What are the virtues of the first ten days of Zulhijja?

Answer 1

The followings are briefed quotes of the link listed below:

Praise be to Allah Who has created Time and has made some times better than others, some months and days and nights better than others, when rewards are multiplied many times, as a mercy towards His slaves. This encourages them to do more righteous deeds and makes them more eager to worship Him.

The happy person is the one who makes the most of these special months, days and hours and draws nearer to his Lord during these times through acts of worship; he will most likely be touched by the blessing of Allah

The Muslim must understand the value of his life, increase his worship of Allah and persist in doing good deeds until the moment of death. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

Among the special seasons of worship are the first ten days of the month of Dhu'l-Hijjah, which Allah has preferred over all the other days of the year. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." The people asked, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?" He said, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing."

These texts and others indicate that these ten days are better than all the other days of the year, with no exceptions, not even the last ten days of Ramadan. But the last ten nights of Ramadan are better, because they include Laylat al-Qadr("the Night of Power"), which is better than a thousand months. Thus the various reports may be reconciled.

The virtue of these ten days is based on the followings:

1. Allah swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "By the dawn; by the ten nights" [al-Fajr 89:1-2]. This refers to the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah.
2. The Prophet (PBUH) testified that these are the best days of this world, as we have already quoted above
3. The Prophet (PBUH) encouraged people to do righteous deeds because of the virtue of this season for people throughout the world, and also because of the virtue of the place - for the Hujjaaj (pilgrims) to the Sacred House of Allah.
4. The Prophet (PBUH) commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh ("Subhan-Allaah"), Tahmeed("Al-hamdu Lillaah") and Takbeer ("Allaahu akbar") during this time. 'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "There are no days greater in the sight of Allah and in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so during this time recite a great deal of Tahleel ("La ilaaha ill-Allah"), Takbeer and Tahmeed."
5. These ten days include Yawm 'Arafaah (the Day of 'Arafaah), on which Allah perfected His Religion. Fasting on this day will expiate for the sins of two years. These days also include Yawm al-Nahar (the Day of Sacrifice), the greatest day of the entire year and the greatest day of Hajj, which combines acts of worship in a way unlike any other day.
6. These ten days include the days of sacrifice and of Hajj.

Refer to question and link below below for the deeds Muslims should do on these ten days.

Answer 2

Among the good deeds which the Muslim should strive to do during the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah are:

1. Fasting. It is Sunnah to fast on the ninth day of Dhu'l-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) urged us to do good deeds during this time, and fasting is one of the best of deeds. The Prophet (PBUH) used to fast on the ninth of Dhu'l-Hijjah.

2. Takbeer. It is Sunnah to say Takbeer ("Allaahu akbar"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillaah"), Tahleel ("La ilaha ill-Allaah") and Tasbeeh("Subhaan Allaah") during the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, and to say it loudly in the mosque, the home, the street and every place where it is permitted to remember Allah and mention His name out loud, as an act of worship and as a proclamation of the greatness of Allah, may He be exalted. Men should recite these phrases out loud, and women should recite them quietly.

3. Performing Hajj and 'Umrah. One of the best deeds that one can do during these ten days is to perform Hajj to the Sacred House of Allaah.

4. Doing more good deeds in general, because good deeds are beloved by Allah and will bring a great reward from Him. Whoever is not able to go to Hajj should occupy himself at this blessed time by worshiping Allah, praying (salaat), reading Qur'an, remembering Allah, making supplication (du'aa'), giving charity, honoring his parents, upholding the ties of kinship, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and other good deeds and acts of worship.

5. Sacrifice. One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer to Allah during these ten days is offering a sacrifice, by choosing a high-quality animal and fattening it, spending money for the sake of Allah.

6. Sincere repentance. One of the most important things to do during these ten days is to repent sincerely to Allah and to give up all kinds of disobedience and sin. Repentance means coming back to Allah and foregoing all the deeds, open and secret, that He dislikes, out of regret for what has passed, giving it up immediately and being determined never to return to it, but to adhere firmly to the Truth by doing what Allaah loves.