fast them. (1) Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, said regarding the apparent conflict between these two hadiths: “The affirmative report takes precedence over the negative one.” Some scholars gave preference to the negative report, because its hadith is more authentic than the hadith affirming it. However, Imam Ahmad regarded both as established and said: “The affirmative report takes precedence over the negative one.” We say: if they conflict, they cancel one another out, without giving precedence to either over the other. We therefore have the general authentic hadith: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” (2) Thus, righteous deeds during the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah—including fasting—are more beloved to Allah than righteous deeds during the last ten days of Ramadan. Yet people are heedless of the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah: they pass while people remain in their usual routines. You find no increase in Quran recitation or other acts of worship; indeed, some people are even sparing in their takbir.

The most emphatic of them is the Day of Arafah for one who is not performing Hajj there, …

His statement, “The most emphatic of them is the Day of Arafah,” means that the most emphatic of the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijjah is fasting on the Day of Arafah for one who is not performing Hajj there. The Day of Arafah is the ninth day. It is the most emphatic of the ten days because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafah, and he said: “I hope from Allah that it will expiate the sins of the preceding year and the coming year.” (3) Accordingly, fasting on the Day of Arafah is superior to fasting on Ashura, because regarding the fast of Ashura, the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said only: “I hope from Allah that it will expiate the sins of the preceding year.”