Nothing Can Replace the Farḍ

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

وَٱلۡفَجۡرِ (١) وَلَيَالٍ عَشۡرٖ

(Qur’an 89:1-2)

“Wa Al-Fajri (1) Wa Layālin `Ashr”

“By the dawn (1) By the ten nights” Ṣadaqa Llāhu l-‘Aẓīm.

Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla swears by these ten days, the ten days of Dhul Ḥijjah. He ﷻ honors these blessed days by swearing upon their name. There are certain special days and nights like this. These are days and nights that Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla has bestowed upon our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam and his ﷺ Ummah.

Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla has granted these days to His ﷻ servants so that they may receive more blessings and earn more rewards. These days are blessed for Muslims, believers, and those who know the right way.

Shukr to Allāh ﷻ, today is the first day of Dhul Ḥijjah; these blessed days extend until the tenth day. Those who wish can fast during these days. This is a very good deed and its reward is great. Those who can, can fast until the ninth.

Otherwise, one should at least fast on the eighth and ninth days, which should certainly be done. It is neither farḍ nor wājib, but it is a Sunnah, a gift from Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla. It is necessary to appreciate and value it.

Some people confuse farḍ and sunnah acts. They neglect the farḍ and perform the sunnah act instead. Some don’t fast Ramaḍān but fast during Dhul Ḥijjah or Muḥarram. However, no sunnah can replace a farḍ.

Therefore, one must be careful. While you think you are doing good, you are actually committing a sin by abandoning a farḍ and performing a sunnah instead. Allāh ﷻ has bestowed a gift upon you in both. First, you must fulfill the farḍ. If you then perform the sunnah and the nāfilah, you will have gained twice.

But according to their own understanding, they say, “These days are very virtuous. Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla has revealed their virtue in Qur’ān Karīm, so I’ll just do this. The rest is unimportant,” and they do whatever comes to their mind. That’s how shayṭān can deceive people.

Even if you perform Sunnah throughout your whole life, they can never replace one farḍ. Not only can they not replace it, but there is also accountability for abandoning it. There is a punishment for this in the Hereafter. May Allāh ﷻ protect us.

May Allāh ﷻ make these days full of barakah and blessings for us. Most of the ḥajjīs have gradually departed, and some are still on their way. May their ḥajj be accepted and easy, in shā’a Llāh. May the barakah of these days be upon us all. May it be upon the entire Islamic world.

May Allāh ﷻ protect us from such deviations, in shā’a Llāh. Wa min Allāh at-Tawfiq.

Al-Fatiha.

•⁠ ⁠Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbaniق

18 May 2026/ 1 Dhul Hijjah 1447

Fajr Prayer – Akbaba Dergah, Istanbul

Full Guide to the Month of Dhul Hijjah can be found here.

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