What Are the Takbirat Al-Tashriq?
Answered By Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Question
What are the Takbirat al-Tashriq? When are they prescribed?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his Family, and his Companions.
Out of His mercy and generosity, Allah (Most High) has prepared opportunities and occasions for His servants in their times, where reaching Him is easier, and the reward is greater and better. Allah (Most High) says:
“And He is the One Who causes the day and the night to alternate, (as a sign) for whoever desires to be mindful or to be grateful.” [Quran, 25:62]
There are seasons and occasions where turning to Allah (Most High) is accompanied by gifts and kindness, sometimes in a fleeting moment of His hidden grace. Muhammad Ibn Maslama al-Ansari reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“Indeed, your Lord has in your days of time (days of your life) breaths of mercy, so expose yourselves to them, perhaps you may receive a breath from them and never be miserable thereafter.” [Tabarani]
Days of Tashriq
Among these seasons are the Days of Tashriq and the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijja. So, what are the Days of Tashriq?
The Days of Tashriq, according to linguists and jurists, are the three days following the Day of Sacrifice (Yawm al-Nahr). They are called the Days of Tashriq because the pilgrims spread out the meat of their sacrifices to dry. These days are also known by other names to avoid confusion:
- The Appointed Days (al-Ayyam al-Ma‘dudat): Allah (Most High) says: “And remember Allah during (these) appointed days.” [Quran, 2:203]
- The Known Days (al-Ayyam al-Ma‘lumat): Allah (Most High) says: “And pronounce the Name of Allah on appointed days.” [Quran, 22:28] It is said these are the Days of Tashriq, while others say they are the Day of Sacrifice and the two days following it.
- The Days of Sacrifice (Ayyam al-Nahr): These are the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth days of Dhu al-Hijja. This is the view of the Hanafi, Maliki, and Hanbali Schools. The Shafi‘is hold that the Days of Sacrifice are four: the Day of Sacrifice (Yawm al-Nahr) and the Days of Tashriq. This is based on the narration by Jubayr Ibn Mut‘im from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), who said: “All the Days of Tashriq are for sacrifice.” [Ibn Hibban; Bayhaqi; Daraqutni; Ahmad; Bazzar]
- The Days of Mina (Ayyam Mina): Jurists sometimes refer to them as the Days of Mina and at other times as the Days of Tashriq. [Shirbini, Mughni al-Muhtaj; Nawawi, al-Majmu‘; Maqdisi, al-Mughni, al-Kafi; Kasani, al-Bada’i‘; Qurtubi]
Which of These Days Is the Best?
The best of these days is the first one, known as Yawm al-Qar, because the people of Mina settle there, and it is not permissible to depart on this day. Abdullah Ibn Qurt narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“The greatest day in the sight of Allah is the Day of Sacrifice, then the Day of Qar.” [Ibn Khuzayma; Ibn Hibban; Hakim; Nasa’i; Abu Dawud; Ahmad]
Following this is the first Day of Departure (Yawm al-Nafr al-Awwal), which is the middle of these days. Then comes the second Day of Departure (Yawm al-Nafr al-Thani), which is the last of them. Allah (Most High) says:
“Whoever departs swiftly on the second day is not sinful, neither are those who stay behind (till the third—seeking additional reward).” [Quran, 2:203]
During these days, it is prescribed to frequently remember Allah (Most High), aided by eating and drinking, as well as to sacrifice animals from livestock, as these are days of Eid, joy, and happiness.
What Types of Remembrance (Dhikr) Are Prescribed during These Days?
The remembrance of Allah (Most High) commanded during the Days of Tashriq is of various types:
1. Remembering Allah after the obligatory prayers with takbir (saying “Allahu Akbar”) for both pilgrims and non-pilgrims.
