Bukhari).

Abu Hurairah relates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “There are no days more loved to Allah for you to worship Him therein than the ten days of Dhul Hijjah. Fasting any day during it is equivalent to fasting one year and to offer salatul tahajjud (late-night prayer) during one of its nights is like performing the late night prayer on the night of power. [i.e., Lailatul Qadr].” [This is related by at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and al-Baihaqi]

Additional Hadith on Dhul-Hijjah

http://www.performhajj.com/first_ten_days_of_dhul_hijjah.php

How to Make the Best of the Holy month of Dhul-Hijjah:

1. Prayer and Supplications: Take full advantage of the fist 10 days of this month by offering as much Ibadah and doing as much good deeds as one can.

2. Fasting: The Holy Prophet (s) has said: “One fast during these days is equal to the fasting of one complete year, and the worship of one night during this period is equal to the worship of ‘Laylatul Qadr’.

3. Fasting the Day of Yaumal Arafah.  This is the date when the Hajj pilgrims assemble six miles away from Makkah Mukkaramah, where they perform the most essential part of the prescribed duties of Hajj, namely, the ‘Wuqoof of Arafat’ (the stay in Arafat). For those not performing Hajj, it is essential to fast on this day according to their own calendar. Arafah’ has been emphasized by the Holy Prophet (s) as a Mustahabb (desirable act). According to a Hadith, the fast of this day becomes a cause, Inshallah, of forgiveness for sins committed in one year.

4. Remembrance of Allah (swt): Say Takbir from the Fajr of the 9th of Zul Hijjah upto the Asr prayer of the 13th, it is obligatory on each Muslim to recite the Takbir of Tashreeq in the following words:

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,

La Illaha Illallahu, Wallahu Akbar,

Allahu Akbar wa Lillahilhamd.

(Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,

There is no God except Allah and Allah is the greatest,

Allah is the Greatest and to Him belongs all praise.)

According to authentic Islamic sources, it is obligatory on each Muslim, to recite this Takbir after every obligatory (fardh) Salaah. For women also, it is commendable though not obligatory. Whether you are performing Salaah with Jamaa’ah (collectively) or on your own (individually) makes no difference; you must recite the Takbir. However, males should recite it in a loud voice and females should recite it quietly.

5. Udhiyyah – Conducting Sacrificial Slaughter: One should prepare to do the Udhiyyah (sacrificial slaughtering of an animal) and distribute the meat amongst family, friends, the needy, etc.  Abu Haneefah (may Allah have Mercy upon him) was of the opinion that it was from the obligatory acts but most of others say it is desirable.  The Prophet (peace be upon him) said “Who does not slaughter should not come to the salaah”. [Ibn Maajah]

6. Do not cut your hair or nails if you intend to do the Sacrifice: One who wants to do the Udhiyyah should not cut his hair or nails during these ten days.  He should do so before these ten days.  The Prophet (peace be upon him), said “when any one of you intending to sacrifice the animal enters in the month of Dhul-Hijjah he should not get his hair or nails touched (cut)” [Muslim]

7. Doing Good Deeds: Try to do additional good deeds during this month (such as helping others or giving charity.)  It is especially important to do good deeds for those preparing or returning from Hajj.

Click here for a List of 50 Good Deeds During Dhul-Hijjah

Click here to view or purchase Hajj / Umrah books and related items.

Honey has been used as a remedy for ailments since the time of our beloved Prophet (s). Both the holy Qur’an and Hadith refer to honey as a healer of disease.

‘And thy Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees and in (men’s) habitations…..

there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for mankind.

Verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought’.
(Translation of Quran 16:68-69)

Rasulullah (s) said: ‘Honey is a remedy for every illness and the

Qur’an is a remedy for all illness of the mind, therefore I recommend

to you both remedies, the Qur’an and honey.’ (Bukhari)

16 Amazing Uses for Honey:

Medical:

Honey has antibacterial properties and contains hydrogen peroxide. There is evidence that honey speeds the healing of wounds.

1. Bee Sting: Use instantly on bee stings.  Apply honey directly to wound for temporary pain relief and faster healing. Apply a light dressing such as gauze or paper towel. (Be sure you have completely removed the stinger before applying honey).  If you are allergic to bee stings see a doctor immediately.

2. For Curing Arthritis: A paste should be made from one part honey and two parts of luke warm water added with a small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. This paste should be massaged on the itching part of the body and the pain should recede within fifteen minutes in most cases.

3. Toothache: A paste made of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey when applied on the aching tooth (may be done 3 times a day) reduces the pain within a matter of 15 minutes

4. Reducing Cholesterol: Take two tablespoons of honey, three teaspoons of cinnamon powder and mix in 16 ounces of tea, when given to a cholesterol patient, reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within 2 hours. Pure honey is also sometimes used with food to check cholesterol.

5. Cure Colds: For those who are suffering from common or severe colds, they should take one tablespoon of luke warm honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.

