Aamaal for the first 10 Days of Zill-Hijjah (Zill-Ḥijjah)
In the blessed month of Dhu’l-Hijjah, the pious companions of the Holy Prophet and their followers used to do acts of worship extraordinarily. The first ten days of this month are called al-ayyam al-ma’lumat (The Stated Days) by the Holy Qur’an.
About these highly honorable days, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is reported to have said that nothing is more preferable to Almighty Allah than practicing acts of worship on these ten stated days.
Let us now state the devotional acts on these ten days:
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.
وَوَاعَدْنَا مُوْسٰی ثَلَاثِیْنَ لَیْلَۃً وَاَتْمَمْنَاھَا بِعَشْرٍ فَتَمَّ مِیْقَاتُ رَبِّہٖٓ اَرْبَعِیْنَ لَیْلَۃً وَّقَالَ مُوْسٰی لِاَخِیْہِ ہٰرُوْنَ اخْلُفْنِیْ فِی قَوْمِیْ وَاَصْلِحْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ سَبِیْلَ الْمُفْسِدِیْنَ
Translation:
And We appointed with Moses a time of thirty nights and completed them with ten more, so the appointed time of his Lord was complete forty nights, and Moses said to his brother Aaron: Take my place among my people, and act well and do not follow the way of the mischief-makers
It is recommended to say the following supplicatory prayer, which is reported by Shaykh al-Tusi and Sayyid Ibn Tawus from Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq(a.s.), after the obligatory Fajr and 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:
اَللّٰھُمَّ ھٰذِہِ الْاَیَّامُ الَّتِیْ فَضَّلْتَھَا عَلَی الْاَیَّامِ وَشَرَّفْتَھَا وَقَدْ بَلَّغْتَنِیْھَا بِمَنِّکَ وَرَحْمَتِکَ فَاَنْزِلْ عَلَیْنَا مِنْ بَرَکَاتِکَ، وَاَوْسِعْ عَلَیْنَا فِیْھَا مِنْ نَعْمَآئِکَ اَللّٰھُمَّ اِنِّیْٓ اَسْئَلُکَ اَنْ تُصَلِّیَ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّاٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّاَنْ تَھْدِیَنَا فِیْھَا لِسَبِیْلِ الْھُدٰی وَالْعَفَافِ وَالْغِنٰی وَالْعَمَلِ فِیْھَا بِمَا تُحِبُّ وَتَرْضٰی اَللّٰھُمَّ اِنِّیْٓ اَسئَلُکَ یَا مَوْضِعَ کُلِّ شَکْوٰی، وَیَا سَامِعَ کُلِّ نَجْوٰی وَیَا شَاھِدَ کُلِّ مَلَاَءٍ وَّیَا عَالِمَ کُلِّ خَفِیَّۃٍ اَنْ تُصَلِّیَ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّاٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّاَنْ تَکْشِفَ عَنَّا فِیْھَا الْبَلَآئَ وَتَسْتَجِیْبَ لَنَا فِیْھَا الدُّعَآئَ وَتُقَوِّیَنَا فِیْھَا وَتُعِیْنَنَا وَتُوَفِّقَنَا فِیْھَا لِمَا تُحِبُّ رَبَّناَ وَتَرْضٰی وَعَلٰی مَا افْتَرَضْتَ عَلَیْنَا مِنْ طَاعَتِکَ وَطَاعَۃِ رَسُوْ لِکَ وَاَھْلِ وِلَایَتِکَ اَللّٰھُمَّ اِنِّیْٓ اَسْئَلُکَ یَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِیْنَ اَنْ تُصَلِّیَ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّاٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّاَنْ تَھَبَ لَنَا فِیھَا الرِّضَآ اِنَّکَ سَمِیْعُ الدُّعَآئِ وَلَا تَحْرِمْنَا خَیْرَ مَا تُنْزِلُ فِیْھَا مِنَ السَّمَآئِ وَطَھِّرْنَا مِنَ الذُّنُوْبِ یَا عَلَّامَ الْغُیُوْبِ وَاَوْجِبْ لَنَا فِیْھَا دَارَ الْخُلُوْدِ اَللّٰھُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّاٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّلَا تَتْرُکْ لَنَا فِیْھَا ذَ نْبًا اِلَّا غَفَرْتَہٗ وَلَا ھَمًّا اِلَّا فَرَّجْتَہٗ وَلَا دَیْنًا اِلَّا قَضَیْتَہٗ وَلَا غائِبًا اِلَّا اَدَّیْتَہٗ وَلَا حَاجَۃً مِنْ حَوَآ ئِجِ الدُّنْیَا وَالْاٰخِرَۃِ اِلَّا سَھَّلْتَھَا وَیَسَّرْتَھَا، اِنَّکَ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیْءٍ قَدِیْرٌ اَللّٰھُمَّ یَا عَالِمَ الْخَفِیَّاتِ یَا رَاحِمَ الْعَبَرَاتِ یَا مُجِیْبَ الدَّعَوَاتِ، یَا رَبَّ الْاَرَضِیْنَ وَالسَّمٰوَاتِ یَا مَنْ لَّا تَتَشَابَہُ عَلَیْہِ الْاَصْوَاتُ صَلِّ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّاٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّاجْعَلْنَا فِیْہَا مِنْ عُتَقَآئِکَ وَطُلَقَآئِکَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَالْفَائِزِیْنَ بِجَنَّتِکَ وَالنَّاجِیْنَ بِرَحْمَتِکَ یَآ اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِیْنَ وَصَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلٰی سَیِّدِنا مُحَمَّدٍ وَّاٰلِہِ اَجْمَعِیْنَ ۔
Translation:
O Allah, these days that You have preferred and favored on other days, .You have allowed me to attain them out of Your favor and mercy; so, (please) descend on us Your blessings and expand for us Your boons. O Allah, I beseech you to send blessings to Muhammad (saww) and the Household of Muhammad(saww) and to guide us on these days to the path of guidance, chastity, sufficiency, and doing that which You like and please. O Allah, I beseech You, O object of all complaints, O Hearer of all confidential talks, O Attendant in all sessions, O Knower of all hidden matters, to send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad (saww) relieve us from all hardships on these days, respond to our prayers, grant us power, aid us, and lead us successfully to all that which You, O our Lord, like and please and to do acts of obedience to You that which You have made obligatory upon us as well as acts of obedience to Your Messenger and to the men of Your leadership. O Allah, I beseech You, O most Merciful of all those who show mercy, to send blessings to Muhammad (saww) and the Household of Muhammad and grant us [Your] pleasure on these days. You are verily Hearer of prayers. Do not deprive us of the good that You cause to come down from the heavens on these days, purify us from sins, O Knower of all unseen things, and make certain for us the abode of immortality. O Allah, send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad (saww) and do not leave for us a sin but that You forgive it, no depression but that You relieve it, no debt but that You help us settle it, no absent but that You make join us, and no need in this world and the Next World but that You make it easy and obtainable. You, verily, have power over all things. O Allah! O Knower of all hidden things! O Merciful of all tears! O Answerer of all prayers! O Lord of the [layers of the] earth and the heavens! O He Who is not confused by various sounds! (Please) send blessings to Muhammad (saww) and the Household of Muhammad (saww) and include us, on these days, with those whom You release and discharge from Hellfire, those whom You make win Your Paradise, and those whom You save, out of Your mercy. O most Merciful of all those who show mercy! Allah may send blessings to our master, Muhammad (saww), and to his entire Household.
