Reward of observing fast in the first nine days of Zilhajj

1. It is narrated that there was a rich man. When he saw the moon of Zilhajj, he observed fast on the next day. When this news reached the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, he called that person and asked, “Why did you observe fast on that day?” He replied, “May my parents be sacrificed on you, these are the days of Mash-a’r and Hajj. I hope Allah includes me also in their prayers.” The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said, “You will get the reward of freeing a slave, sacrificing a hundred camels and carrying the load on a hundred horses in the way of Allah for each fast. When Yaum-e-Tarweeya (8th Zilhajj) arrives you will get the reward of freeing a thousand slaves, sacrificing a thousand camels and carrying load in the way of Allah on a thousand horses. You will get the reward of freeing two thousand slaves, sacrificing two thousand camels and carrying load in the way of Allah on two thousand horses for the fast of the day of Arafah. All these are compensation for the sins of sixty years before and after it, in your life.”