Asalamualikoum wa rahmatollahi wa barakato everyone welcome back to the Virtues of
Dhul-HIjjah. So there's an interesting narration in which it's narrated from
Hoonayda bin Khalid from his wife that one of the wives of the Prophet
(pbuh) said that the Messenger (pbuh) used to fast the first
nine days of Dhul-Hijjah and the day of Ashura and three days each month, the
first Monday of the month and two Thursdays. so I'll say that again says
that the Prophet (pbuh) used to fast the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah
and the Day of Ashura and three days of the month and the first Monday of the
month and two Thursdays. so let's break this down a little bit so typically
speaking we think of fasting Arafah right we don't really think about
fasting the first eight days of Dhul-Hijjah
we think about the day of Arafah and i'm gonna get back to that in a moment the
day of Ashura is in Muharram it obviously comes in the very next month
right that the Prophet (pbuh) used to also fast that day of Ashura once again
commemorating the victory of Musa (as) over Fir'oun over
the Pharaoh. the Prophet (pbuh) used to fast three days of each month the
three days are the 13th 14th and 15th of each month and these are called a 'ayam el
beed' the white days why because the moon is fuller on those months right so in
accordance with the very middle of the month the Prophets (pbuh) would fast
them and in this narration the first Monday of the month and two Thursdays. The
Prophet (pbuh) used to fast Mondays and Thursdays because he said that the
deeds are presented to Allah subhana wa ta'ala on those days during the week and
he hoped that his deeds would be presented to Allah when he is in a state
of fasting and he also marked Monday because he was born on the day of Monday
and the Prophets (pbuh) said that was an expression of gratitude for him being
born on that day his birth that he would fast in obedience or in worship to Allah
subhana wa ta'ala. so in this narration the Prophets (pbuh)
fasted now all of these days then there's another narration from our
Ayesha radiAllah anha that the
Prophets (pbuh) did not fast all of the first nine days of the Dhul-Hijjah
and the way that the scholars reconcile these two is that the Prophets (pbuh)
did not fast all of them but certainly he fasted a lot of them right so it was
a habit of the Messenger (pbuh) to fast not just the ninth of
of Dhul-Hijjah and not just the day of Arafah but again if good deeds are
beloved to Allah in these 10 days then a person should take advantage of the
first eight as well and especially when it comes to fasting and I'd also like to
point out here that one of the blessings of Allah (swt) is that Allah allows us to
combine the intentions or that we find the reward in combining intentions for
multiple voluntary good deeds what does that refer to so within a voluntary good
deed you could have multiple intentions that make the reward more blessed so the
Prophets (pbuh) mentioned two reasons for fasting Mondays for example one of them
again that the deeds are presented to Allah on that day the other one that the
Prophets (pbuh) was born on that day so it was two intentions or two good
things combined within the same voluntary good deed. we also find that we
are able to mix intentions for multiple voluntary good deeds that fall upon a
day that combines two blessings so for example you know well let's use an
example of Prayer first when you walk into the Masjid you can combine the
intention for tahiyat al masjid, for the entrance upon the masjid
the two rakats of entering the masjid as well as for example the two rakats of
sunnah for fajr you could combine them with you know two before
dhur. so the point is is that you can combine intentions for voluntary good
deeds hence you have the reward for the two entering upon the masjid as well as
the two before fajr likewise when it comes to fasting a person can combine
the intention if for example within the first nine days you have a Monday or a
Thursday then you could fast one of those days with the intention of it
being the first 10 days of the head as well as a Monday or a Thursday right and
as a result of that you would amplify your own reward
and the Prophet (pbuh) said 'inna al a'maal bil niyaat" that actions are
but by intention so you have the opportunity not just to get the benefit
of following the sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) in fasting Must (as) as we
said was fasting these days but the Prophet (pbuh) used to fast a lot
of these eight days so you have the intention of not just fasting one of the
first ten of Dhul-Hijjah but you also could have the intention of fasting a
Monday or Thursday also in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh)
also in hopes that Allah sees your deeds and he's pleased with you within
those within those days so if you're looking for a few days to fast within
these nine and you're not gonna be able to fast all of them and there is not you
know a complete precedence that the Prophet (pbuh) or a solid proof
that the Prophet (pbuh) fasted all nine of them but he certainly fasted
some of them then it could be a good way for us that we choose for example a
Monday or a Thursday and we make those two days and add another three or four
days in sha Allah ta'ala before the ultimate day of Arafah in which all of
us should be fasting in the night. And we ask Allah (swt) to accept all of our
good deeds our fasting in these 10 days Allahoma ameen, jazakAllah khayran
wasalamualikoum wa rahmatollahi wa barakato