What should you do in the first 10 days of Zul-Hijjah?

سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه You have heard the extent to which the first 10 days of Zul-Hijjah are full of blessings and mercies, in which the mercy of Allah Almighty descends in abundance upon the bondsmen. Whichever fortunate Muslim is successful in keeping fasts from the 1^st of Zul-Hijjah to the 9^th of Zul-Hijjah for the sake of Allah Almighty, Allah Almighty gives her the reward equivalent to freeing thousands of slaves, sacrificing (performing Ritual animal sacrifice of) thousands of camels, and giving thousands of horses in the way of Allah Almighty.

Dear Islamic Sisters! Just think! If this is the reward attained for keeping a single fast within these blessed days, then what would be the reward for the fortunate Islamic sisters who spend these days performing different types of worship like fasting in the day and worshipping in the night, and who can imagine the various bounties Allah Almighty will bestow upon them with! Therefore, do not by any means spend these 10 days in negligence. We should busy ourselves in worship and we should fast every day except for the 10^th of Zul-Hijjah, as it is Makruh Tahreemi and a sin to fast on the 10^th of Zul-Hijjah. (Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 1, pp. 967, summarised; Durr-e-Mukhtar, vol. 3, pp. 391, summarised)

Dear Islamic Sisters! There are countless religious and worldly benefits of keeping Nafl fasts and the reward for them is so immense that one feels like devoting oneself to fasting continuously. For example, protection of one’s Iman, salvation from the Hell-fire, attaining of Paradise, saving money and time by fasting which are spent on eating within the daytime, keeping the stomach healthy, and protection from numerous illnesses. The greatest benefit is that Allah Almighty becomes pleased with the fasting person, thus we should attempt to keep some fasts every month, especially on Mondays, Thursdays and on Ayyam-ul-Bid’ (meaning the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th of every Islamic month) as it is also a Sunnah.

Umm’-ul-Mu’mineen Sayyidatuna Aaishah Siddiqah رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهَا states: The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would fast on Mondays and Thursdays. (Tirmizi, vol. 2, pp. 186, Hadees 745, summarised)