﴿۱﴾ اَشْھَدُ اَنْ لَّآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَہٗ لَآ شَرِیْکَ لَہٗ لَہُ الْمُلْکُ وَلَہُ الْحَمْدُ بِیَدِہِ الْخَیْرُ وَھُوَ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیْءٍ قَدِیْرٌ
﴿۲﴾ اَشْھَدُ اَنْ لَّآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَہٗ لَآ شَرِیْکَ لَہٗ، اَحَدًا صَمَدًا لَمْ یَتَّخِذْ صَاحِبَۃً وَّلَا وَلَدًا
﴿۳﴾ اَشْھَدُ اَنْ لَّآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَہٗ لَآ شَرِیْکَ لَہٗ، اَحَدًا صَمَدًا لَمْ یَلِدْ وَلَمْ یُوْلَدْ وَلَمْ یَکُنْ لَہُ کُفُوًا اَحَدٌ
﴿۴﴾ اَشْھَدُ اَنْ لَّآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَہٗ لَآ شَرِیْکَ لَہٗ لَہُ الْمُلْکُ وَلَہُ الْحَمْدُ، یُحْیِیْ وَیُمِیْتُ، وَھُوَ حَیٌّ لَّا یَمُوْتُ بِیَدِہِ الْخَیْرُ وَھُوَ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیْءٍ قَدِیْرٌ
﴿۵﴾ حَسْبِیَ اللّٰهُ وَکَفٰی سَمِعَ اللّٰهُ لِمَنْ دَعَا لَیْسَ وَرَآئَ اللّٰهِ مُنْتَھٰٓی اَشْھَدُ لِلّٰہِ بِمَا دَعَا وَاَ نَّہٗ بَرِیْٓءٌ مِمَّنْ تَبَرَّءَ وَاَنَّ لِلّٰہِ الْاٰخِرَۃَ وَالْاُوْلٰی۔
Translation:
(1) I bear witness that there is no god save Allah, alone without having any partner. His is the kingdom and His is all praise. In His Hand is all goodness, and He has power over all things.
(2) I bear witness that there is no god save Allah,alone without having any partner. One and Only and Besought of all. He has not taken to Himself wife nor son.
(3) I bear witness that there is no god save Allah, alone without having any partner, One and Only and Besought of all. He begets not, nor is He begotten, and there is none comparable to Him.
(4) I bear witness that there is no god save Allah, alone without having any partner. His is the kingdom and His is all praise. He brings to life and causes to die, and He is Ever-living and never dies. In His Hand is all goodness and He has power over all things.
(5) Sufficient to me is Allah and nothing else. May Allah listen from him who prays to Him. There is no end beyond Allah. I bear witness to Allah for all that He has declared, He is clear of all that from which He has declared clearness, and Allah’s is the end and the beginning of all things
Explanation / Details::
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 it is not improbable that each of these five testaments is repeated ten times each day. Yet, to repeat them one hundred times is better.
It is recommended to say the following doxology, which is reported from Imam AliAmeer al-Momineen(a.s.), on the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. An excellent reward has been reported for those saying this doxology, which should preferably be repeated ten times a day:
لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ اللَّیَالِیْ وَالدُّھُوْرِلَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ اَمْوَاجِ الْبُحُوْرِلَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَ رَحْمَتُہٗ خَیْرٌ مِمّا یَجْمَعُوْنَ لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ الشَّوْکِ وَالشَّجَرِ لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ الشَّعْرِ وَالْوَبَرِلَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ الْحَجَرِ وَالْمَدَرِلَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ لَمْحِ الْعُیُوْنِ، لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ فِی اللَّیْلِ اِذَا عَسْعَسَ وَالصُّبْحِ اِذَا تَنَفَّسَ لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ الرِّیَاحِ فِی الْبَرَارِیْ وَالصُّخُوْرِ لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ مِنَ الْیَوْمِ اِلٰی یَوْمِ یُنْفَخُ فِی الصُّوْرِ ۔
Translation:
There is no god save Allah, in the midst of the multitude of nights and days,, There is no god save Allah, in the midst of the repeating concourse of the waves moving across the surface of the oceans,, There is no god save Allah, His loving kindness (mercy) out-balances their addition put together,, There is no god save Allah, in the midst of the plentitude of plants and leaves,, There is no god save Allah, in the midst of countless pores and mass of hairs,, There is no god save Allah, in the midst of numerous stones and particles in heaps,, There is no god save Allah, in the midst of quite a many flashes of the eyes,, There is no god save Allah, in the hours of every night when darkness begins to deepen and at every daybreak when light shines bright,, There is no god save Allah, in the midst of thousands of winds blowing over the plains and mountains,, There is no god save Allah from this day up to the day when the Trumpet will be blown. (the final call)