By Muhammad Aliyu Mustapha
The holy month of Zul- hijja ranks twelfth in the Hijra Islamic Calendar. Literally, it represents the last, but not in any way, the least month in the Islamic year. This has to do with importance Islam, as a faith, attaches to the holy month in terms of devotion, Hajj rites and the symbolic amimal sacrifice commemorating the anniversary of sacrifice as first practised by Allah’s Prophet, Ibrahim, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and our noble Prophet.
Today being Monday, the 19th day of May is equivalent to the first day of Zul-hijja, 1446. From today through the remaining nine days, the believers will be engaged in various acts of worship ranging from voluntary fast, supregatory prayers to a variety of styles and forms of remembrance of Allah (azkaar) and host of other rites, including the pilgrimage by those who answered Allah’s call to perform the rites this year.
Every devotion and acts of ibadaat, done sincerely and in the hope to please Allah will be met by a handsome rewards. Indeed, rewards and compensation for sincere acts of worship in these ten days are unquantifiable. only Allah knows how and what to reward servants with. It is said no acts of worship can attract much reward as acts of worship performed in the first ten days of Zul-hijja. Against this background, believers are enjoined to re-tighten their belts in total devotion to Allah, the Most High with a view to gaining His pleasure and blessings. So, there is a wide range of forms of ibaada believing men and women can partake from today till the ninth day, that’s to say, the day of Arafat, on which believers , moee especially non-pilgrims, are suposed to fast. Performing fast on Arafat day is so rewarding that it attracts Allah’s forgiveness of the believers’ sins of the preceding year and the upcoming one. Allahu Akbar! May Allah grant us the courage to perform it.
Above all, the fifth pillar of Islam, the pilgrimage to Mecca, the Holy land falls within these blessed days, especially most of the obligatory rites. It’s believed that prayers offered by pilgrims are automatically answered. This is in addition to the pligrims’ returning as unblemished as when they come out of their mothers’ wombs. In other words, they have all their sins forgiven by Allah, the most Forgiving. May Allah make it possible for us to travel as far as Mecca to perform the hajj; may He also accept it from us.
Then comes the tenth and the last day. This day is unique! This is the Eid-el-Kabir’s day. On this day, non-pilgrims do not as are not required by the shari’a to perform fast beacause it is a day of feast, a day of eating and drinking and remembrance of Allah. Yes, a day of eating and drinking but only of halal foods and drinks, more preferably, eating from the meat of the animal one sacrifices in fulfillment of the sunna requirements. May Allah provide us with the means to buy animals for this sacrifice.
