''Dhul hijjah'' is the last month of the islamic calendar. In it are the best days of the year,i.e the first ten days of this month. This has been made known by the islamic scholars and in many verses of the Quran and hadiths of the Prophet.
The Prophet was reported to have said ''No deeds are more virtous than the deeds done on these days"
The companions asked: ''Not even Jihad(i.e fighting in the cause of Allah)?"
He replied: "Not even Jihad,unless a man goes out risking himself and his wealth for the sake of Allah and does not return with anything" [Sahee Bukharee]
In anothe hadith,the Prophet said "There are no days that are greater to Allah or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days.so increase yourself in tahlil (lailaah ilaallahu), takbir(Allahu akbar) and tahmid(alhamdulilah) during these days"
Therefore everyone of us is implored to increase ourselves in any form of good deeds we know.
One of the deeds which we are encouraged to perform in these days is fasting,but this is just for the first nine days of this month as the tenth day would be the day of Eid and fasting on Eid days is totally prohibited in islam.
If one can not fast for the whole of the days,we should try as much as possible to fast on the nineth day which is known as the day of Arafat. Fasting on this day attracts greater reward.
When the Prophet was asked about fasting on the of Arafat, He said: "It wipes away the sins of the previous year and that of the following year"
According to the Timing committee,islamic research and timing organisation Nigeria,the 10 days will be from Tuesday 15th September to 24th September 2015.
May Allah make it easy for us. May He give us the strength to earn the maximum reward from these days.