22 June 2021

Save Lives in The Best 10 Days of the Islamic Year!

Safa Faruqui

The first day of Dhul-Hijjah will be 10th or 11th July 2021, depending on the moon sighting.

Alhamdulillah, the sacred month of Dhul-Hijjah is fast-approaching, filled with opportunities for us to draw closer to Allah (swt). From offering our Qurbani sacrifices to fasting the Day of 'Arafah to increasing our charity, there are so many ways to seek Allah's pleasure and maximise our rewards.

The first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are as significant as the last ten nights of Ramadan. The Prophet (saw) said, ‘There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than in these (ten) days’. [Abu Dawud]

This powerful hadith is a testament to just how powerful our actions in these blessed days - and we should definitely not waste a single hour!

With only three weeks to go, it's essential to plan ahead so we can maximise our worship. With that in mind, we've created The Best 10 Days - a handy tool for automating your Zakat and Sadaqah during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.

Here's how it works:

This year, you can give to Yemen, Syria, Palestine, the Rohingya refugees and India-administered Kashmir. Your donations to these emergency areas will provide life-saving relief, meaning you will not only be giving vital support to our brothers and sisters, you will also be performing a weighty deed in the sight of Allah:

Allah says, 'Whoever saves one (life), it is as if he had saved humanity'. [The Noble Qur'an, 5:32]

Every £1 you donate has the potential to save 'all of humanity', ma sha Allah. Every £1 has the potential to protect what is more sacred than even the Ka'bah:

Abdullah ibn Umar (ra) said, 'I saw the Messenger of Allah (saw) circling the Ka’bah and saying, "How pure you are and how pure is your fragrance! How great you are and how great is your sanctity! By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, the sanctity of the believer is greater with Allah than your sanctity - in his wealth, his blood (i.e. his life), and to assume nothing of him but good"'. [Ibn Majah]

SubhanAllah, we cannot imagine the reward of protecting what is sacred to Allah in sacred Dhul-Hijjah. Here are just a few of the ways your Zakat and Sadaqah can save lives with The Best 10 Days:

Yemen

Six years of civil war has left 80% of Yemenis completely reliant on aid to survive. Now, a 60% cut in UK foreign aid will have a dire impact on war-torn communities. Your donations will provide:

Vital health care, including essential medicines and maternal care
School meals for children at risk of malnutrition
44,000 loaves of bread daily across Yemen, including in Aden and Ma'rib
Clean drinking water for over 2 million people across this blessed land

Syria

A decade of war has left 6.5 million Syrians internally displaced. Moreover, 60% of the population are food insecure due to soaring food prices and high levels of poverty. Your donations will provide:

Brick houses for displaced families in Idlib, giving shelter and stability
30,000 loaves of bread daily in northern Syria
Emergency supplies for IDPs and refugees who have lost their homes and belongings

Palestine

The devastation inflicted on Palestine this year is the worst we have witnessed since 2014. With 70% of families living in poverty, they are struggling to recover and rebuild their lives. Your donations will provide:

Home repairs for houses damaged during the latest conflict and the 2014 destruction
Food and clean water for vulnerable families
Cash grants to help Palestinians afford basic supplies
Vital medical supplies to support overwhelmed hospitals

Rohingya refugees

Around one million Rohingya refugees are living in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, forced to flee persecution and violence in Myanmar. They are dependent on humanitarian aid for basic supplies like food, water and medicine.

Moreover, in March 2021, a huge fire ripped through Cox’s Bazar. Over 45,000 refugees had to watch their homes and what little possessions they owned go up in flames, making their situation even more desperate. Your donations will provide:

Sturdy shelter homes to replace those lost in the fire
Food and clean water
Safe spaces for women, children and the elderly
Medical centres
Sanitation facilities

India-administered Kashmir

The two-year mass lockdown in India-administered Kashmir has had a devastating impact on already impoverished communities, leaving half a million people without jobs. Moreover, due to years of instability in the region, there is a severe lack of health care and safe drinking water. Your donations will provide:

Food for vulnerable families
Medical camps to distribute essential medicines
Water wells

Saving lives this Dhul-Hijjah

Abu Said (ra) said, 'The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, during the Farewell Pilgrimage, "Is not the most sacred of your days this day? Is not the most sacred of your months this month? Is not the most sacred of your lands this land? Your blood and your wealth are as sacred to you as this day of yours in this month of yours. Have I not conveyed (the message)?" They said, "Yes". He said, "O Allah, bear witness"'. [Ibn Majah]

The suffering of our brothers and sisters has weighed heavy on our hearts over the last year. With the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, prolonged conflicts and massive aid cuts, it is difficult to wrap our minds around the millions of people who are in need. But every £1 you donate gives hope to these people and has the potential to save a sacred life - and there is no better time to donate than in Dhul-Hijjah:

Don't miss out on protecting what is beloved to Allah in the days which are beloved to Allah. Automate your donations now to provide life-saving food, water, medicine and shelter to our brothers and sisters around the world.

Muslim Hands is an award-winning charity established in 1993 to tackle the root causes of poverty and provide emergency relief. Reminder: Eid al-Adha is on 19th or 20th July 2021 (depending on the moon sighting). We carry out Qurbanis in 26 locations - order now to fulfil your obligation!