Do a Good Deed for Your Parents Fast Read the Qur’an

These first nine days are a really good When was the last time you did a good time to fast. That’s every day up until This is a good time to read more Qur’an. deed for your parents? Beyond chores the day of Eid (fasting on the day Challenge yourself to see how many or tasks, how many times have you said of Eid is not permitted). Even if you chapters of the Qur’an you can read a prayer for them, donated money on cannot fast all nine days, it’s especially during these first ten days. their behalf, or planted a tree and gave 1recommended to fast on the ninth day 2 3charity on their behalf? of Dhul-hijjah. According to the Prophet (pbuh), fasting on this day erases our One of the best things that a person can sins from the previous year and the next. have is a righteous child who prays for them. In these blessed ten days, make your parents a priority and dedicate a good deed to them.

Give Charity Do More Dhikr

Remember how good deeds get Muslims on pilgrimage will be reciting rewarded multiple times in Ramadan? In the talbiyah during the rites of Hajj, the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijjah, it is but since many of us are not there this the same. Go out of your way to give in year, recite the dhikr that we have been charity, help your colleague, help your encouraged to recite in the first ten neighbor, give money to those in need, days of Dhu al-Hijjah. 4spend time with your family, or help your 5 parents. The “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu In these days, anything you do to make akbar, la ilaha ila Allah, Allaahu akbar, best days Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa lillaahi another person happy is an act of charity that will be rewarded in multiple il-hamd!” ways. (Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, Just make sure you make the right Allah is Most Great, there is no god but intention before doing your charitable Allah, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most deed. Great, Allah is Most Great, and to Allah be praise!) Learn how you can donate, volunteer, or advocate via irusa.org. Remember Allah (SWT) as often as you can as you leave the house, while in Spread the Message commute, while watching your kids play, grocery shopping, heading to a meeting, of Islam etc. Whatever you are doing, keep your tongue moist with remembrance of Allah Challenge Yourself, (SWT). Body and Spirit As the spotlight focuses on Hajj and our shopping sprees for Eid begin, do a good Give Salaam to a deed by telling people about Islam. Stranger 6This Dhu al-Hijjah, challenge yourself 7 It could be as simple as telling your with Islamic Relief and join these two Do you find yourself not greeting non-Muslim family member about Dhu challenges: No Meat Till Eid or Hajj someone you don’t know with a “salaam” al-Hijjah over Eid dinner, or telling your Challenge. because you’re not sure how they’ll colleague about your reasons for fasting react or whether they’ll return the outside of Ramadan. Whatever method Many of our sisters and brothers around greeting? the world do not have access to meat you use, help people see the beauty of most of the year. This Dhu al-Hijjah, Islam in this blessed month. 8 During these first days of Dhu al-Hijjah, let us act in solidarity with them, renew your intentions and give salaam and challenge ourselves to restrain to someone you don’t know. Spread the ourselves from eating meat the first spirit of brother/sisterhood in these holy nine days of Dhu al-Hijjah. It sounds days. simple, but it’s a challenge of your spirit to make sure you can do this. Wake up for Tahajjud Teach the Kids about Dhu al-Hijjah Another challenge you can do is walk If you find it difficult to wake up for the with us five miles a day for the first midnight prayers before, now is a good nine days of Dhu al-Hijjah to simulate time to motivate yourself. Think how the distance you would have walked blessed but short these ten days are, Many kids already know that you go to each day if you were at Hajj. This year and think of all the things that you want visit the Ka’aba during Dhu al-Hijjah or because of the spread of disease, Hajj 9to ask Allah (SWT) for. that they will have a nice meal on Eid al- is difficult for many around the world. Adha. But they may not understand the But your body can still physically endure 10 Get a tahajjud buddy if you need to, but whole beauty of the month of Dhu al- some of the stress of Hajj by walking the don’t miss out on the great rewards of Hijjah. This is a good time for parents to amount you would have if you were at spending the night in prayers. connect kids with our Islamic traditions Hajj. Each day, learn about what action by teaching them about this month. you would be performing if you were at You can tell them the story of Prophet Hajj this year. Ibrahim (as) and his son, the story of Ibrahim’s wife, Hajjar, and the Zamzam water, etc. Reap the rewards of the first days

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