By Rose of Madinah

“Here I am, Oh My Allah!”
Labbayka Allahumma Labbayk (Here I am, O Allah, here I am)”

We thank our Merciful Lord who takes such delicate care of us, to have allowed us to reach the 1st Night of Zulhijjah and the best 10 days of the entire year.

Let us turn our hearts back to Him and away from futile pursuits, as a good start and honour to these blessed hours and days.

Let us forgive each other so that we may receive His Forgiveness.

Let us intend to fast from the material and uplift ourselves to witness The Immaterial.

Let us pursue Him, The Real Pursuit and leave the means where it truly belongs, as mere means.

Let us intend to Seek to Know Him and be desperate for His Acquaintance and Knowledge in resemblance to the blessed guests of Allah ﷻ in their exclusive days of Hajj.

Let us strive to attain the rewards of Hajj by emulating the sunnah of our Beloved Prophet ﷺ by intending to seek knowledge, prayers and servitude to our parents and the community.

Let us retire to our beds with the hope that we are ordained another day to make amends with Him ﷻ and to fulfil our sole purpose and job given by Him.

To Know Him, To Seek Him, To Thank Him, To Be Accepted by Him.

Here I am, oh my Allah!

Turn our hearts toward you, Ya Rabb, and accept us and make us for You and You for us.

Try to perform Extra Good Deeds during the 1st 10 Days of Zulhijjah by:

Increasing our Servitude (Labbaik)
Repenting & turning back to Him
Seeking & Remembering Him
Seeking Knowledge
Fasting, especially on the 9th

“The Messenger of Allah was asked about fasting on the day of `Arafah, and he said,

أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الْمَاضِيَةَ وَالاْتِيَة

‘I hope by Allah that it will be an expiation for the previous year and the coming year.’”

Muslim

Nawafil actions & Congregational Prayers
Tahajjud / Qiyam
Fulfil the needs of others
Qurban
Hajj Badal
The Love of our Beloved Prophet ﷺ for us

‘A’isha reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) commanded that a ram with black legs, black belly and black (circles) round the eyes should be brought to him, so that he should sacrifice it. He said to ‘A’isha: Give me the large knife, and then said: Sharpen it on a stone. She did that. He then took it (the knife) and then the ram; he placed it on the ground and then sacrificed it, saying:

Bismillah, Allah-humma Taqabbal min Muhammadin wa Al-i-Muhammadin, wa min Ummati Muhammadin (In the name of Allah, “O Allah, accept [this sacrifice] on behalf of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad and the Umma of Muhammad”
Muslim