Days to Trade with Allah
الكاتب/ Sheikh Hany Hilmy
09/11/2009



The first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah are the days to trade with Allah the -all Mighty-. The reward will be given to those who had worked the hardest and scarified the most.

Allah the -all Mighty- says: {O you who believe! Shall I guide you to a trade that will save you from a painful torment? That you believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him) and that you strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives: that will be better for you, if you but know! (If you do so) He will forgive you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow, and pleasant dwellings in 'Adn (Eden) Paradise; that is indeed the great success. And also (He will give you) another (blessing) which you love, - help from Allah (against your enemies) and a near victory. And give glad tidings (O Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him) to the believers.} [As-Saff: 10-13]

In these ten days, the reward is doubled much more than other days in the year. They are even more than the last ten days of Ramadhan.
It was narrated by Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” They said: “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah?” He said: “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah, unless a man goes out himself for jihad taking his wealth with him and does not come back with anything.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari]

For this reason it is essential to learn how to trade with Allah the -all Mighty- in order to earn the great reward of those blessed days.



Let’s learn that from those who traded the best…

Firstly: Those who earn the most are… Those who seek the reward only from Allah

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There are four types of people in this world: a man to whom Allah gives wealth and knowledge, so he fears his Lord with regard to the way in which he disposes of his wealth, and he uses it to uphold ties of kinship and he realizes that Allah has rights over it. This man occupies the highest status. And a man to whom Allah has given knowledge but did not give him wealth, so he says, ‘If I had wealth I would have done the same as So and so is doing.’ So he will be rewarded according to the sincerity of his intention [niyyah] and the reward of both of them is the same" [Narrated by Al-Tirmizi, classed as saheeh by al-Albaani]

The winner in this context will be the one who has all the good and sincere intentions while doing a good deed…

Ibn Al Mubarak said “Maybe a small deed is greatened by the intention, and maybe a great deed is belittled by the intention” and also it was narrated that Yahia Ibn Abi Katheer said “Learn how to make intentions as it is greater than the deed”.




Among the important intentions that one should take during those great days…

1. Seek the reward of Haj(Pilgrimage)… As we were prevented by an excuse to go make Haj this year, thus let us ask Allah the -all Mighty- to grant us the reward of our intention.

It was narrated by Anas Ibn Malek -may Allah be pleased with him -that on their back from the campaign to Tabook that the Prophet -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- said: “There are people in Madeenah whom we left behind, but we did not cross any mountain pass or valley but they were with us. They were kept back by excuses.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari]

2. Seek the reward of Jihad in Allah’s Way with your money and soul… Foster in your mind the idea of martyrdom to avoid hypocrisy and hopefully you will have the reward for that as long as your intention is sincerely for Allah…

It was narrated that the Prophet -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- said “Whoever observes Ribat (guarding the Islamic frontier for the sake of Allah) for a single day and night is equally in reward as fasting for a month praying its nights..” [Narrated by Al-Nisa’i and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani] .. and in another narration “Whoever observes Ribat for the sake of Allah was for him in reward equal to fasting and praying the nights of one thousand nights” [classified as saheeh by al-Albaani, Saheeh al-Jami (1/5915)]


Allah we were prevented by an excuse so don’t deprive us from the reward

3. Seek the reward of Night Prayers (Qiyam Allayl) by making the intention of waking up for Qiyam Allayl before going to sleep
The Prophet peace and blessings of Allah be upon him said: "Whoever goes to his bed intending to get up and pray at night, then his eyes overwhelm him and (he sleeps) until morning, the (reward for) that which he intended will be written for him, and his sleep is a charity for him given by his Lord." [Classified as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jami’, 5941]

4. Women should seek the greater reward of praying at their homes as it is greater for them than praying at the Prophet’s Masjid…where the reward of praying at it is equal to one thousand prayers.

It was narrated that Umm Humayd the wife of Abu Humayd al-Saa’idi came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I like to pray with you.” He said, “I know that you like to pray with me, but your prayer in your room is better for you than your prayer in your courtyard and your prayer in your courtyard is better for you than your praying in your house, and your prayer in your house is better for you than your prayer in the mosque of your people, and your prayer in the mosque of your people is better for you than your prayer in my mosque.” [Narrated by Ahmed, Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Haban, classed as saheeh by Al-Albani]

5. Hastening in making good deeds .. Remind yourself with the good deeds and intend seriously to do them and you will be granted their reward even before making them

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, relating from his Lord, may He be glorified and exalted: “Allah decreed good deeds and bad deeds, then He explained that. Whoever thinks of doing a good deed then does not do it, Allah will write it down as one complete good deed. If he thinks of doing a good deed and then does it, Allah [may He be glorified and exalted] will write it down between ten and seven hundred fold, or many more. If he thinks of doing a bad deed then he does not do it, Allah will write it down as one complete good deed, and if he thinks of it then does it, Allah will write it down as one bad deed.” [Agreed upon]




Secondly: The more sincere is the most rewarded by Allah the -all Mighty-

It was narrated that Abi Firas, a man from Aslam, said: call a man, and said : O messenger of Allah what is Faith? He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied “Sincerity” [Narrated by Al-Bahyaqi and classed as saheeh by Al-Albani]

You need to make sure that you seek by all your actions only Allah’s satisfaction and don’t attach your heart with anyone but Him… In accordance you need to do your actions aiming neither your self satisfaction nor anyone’s praise. Indeed, you will then deserve to obtain a doubled reward by the sincerity of your intention for Allah.

It was narrated that Al-Dahak said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Allah –the all Mighty- said: I am the best of partners.. Whoever associated a partner with me.. Then I will leave him to that partner. O people work sincerely to Allah.. Allah doesn’t accept deeds unless they are sincere to him. Don’t say this is done for Allah’s sake as well as the ties of kinship; they are done for the ties of kinship only and Allah wouldn’t accept anything from it. Don’t say I am working for Allah’s sake and for my sake. You are working for your sake and Allah wouldn’t accept anything from it. " [Narrated by Al-Bazaar and classed as saheeh by Al-Albani]


Initially to be sincere you need to perform good deeds in secret… The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever was able to have a hidden good deed so let him do so” [Narrated by Al-Diaa and classed as saheeh by Al-Albani, saheeh al-Jami (6018)] So try to increase the good deeds that no one knows about them, such as giving out charity (Sadakah) in secret, saying invocations (dhikr), performing Night prayers, visiting orphans and sick people in hospitals without anyone knowing.


Thirdly: The most sincere is the hardest worker

Don’t miss out any type of good deed without doing it…Night prayers, Fasting, dhikr, supplication (Duaa), seeking knowledge, spending for the sake of Allah, sitting in the mosque (masjed), helping your Muslim brother, making Daawa (preaching about Allah and His religion) as result Allah will grant you the ransoming from Hellfire.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Any Muslim who aims an arrow for the sake of Allah ... Whether the arrow reached its correct destiny or it missed... He will receive his reward as if he set free one of the sons of Isma’il.. Any Muslim who ages in the way of Allah, this aging will be his light. Any Muslim who sets free another fellow Muslim, he will receive for every organ of the set free a shield from hellfire. “ [Narrated by Al-Tabrani and classed as saheeh by Al-Albani, saheeh Al-Jami (2738)]


Be aware of being kept busy from making trade with Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, during those blessed days and missing out the great reward



Sources: A Lecture " Trade with Allah" given by Sheikh Hany Hilmy