6. Stomach Upset: Honey taken with cinnamon powder also helps in curing stomach ache. For people who are suffering from gas problems, honey should be taken with cinnamon powder in equal quantities, relieves gas and pain in the stomach.

7. Immune System: The daily intake of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Researchers have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts and its use strengthens the white blood corpuscles. Click on link to read a great article on how to boost your immune system. A must read to obtaining good health.

8. Slowing Down the Aging Process: Ancient cultures used Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder for longevity. 4 spoons of honey, 1 spoon of cinnamon powder and 3 cups of water are boiled to make this tea. The prescribed amount is to drink 1/4 cup, 3 times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and slows down old age.

9. Weight Loss: Drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup water first thing in the morning (empty stomach). If taken regularly it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also drinking of this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body, even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

Dietary:

Honey is healthy for you in moderation; it has amino acids and enzymes for digestion.

10. You can use it as a sugar substitute in baking

11. It tastes great on a spoon mixed with peanut butter! Or Cut, fresh peaches with some honey drizzled over top with milk makes a great treat!

12. The best type of honey is raw or organic honey.  Try to get as natural as possible because some store-bought brands include added sugar, water, or syrups.

Cosmetic:

Use honey to look your best

13. Hair Loss: To prevent hair loss or baldness mix 1 tsp. of honey with 1 tsp. of olive oil and 2 tsp. of water to make a paste. Massage this mixture onto the areas needing it the most (for baldness it would go on those thinned or hairless spots). This is best done before bedtime and the mixture will be left on for the night. Wash your hair as usual in the morning and continue to treat your hair with this mixture regularly.

Another honey mixture for these same issues would be a paste consisting of heated olive oil, 1 tbsp. of honey and 1 tsp. of cinnamon. Apply this to your scalp and leave it on for 5 to 15 minutes before washing your hair.

14. Conditioner: Using honey as a hair conditioner will increase the health of your hair follicles and your scalp at the same time. If your hair is on the oily side, decrease the olive oil to 1/4 cup when making the following mixture. Mix 1 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of olive oil. Massage the mixture onto the scalp and let it rest for a half hour before washing your hair as usual.

15. Radiant Hair: If your hair lacks shine or luster, a mixture of 2 tbps. of honey and 2 cups of warm water can help return the natural shine and will add health to your hair. After combining the solution, shake it thoroughly in a spray bottle with a wide nozzle and spray the mixture onto your hair. Brush it into your hair and let it dry or you can blow dry it. It is best to use a good quality of honey.

16. Honey Facial: Honey may be the perfect skin care product, as it kills germs and reduces swelling and inflammation. A honey face mask will gently clean your skin, while keeping it healthy, supple and beautiful.

Add 1 tsp. of olive oil to the honey. Olive oil helps nourish and clean the skin at the same time. Unlike petroleum jelly, heavy lotions and other oils, olive oil will rinse cleanly away, leaving your skin moisturized and glowing.

Break an egg, gently separating the yoke and adding it to the honey and oil mixture. The egg yoke will not only give your face mask a creamy texture, it will help remove oil and dirt from the skin. Egg yoke will remove the greasy shine from your face without drying. Mix the ingredients until creamy.

Peel and slice two pieces of cucumber. Cucumber has gentle astringent properties, but is the same pH as skin. Including cucumber as part of your skin care regimen will help to restore the natural protective acid levels of the skin. Cucumber naturally nourishes and hydrates the skin and can help reduce circles from underneath the eyes.

Apply a warm washcloth to your face to open the pores. Apply the honey face mask and cucumbers. Relax for about 20 minutes while you wait for the mask to work, then rinse with warm water. Once fully rinsed, splash a bit of cold water on your face to close your pores and firm the skin.

Click to Purchase Organic Honey

Have a

Bee-utiful Ramadan

Related websites:

http://healthmad.com/alternative/10-miraculous-health-benefits-of-honey-and-cinnamon-combo/

http://bablondie.blogspot.com/2009/10/101-uses-for-honey.html

http://www.islamicsites.com/honey.asp

http://www.ehow.com/how_2099413_make-honey-face-mask.html

http://www.ehow.com/about_4587717_using-honey-hair.html

Welcome Back Hajjis!! Inshallah may your Hajj be accepted and may you continue to receive countless blessing. Keep your soul rejuvenated.  Our staff has picked their favorite books to help those returning from Hajj continue to improve their spirituality.

Click Each Title to Learn More:

Once again we are celebrating Eid al-Adha! Rasulullah (S) said that all people have their days of celebration, and Allah has given us two such days: Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

Both of these days are unique as our celebrations, like our religion, have four major dimensions:

Eid ul-Adha is the prime example of that character of al-Islam and carries within it all the four dimensions of al-Islam as we shall see. We thank Allah that through His final messenger, He perfected His Din, which now completes all the earlier revelations and fulfills them for all times to come. After nearly twenty-two years of struggle, the Prophet Muhammad (S) purified Ka’bah, the House of Allah, of its idols and superstitious practices and re-established the faith of Ibrahim in its purest form.

