Imam Ghazali said in Ihya' `Ulum al-Din: "Fasting is definitely desirable in certain meritorious days, some of them being found in every year, others in every month, and others in every week. Those that are found in every year after the days of Ramadan are:

the Day of `Arafa [= 9th of Dhul Hijja]
the Day of `Ashura' [= 10th of Muharram]
the first Ten Days of Dhu al-Hijja
the first ten days of Muharram
And all the sacred months are preferred for fasting... and they are:

Dhu al-Qi`da, Dhu al-Hijja, Muharram, and Rajab."

First Ten Days and Nights of Hijja

`Abd Allah ibn Mas`ud said: The Prophet said: "There are no days in the year in which deeds are more meritorious than in the Ten

Days [i.e. the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijja]." Someone asked: "Not even Jihad in the path of Allah?" He replied: "Not even Jihad in the path of Allah." Haythami said: "Tabarani narrated it in al-Mu`jam al-kabir and the narrators in its chain of transmission are all those of sound (sahih) narrations.

The nights are included in the mention of the days. Allah swore an oath by them when He said: "By the Dawn! By Ten Nights!" (89:1-2) and the authors of Tafsir al-Jalalayn said: "They are the first ten nights of Dhul Hijja."

`EID AL-ADHA (FEAST OF SACRIFICE)

The `Eid prayer is a Sunna mu'akkada or confirmed Sunna and is recommended to be prayed in congregation. It is wajib (obligatory) in the Hanafi madhhab and therefore required of every person who is required to perform Jum`a, i.e. healthy male residents of the region in which it is performed.

It is a Sunna mu'akkada and, in the Hanafi madhhab, a wajib, for every adult Muslim man and woman to sacrifice at least one shat -- a sheep or a goat --, for `Eid al-Adha. This may be done any time after the prayer on the first day of `Eid until sunset on the last of the two days following the first day. One may have someone else perform the sacrifice on his behalf, whether in his presence or in absentia.

It is recommended not to eat anything on the day of `Eid al-Adha until one perform the Prayer.

It is recommended to perform ghusl before the prayer, any time after fajr even if one does not attend the prayer.

It is recommended for men to dress their best and wear perfume.It is Sunna to come to the mosque early and on foot, and to return home by a different route. It is preferable for a `Eid Congregation to pray outdoors.

This is the du'a of the Saint of Rajab. to be read 3x daily as prescribed by our Grandshaykh Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Nazim and his deputy Shaykh Hisham al-Kabbani.

audu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajeem

The du'a is:

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem

Allahuma innee istaghfiruka min kulli maa tubtu lahu ilayka thumma 'udtu feeh. wa istaghfiruka min kulli maa 'aradtu bihi wajhika wa-khaalatanee feehi maa laysa feehi ridaak. wa istaghfiruk li-ni`am allatee taqawwaytu biha `ala ma`aseeyatik. wa istaghfiruka min aadh-dhunub allatee laa ya`lamahu ghayruka wa laa yattali`u `alayha ahadu n siwaak wa laa yasa`uha illa rahmatika wa la tunjee minha illa maghfiratuka wa hilmuka. laa ilaha illa-Anta, subhaanak! innee kuntu min adh-dhaalimeen.

Allahuma innee istaghfiruka min kulli dhulmin dhalamtu bihi `ibadaka. Fa ayyaama `abdin min `ibaadik aw `amatin min 'imaa'ika dhalamtu fee badanihi aw `irdihi aw maalih fa `atihi min khazaa'inik allatee laa tanqus. Wa as'aluka an tukrimanee bi-rahmatika allatee wasi`at kulla shay wa laa t`uheenanee min `adaabik wa ta`teeayanee maa as'aluka fa-innee haqeequn bi-rahmatik ya arham ur-Raahimeen. wa salla-Allahu `ala Sayiddina Muhammadin wa `ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma`een. wa laa hawla wa laa quwatta illa billah il-`Alee ul-'Aadheem

In the name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful

O Allah, I ask forgiveness of You for everything for which I repented to You then returned to. And I ask forgiveness of You for everything I displeased You with and all that concerns me with which You are displeased. And I ask forgiveness of You for the favors which I used for increasing my disobedience towards You. And I ask forgiveness of You for the sins which no one knows except You and no one sees except You and nothing encompasses except Your Mercy and nothing delivers from except Your forgiveness and clemency. There is no god except You alone. You are the Most High, and I was one of the [self] oppressors!

O Allah, I ask forgiveness of You for the injustice I committed against Your servants. Whatever of Your male or female servants whom I have hurt, physically or in their dignity or in their property give them of Your bounty which lacks nothing. And I ask You to honor me with Your mercy which encompasses all things. Do not humble me with Your punishment but give me what I ask of You, for I am in great need of Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful. May Allah send blessings upon Muhammad and upon all his companions. There is no power and no might except in Allah the High, the Exalted.

With thanks to Dr. Gabriel Fouad Haddad.

Blessings and Peace upon Sayyidina Muhammad, his Family, and his Companions.