25th Zilqad `Dahwul Arz`

The 'Spreading of the Earth' Day

It is the day when the earth was spread for the advantage of human beings. The phrase ''Dahwul Ardh'' literally means ''The spread of the earth''. On this day Allah S.W.T spread out ALL the land on the Earth under the Ka`bah.

In another tradition it is reported that the first Rahmah & blessing descended on this very day.
It is also reported on the authority of Imam Ali bin Moosa Ar Riza A.S. that tonight the two distinguished Prophets i.e  Prophet Ibrahim A.S. and Prophet E'saa A.S. were born.

Therefore it is a highly blessed night & day to be spent in the prayers and supplications.

1. Observe fast today. Many benefits have been mentioned of Fasting on this day e.g. Kaffarah (Penitence) for his sins of seventy (70) years. In another tradition, if a person fasts on this day, it would be equivalent to fasting 60 months!

2. Have a Ghusl (bath)

3. Pray a 2 Raka't Salaat at the time of ''Chasht'' '' (After sunrise and before breakfast time) as under"

i. In every Raka't, after the recitation of Soorah Al Fateh'a, recite Soorah Ash Shams [Soorah No. 91] 5 times.

ii. After the Salaam say: 

Then recite the following dua'a:-





LAA H'AWLA WA LAA QUWWATA ILLAA BILLAAHIL A'LIYYIL A'Z'EEM.

YAA MUQEELAL A'SAARAATEY AQILNEE A'SHRATEE YAA MUJEEBAD DA-A'WAATEY AJIB DAA'-WATEE YAA SAAME-A'L AS'WAATEY ISMAA'-S'AWTEE WAR-H'AMNEE WA TAJAAWAZ A'N SAYYI-AATEE WA MAA I'NDEE YAA Z'AL JALAALEY WAL EKRAAM.

ALLAAHUMMA DAAH'EYAL KAA'-BATEY WA FAALEQAL H'ABBATEY WA S'AARENAL LAZBATEY WA KAASHEFA KULLEY KURBATEY AS-ALOKA FEE HAAZ'AL YAWMEY MIN AYYAAMEKAL LATEE AA'-Z'AMTA H'AQQAHHA WA AQDAMTA SABQAHAA WA JA-A'LTAHAA I'NDAL MOO-MENEENA WADEE-A'TAN WA ILAYKA Z'AREE-A'TAN WA BE-RAH'MATEKAL WASEE-A'TEY AN TUS'ALLIYA A'LAA MUH'AMMADIN A'BDEKAL MUNTAJABEY FIL MEESAAQIL QAREEBEY YAMAT TALAAQEY FAATEQEY KULLEY RATQIN WA DAA-I'N ELAA KULLEY H'AQQIN  WA A'LAA AHLEY BAYTEHIL-AT'-HAARIL HUDAATIL MANAAREY DA-A'A-EMIL JABBAAREY WA WULAATIL JANNATEY WAN NAAREY WA AA'-T'ENAA FEE YAWMENAA HAAZ'AA MIN A'T'AAAE-KAL MAKHZOONEY GHAYRA MAQT'OO-I'N WA LAA MAMNOO-I'N TAJMA-U'LANAA BEHIT TAWBATEY WA H'USNAL AWBATEY YAA KHAYRA MAD-U'WWIN WA AKRAMA MARJUWWIN YAA KAFIYYO  YAA WAFIYYO YAA MAN LUT'FOHU KHAFIYYUN ULT'UF LEE BE-LUT'FEKA WA AS-I'DNEE BE-A'FWEKA WA AYYIDNEE BE-NAS'REKA WA LAA TUNSINEE KAREEMA Z'IKREKA BE-WULAATEY AMREKA WA H'AFAZ'ATEY SIRREKA WAH'-FAZ'NEE MIN SHAWAAYEBID DAHREY ELAA YAWMIL H'ASHREY WAN NASHREY WA ASH-HIDNEE AWLIYAA-EKA I'NDA KHUROOJI NAFSEE WA H'ULOOLI RAMSEE WAN-QET'AA-E' A'MALEE WAN-QEZ"AAA-E AJALEE ALLAAHUMMA WAZ'-KURNEE A'LAA T'OOLIL BELAA EZ'AA H'ALALTO BAYNA AT'BAAQIS SARAA WA NASIYANIN NAASOONEY MENAL WARAA WA AH'LILNEE DAARAL MOQAAMATEY WA BAWW'E-NI MANZELAL KARAAMATEY WAJ-A'LNEE MIM MURAAFEQI AWLIYAAA-EKA WA AHLIJ-TEBAAA-EKA WAS'-T'EFAAA-EKA WA BAARIK LEE FEE LEQAAA-EKA WAR-ZUQNEE H'USNAL A'MALEY QABLA H'ULOOLIL AJALEY BAREE-AM MENAZ- ZALALEY WA SOOO-IL KHAT'ALEY ALLAAHUMMA WA AWRIDNEE H'AWZ"A NABIYYEKA MUH'AMMADIN SW'ALLALLAAHO A'LAYHEY WA AALEHI WAS-QENI MINHO MASHRABAN RAWIYYAN SAA-EGHAN HANEE-AN LAA AZ'MA-U BAA'-DAHU WA LAA OH'ALLA-U WIRDAHU WA LAA A'NHU UZ'AADU WAJ-A'LHU LEE KHAYRA ZAADIWN WA AWFAA MEE-A'ADIN YAWMA YAQOOMUL ASH-HAAD ALLAAHUMMA WAL-A'N JABAABERATAL AWAALEENA WAL-AAKHEREENA WA BEH'UQOOQEY AWLIYAAA-EKAL MUSTAASEREENA ALLAAHUMMA WAQ-S'IM DA-A'A-EMAHUM WA AHLIK ASHYAA-A'HUM WA A'AMELAHUM WA A'JJIL MAHAALEKAHUM WAS-LUBHUM MAMAALEKAHUM WA Z"AYYIQ A'LAYHIM MASAALEKAHUM WAL-A'N MUSAAHEMAHUM WA MUSHAAREKAHUM ALLAAHUMMA WA A'JJIL FARAJA AWALIYAA-EKA WAR-DUD A'LAYHIM MAZ'AALEMAHUM WA AZ'HIR BIL-H'AQQEY QAAA-EMAHUM WAJ-A'LHU LEDEENEKA MUNTAS'ERAAN WA BE-AMREKA FEE AA'-DAAA-EKA MUWTIMERAN ALLAAHUMMAH'-FUFHU BE-MALAAA-EKATIN NAS'REY WA BEMAA ALQAYTA ILAYHEY MENAL AMREY FEE LAYLATIL QADREY MUNTAQEMAN LAKA H'ATTAA TARZ"AA WA YA-O'ODA DEENOKA BEHI WA A'LAA YADAYHEY JADEEDAN GHAZ"Z"AAN WA YAMH'AZ"AL H'AQQA MAH'Z"AN WA YARFEZ" AL BAAT'ELA RAFZ"AN ALAAHUMMA S'WALLEY A'LAYHEY WA A'LAA JAMEEE-' AABAA-EHI WAJE-A'LNAA MIN S'AH'BEHI WA USRATEHI WAB-A'SNAA FEE KARRATEHI H'ATTAA NAKOONA FEE ZAMAANEHI MIN AA'-WAANEHI ALAAHUMMA ADRIK BENAA QIYAAMAHU WA ASH-HIDNAA AYYAAMAHU WA SW'ALLEY A'LAYHEY WAR-DUD ILAYNAA SALAAMAHU WASSALAAMO A'LAYHEY WA RAH'MATULLAAHEY WA BARAKAATUHU.

