Question:
Is it true that a person who fasts a day from one of the first 10 days of Zul al-HIjjah will receive the rewards as if he fasts for a year?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Zulhijjah is one of the sacred months in Islam as explained in our previous articles. Furthermore, there are four sacred months in Islam namely, Zul al-Kaedah, Zul al-Hijjah, Muharram and Rejab. This is stated in a sahih hadith from Abi Bakrah RA, where the Prophet PBUH said:
إِنَّ الزَّمَانَ قَدِ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ، السَّنَةُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ، ثَلاَثٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ: ذُو القَعْدَةِ، وَذُو الحِجَّةِ، وَالمُحَرَّمُ، وَرَجَبُ، مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى، وَشَعْبَانَ
"Time has come back to its original state which it had when Allah created the Heavens and the Earth; the year is twelve months, four of which are sacred. Three of them are in succession; Dhul-Qa'da, Dhul-Hijja and Al-Muharram, and (the fourth being) Rajab Mudar (named after the tribe of Mudar as they used to respect this month) which stands between Jumad (ath-thani) and Sha'ban."
Sahih al-Bukhari (4662)
Furthermore, we are encouraged to increase our worship in the first ten days of this month for these are the days beloved to Allah SWT. According to the above question, there is a hadith which states the rewards and advantages of fasting and performing qiyamullail in the first 10 days of Zul al-HIjjah, among them is:
مَا مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُتَعَبَّدَ لَهُ فِيهَا مِنْ عَشْرِ ذِي الحِجَّةِ، يَعْدِلُ صِيَامُ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ مِنْهَا بِصِيَامِ سَنَةٍ، وَقِيَامُ كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْهَا بِقِيَامِ لَيْلَةِ القَدْرِ
"There are no days more beloved to Allah that He be worshipped in them than the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, fasting every day of them is the equivalent of fasting a year, and standing every night of them (in prayer) is the equivalent of standing on the Night of Qadr."
Sunan al-Tirmizi (758) [Imam al-Tirmizi evaluated the hadith as gharib] [According to al-Mubarakfuri the hadith is dhaif because two of its narrators named Mas’ud bin Wasil and Nahhas bin Qahm]
Imam Ibn Rejab al-Hanbali in his book state that fasting on the first ten days of Zul al-Hijjah is equivalent to fasting for two months according to the narration of al-Hasan. Furthermore, Mujahid said for every worship performed in the first ten days of Zul al-HIjjah will be multiplied and there are other marfu’ hadiths but they are fabricated. Thus, we disregard them and other numerous fake hadiths regarding the advantages of the first ten days of Zul al-Hijjah. (See: Lathaif al-Ma’arif, 262) Imam al-Mubarakfuri said that it shows the honour and greatness of the day and worship on these days. (See: Tuhfah al-Ahwazi, 3/387) Moreover, this hadith is evidence of the commandment to increase fasting and qiyam in the first ten days of Zul al-Hijjah. (See: Mawsu’ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah, 2/271)
Conclusion
To conclude, we would like to state that the above hadith is dhaif (weak) as evaluated by scholars. However, every reward for worship and good deed performed during this honoured time will be multiplied. Thus, we are greatly encouraged to increase our good deeds in the first ten days of Zul al-Hijjah with prayer, fast, zikr, charity and others. Lastly, may Allah SWT accept all our deeds. Amin Wallahua’lam.