…SubhanAllah we are totally surrounded by blessings beyond compare…with each and every breath, with each and every starburst, with each and every sunrise, with each and every sunset, with each and every moon cycle, with each and every sigh, and cry, and every particle of air, every drop of water, every speck of dust, every smile, every morsel to pass our lips and every garment that protects and warms, every syllable uttered and heard, every glance, every touch, every rustle, every creature great and small. Volumes could never contain the magnitude of blessings that shower us all within every second, and still Allah Ta’ala extends and expands His Generosity even more during these honoured days, SubhanAllah, SubhanAllah, SubhanAllah! Even if we could incessantly repeat His praises till the end of time it would never be enough to amount for one second of the Bounties He bestows upon us.
May these coming days be filled with moments of praise and gratitude that flood the heart and soul with a sweetness bubbling with peace and love and contentment for whatever has been decreed, Ameen. May all acts of worship be enhanced, and excessive Du’a made for the Hujjaj as they prepare to chant ‘Labaik, Labaik.’
By the daybreak
and ten nights,
and the even and the odd
and the night when it passes.
(89:1-4)
Our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: There are no days greater in the sight of Allah and in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days. So, during this time, recite a great deal of tahlil , takbir and tahmeed.
He SallAllahu alaihi wasallam also said: If anyone observes fasts during these days, he is granted the reward for one fasting equal to the reward for fasting for a full year, and worship in one of these nights is equal to the worship performed during Laylatul Qadr.
From a previous post on Dhul Hijjah, including many links enumerating the virtues hidden in these Mubarak days, Du’as to recite and Ahadith.
Time away from this screen has been filled with endeavours to honour guests staying with us,Masha’Allah.The constant embracing radiance of Madinatun Nabi intoxicates.
Sunrises over palm groves beside the mountain we love, and who loves us, conjuring scenes of when our Noble Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and his illustrious Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhum were present….
…visiting tribes who resided on the foothills…
….collecting firewood, tending flocks, exchanging Salams, commodities and recipes, maybe haisa, the date delicacy made for Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam by our Lady Aishah RadhiAllahu anha.
[I share my favourite YUMMY date recipe:
Madinah Date cake
185g butter, 1 cup milk. 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1 cup chopped dates, (I use Ajwah, Barny and Ambari…all from Madinah, or the vacuum packed ones are good also) 1/2 teas carb soda, 11/2 cups SR flour, 1/2 cup plain flour, 2 eggs.
Preheat oven to mod. Grease a pan WELL!!! (I find a glass pyrex dish produces a better cake than a tin...but could be my crazy oven here) Combine butter, milk, sugar and dates in saucepan….stir with wooden spoon till butter melts…then bring to boil, remove from heat, stir in soda. Stand 10 minutes.
Stir in flours and eggs. Spoon into pan, bake for about 40 minutes]
…as archers battling the enemy…
…as farmers tending to date plantations…
…weighing the rizq they were blessed with to pay Zakat…
…to give in charity…
…depositing in leather pouches before setting off on long arduous journeys…
…loading and unloading camels for trade in far away places…
…sharing lessons learnt and Ayat revealed to those who were not present…
….allowing the imagination to be present at this rocky outcrop, now known as Masjid Fas’h, marking where our Beloved Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam offered Salatul Zuhur while wounded from the battle on his way to the protection of the cave in Jabal Uhud…
…once more being in this confined space…
…resting the head where the head of the Best of Creation, Allah Ta’ala’s Habib SallAllahu alaihi wasallam rested….
….allowing the eyes to gaze where his SallAllahu alaihi wasallam eyes gazed, and where the eyes of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar and others RadhiAllahu anhum gazed…
…upon Jabal Eyr, marking the southern boundary of the sacred precincts of Madinah, and representing a Bab of Jahannam, may Allah Ta’ala distance us all from such a Bab…
…upon these very mountains…
…and then onto where the command centre was during the Battle of the Ditch, Khandaq…thinking of Salman Farsi and our esteemed Ummuhatul Mu’mimeen, Fatimah and all the Sahabah at the time, RadhiAllahu anhum, while looking at the structures marking their presnece during those trying days…
….whilst being among people of all colours, all nations, all tribes who now have the truth of Iman due to the sacrifices of our devoted ancestors….