It is desirable to recite the Ziyarat of Imam Ali bin Moosa Ar Reza A.S.

25th Zilqad ''Dahwul Arz''   

The Spreading of the Earth Day & birthday of Prophet Ibrahim A.S. and Prophet E'saa A.S.

Almighty Allah S.W.T in Soorah al-Nazi'aat 79:30 speaking clearly about dahwul ardh says: ''and the earth-after that He spread it out (dahahaa)..''

1. What is Dahwul Arz?

''Dahwul Ardh'' - the 25th of Dhulqa'dah, according to a tradition of the Holy Prophet S.A.W.W reported by one of his Sahabi - 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud , is the day when the earth was spread for the advantage of human beings. The phrase ''Dahwul Ardh'' literally means ''The spread of the earth''. In another tradition it is reported that the first Rahmah & blessing descended on this very day.

Hence it is a very important occasion indeed. According to a tradition of the Holy Prophet S.A.W.W, whosoever fasts on this day his fast would equal 70 years of fasting.

Having known these merits, should we limit our celebration with fasting and the expression of joy, or should our struggle transcend beyond that? This obviously would depend on our vision about this important day. And in order to understand properly the importance of this day, we should understand the earth better.

Understanding the Earth Better

We would like to now ask the Holy Qur'an two basic questions about the earth:

A. WHY WAS THE EARTH CREATED?

The Holy Qur'an in chapter 20, verse 53 says:''He who appointed the earth to be a cradle for you.''

Allamah Tabataba'i in his Al-Mizan says:''Thus Allah S.W.T stationed man in the earth to live an earthly life, so that he may earn a provision for his heavenly and exalted life, in the manner that a baby is stationed in the cradle, and is brought up for a more sacred and developed life...'' (vol. 14, pg. 171)

From this we come to realize that the earth was created as a preparing ground & means for human perfection and the purity of the heart. Sadly, however, many a people, instead of maintaining it for a good Hereafter, tend to destroy it for selfish gains.

B. DO THE HUMAN BEINGS EMPLOY THE EARTH FOR THE PURPOSE IT WAS CREATED?

The Holy Qur'an in chapter 30, verse 41 clearly talks of a people who instead of practically thanking Allah S.W.T by utilizing the earth for its sacred purpose cause mischief therein and subsequently face its evil consequences:

''Corruption has appeared in the land and sea, for that men's own hands have earned, that He may let them taste some of that which they have done, that haply so they may return.''

And in chapter 7, verse 10, Almighty Allah says:''Indeed We made you live in the earth and made therein for you the means of livelihood; little is it that you thank.''

In this verse, ''little is it that you thank'' should not merely taken as ''verbal thanks,'' for the reality of "shukr" is to use the gift for the purpose it was created.