All prophets passed through severe tests and offered for us true models of spirituality and patience; among them was Ibrahim (as), a prime example for us to emulate. He passed through severe tests and trials, as did the Prophet

Muhammad (S) and as a result was raised in rank:

During a short sojourn in Egypt he found his second wife Hajar, who became mother of his eldest son Isma’il (as). Hajar was not a Semite like Ibrahim (as) but an Egyptian slave (or, according to some writers, of royal blood) and in his marriage to her, he broke barriers of race and clan and became a precursor of the message of Islam in regards to human dignity and equality. By divine command, Ibrahim (as) abandoned his wife Hajar and his son Isma’il in the deserted valley of Baka (later called Makkah), a place devoid of water or vegetation. Allah saved the mother and child by providing a well, and decreed that the unpopulated valley be the location for His Holy House (Baytullah). Henceforth, pilgrimage to that house has been an obligation for those who can afford.
In another test of faith, Ibrahim (as) offered up his only son as a sacrifice. Child sacrifice was an ancient custom and was practiced by many cultures throughout the world. Yet, Allah redeemed Isma’il and offered a ram in his place. Thus, He abolished the abominable custom of child sacrifice to the myriad of gods and goddesses and replaced it with animal sacrifice.

The mission of the Prophet Muhammad (S) was, in reality, the heavenly response to the prayers of Ibrahim (as). Allah honored Ibrahim (as) not only in accepting his prayers but sending His final Prophet and Messenger in his line. The Prophet Muhammad (S) revitalized the teachings of all the prophets and messengers who came before; however, he especially invigorated the traditions of Ibrahim (as). During the Hajj the pilgrims follow the path traversed by Ibrahim, Isma’il and Hajar. He re-established the Hajj and purified it from the iniquitous rituals and superstitions that had crept in over the centuries. He revived Eid ul-Adha and dedicated it to the memory of these two figures: Ibrahim and Isma’il (as).

Ibrahim (a.s) is also remembered by Jews and Christians as a patriarch, elder and prophet. Jews trace their origin to him through his younger son Ishaq (a.s), while Christians see in him the lineage of Jesus through David. The three faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, call themselves collectively “Abrahamic” and combined constitute a family which has many common beliefs and traditions. While the Prophet Muhammad (S) and the Arabs in general, regarded himself as a descendant of Ibrahim through Isma’il, Muslims look to his message of Tawhid, human dignity and his readiness to obey the will of Allah as being more important. Muslims remember and send blessings on Ibrahim (as) and his progeny as they do the family and followers of the Prophet Muhammad (S), at least five times a day. Allah has established special relationship between Muslims and the People of the Book. Those of us, who have the privilege of living in Western societies, where Christianity and Judaism are practiced, must reaffirm the message of the Qur’an, especially on the day of Eid ul-Adha:

As we celebrate this day we must remember both Ibrahim and Muhammad (S), for it is through them that we received the message of Tawhid, human brotherhood as well as a universal moral code of conduct, that even after thousands years is reenacted in various ways in many aspects of life. The Qur’an warns those who turn away from the path of Ibrahim (as):

THE CELEBRATION

Eid ul-Adha starts with the Glorification of Allah coinciding with the ingathering of the pilgrims at Mina, after a day long stay in Arafat and spending the night at Muzdalifa. While the fortunate pilgrims are in our du’a, we start our journey to our masjid saying Takbir aloud:

We offer two rak’aat of salah for both Eid al-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha with special extra Takbirat celebrating Allah’s greatness and glory. As we complete the salah and before we return home, some of us following the sunnah of the Prophet (S) and visit the graveyards of the neighborhood where we offer Fatihah to those of our relatives, friends and the Ummah, who have left us. We remember them with full awareness that one day we shall join them and, InshaAllah, would be remembered in the same way by those who follow us.

We return home to meet and greet family and friends, exchange gifts and prepare to offer the sacrifice of animal just as the pilgrims are doing at Mina. Sacrifice a manifestation of faith and animal sacrifice is a time honored tradition of many religions. Muslims celebrate it to honor the sunnah of our spiritual father Ibrahim (a.s) and Isma’il (a.s), for their act of total submission to the to the Creator as well as His acceptance of their sincere act. Allah the Merciful and the Compassionate redeemed Isma’il (as) and instead sent a ram to be sacrificed in his place. Thus with one decisive act Allah debarred human sacrifice and offered us an alternative.

I say that the animal sacrifice is unique because, as against many religious traditions, the sacrificial meal is blessed by divine grace and is for consumption by human beings. The selection of an unblemished animal and the distribution of its meat reflect the basic spirit of Islam and our relationship with Allah and humanity. The meat must be divided in three parts, one for the person who is sacrificing, another for family and friends and the third for the needy and the poor.

As we celebrate we must affirm the commonality of our faith with other human beings, that in spite of our various differences we are all `IbadAllah, the Servants of Allah and enjoy the occasion with family and friends.