SUBHANALLAH SUBHANALLAH SUBHANALLAH!
and…a summer Ziyarah accompanying other pilgrims to these Mubarak places.
and…the Hi-tech Jamarat facility is fully operational for this years Hajj. Insha’Allah bookmark Arab News (which in todays issue announces that the Day of Arafat is on Thursday 26th November, Insha’Allah) and Saudi Gazette for their coverage of Hajj news.
and…surprise, surprise…a gasp, a second take and an adjustment of glasses were the reaction when I clicked to see who to vote for at the Sixth Annual Brass Crescent Awards. Some dear kind soul nominated this humble space in the Best Mideast category, along with a dear neighbour ‘just up there’ to the north…and others; all representing a rich fabric of Islamsphere from this diverse corner of the globe. Voting is open until the 27th November, which happens to coincide with Eid Al-Adha.
All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.
Asalam alaikum, very very beautiful post sister. Please remember us in these blessed ten days.
JazakAllah
Assalamu Alaikum,
A GREAT post Mashallah,really enjoyed it !!!!!
I will definitely be trying out your delicious recipie one of these days,Inshallah
Just one thing;if one wants to fast these blessed ten days, from which date should they begin? Jazakallahu khairan katheeran.
Aassalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah,
Maryam
dearest sis ASA. i coud have referred to your old posts for dhul hijjah ten days but i wanted some new lovely images and words and got them . alhamdolillah!!! the recipies of haisa and cake are a bonus.my baking usually ends in disaster but hopefully madinah dates with their enormous barakah would save me this time,inshallah.congrats on being nominated for your blog.u deserve it.love,duas and hugs
wassalam
tears swell in the eyes just to gaze where his SallAllahu alaihi wasallam eyes gazed, and where the eyes of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar and others RadhiAllahu anhum gazed…
Is tat pic from inside the cave where the best of the creation SallAllahu alaihi wasallam rested his head at uhud???
Congrats on being nominated. we have already crowned ur blog in our little hearts sister
Assalamu alaikum!
BEAUTIFUL post mashallah!!! and GREAT pics!…….. looking forwad to inshallah some delicious madeenah dates!!.
love the name of your post…….this`n that,here`n there`n ten days of blessings beyond compare…….. mashallah. jazakallahu khairan for posting such a lovely post.
lotsa love from Asiyah
Wassalamualaikum.
Assalamu alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,
re the nomination!
Remembering increased during these Mubarak days Dear Sister Myesa! May we all submit to the way Allah Ta’ala’s in His Ultimate Wisdom answers our calls, Ameen.
Apologies for the late reply re fasting…Insha’Allah to fast all the ten days brings great rewards, but even one day, plus the Day of Arafat, Insha’Allah will attract huge blessings, and you have time to do this, especially with your parents here performing Hajj. I think you already have this date recipe…we have been gobbling date cake the past couple of days!
This cake is so quick and easy…almost ‘disaster free’ Dear Sister Saimah!
‘we have already crowned ur blog in our little hearts sister’….greatly appreciated Dear Brother Ahamed and family, JazakumuLlahu khaira! yes…we managed to avoid the ‘vice squad’ and climb to the cave at Jabal Uhud where our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was taken after being injured in the battle. There are other posts detailing this episode in the ‘virtual tour’ category, or you can search key words an add ‘almiskeenah’
Dear Asiyah…there are ten kilos of Ajwa coming your way!!!!!!!!!! Masha’Allah.
Wassalamu alaikum
wow u shud have taken a video of the insides of that cave in uhud
Assalamu alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,
Insha’Allah you visit and experience this for yourself, Ameen. No image or video can convey the euphoria of resting one’s head where our Blessed Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam rested his noble head.
Wassalamu alaikum