2. Takbir during the Days of Tashriq is prescribed due to the verse:
“And remember Allah during (these) appointed days.” [Quran, 2:203]
These are the Days of Tashriq, agreed upon by jurists. There are two types of takbir:
- Unrestricted Takbir (Takbir Mutlaq): This is not confined to any specific time and is recommended at all times – in the morning and evening, before and after prayers, and at any other time.
- Restricted Takbir (Takbir Muqayyad): This is the takbir that is recited after the obligatory prayers.
Unrestricted Takbir (takbir mutlaq) is recommended during the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijja and throughout the Days of Tashriq. The ten days start from the beginning of Dhu al-Hijja (from sunset on the last day of Dhu al-Qa‘da) until the end of the Days of Tashriq (which is sunset on the thirteenth day of Dhu al-Hijja).
Restricted Takbir begins from the dawn of the Day of ‘Arafa until sunset on the last of the Days of Tashriq.
The method of takbir is to say: “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah, wa Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lillahi al-hamd.” This is the view of the Hanafi and Hanbali Schools. [Fatuhi, Muntaha al-Iradat; Maqdisi, al-Mughni; Kasani, al-Bada’i‘; Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Marghinani, al-Hidaya]
The Maliki and Shafi’i Schools recommend saying takbir three times at the beginning: “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah, wa Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lillahi al-hamd.” [Shirazi, al-Muhadhab; ‘Ulaysh, Minah al-Jalil]
Other forms of remembrance during these days include:
3. Mentioning Allah’s name and saying takbir when slaughtering the sacrifice: The time for sacrificing the gifts and sacrifices extends to the end of the Days of Tashriq, according to some scholars. This is the view of the Shafi’i School and a narration from Imam Ahmad.
4. Mentioning Allah when eating and drinking: It is prescribed to mention Allah’s name at the beginning of eating and to praise Him at the end. Anas Ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“Allah is pleased with the servant who, when he eats something, praises Him for it, or drinks something, praises Him for it.” [Muslim; Tirmidhi; Nasa’i; Ahmad]
It has been reported that whoever mentions Allah at the beginning of their meal and praises Him at the end has paid for it and will not be questioned about being grateful.
5. Saying takbir when throwing the pebbles (jamarat) during the Days of Tashriq: This is specific to the pilgrims.
6. Unrestricted remembrance of Allah: It is recommended to frequently remember Allah during the Days of Tashriq. It is reported that ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him) used to say takbir in Mina, and people would hear him and also say takbir, causing Mina to resonate with takbir. Allah (Most High) says:
“When you have fulfilled your sacred rites, praise Allah as you used to praise your forefathers (before Islam), or even more passionately.” [Quran, 2:200]
We ask Allah to bestow His blessings upon us and not deprive us of His mercy, so that we may attain His pleasure and satisfaction. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad, born in Damascus, Syria, in 1965, pursued his Islamic studies in the mosques and institutes of Damascus. A graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in 1985, he holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Pakistan.
He has extensive experience developing curricula and enhancing the teaching of various academic courses, including conducting intensive courses. Shaykh Awad has taught Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Quranic sciences, the history of legislation, inheritance laws, and more at several institutes and universities such as Al-Furqan Institute for Islamic Sciences and Majma‘ al-Fath al-Islami in Damascus.
He is a lecturer at the Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih Waqf University in Istanbul, teaching various Arabic and Islamic subjects, and teaches at numerous Islamic institutes in Istanbul. Shaykh Awad is a member of the Association of Syrian Scholars, a founding member of the Zayd bin Thabit Foundation, a member of the Syrian Scholars Association, and a member of the Academic Council at the Iman Center for Teaching the Sunna and Quran.
Among his teachers from whom he received Ijazat are his father, Shaykh Muhammad Muhiyiddin Awad, Shaykh Muhiyiddin al-Kurdi, Shaykh Muhammad Karim Rajih, Shaykh Usama al-Rifai, Shaykh Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qalash, Shaykh Muhammad Awwama, and Shaykh Mamduh Junayd.
