A student studying under Hadrat Shibli rah appeared at a gathering. Hadrat Shibli asked where he had been and so this young man answered that he had just returned from Hajj. The following is the conversation that took place:

Hadrat Shibli: “When you took off your clothes in order to wear the ihram, did you also make intention of stripping the clothes of sin from your body?”
Student : “No”

Hadrat Shibli: And when you took the bath did you have the intention that you are washing yourself from all sins and errors?
Student: “No”

Hadrat Shibli: “Did you make intention to present your whole body and soul in front of Allah when you said Labbayk?”
Student : “No”

Hadrat Shibli: Did you conceive by your stay in Arafa the gnosis (Irfan) of Almighty Allah (SWT) and the knowledge of good things and acts?
Student: “No”

Hadrat Shibli: “Did you make firm intention to make Shaytān your mortal enemy when you stoned the devils?”
Student : “No”

Hadrat Shibli: “Did you make intention to sacrifice your nafs and desires for the sake of Allah when you performed the animal sacrifice?”
Student : “No”

After this conversation the student reflected deeply over his spiritual state during Hajj and decided to work on himself for the rest of his life.

Nabī ﷺ  said there are no ten days which are more beloved to Allāh swt than these ten days.  We should fill these days with good deeds.

Spend these ten days the way you spend the last ten days of Ramadān. If you haven’t done Hajj till now, ask Allāh to choose you for Hajj. Sacrifice something in these ten days that is most beloved to you for the sake of Allāh swt, in order to increase your love for Allāh swt.  Ibrāhim (as) was khalīl (close friend) of Allāh swt, yet he was still ready to sacrifice. We should have the same passion and fervour. The biggest thing we could sacrifice is our nafs! Hajj is a journey of love; and an expression of love – we can do these things sitting here too! We should also erase ourselves, in order to bring our pure heart to Allāh swt. We should increase in dhikr, istighfār and durūd in these ten blessed days of Dhul Hijjah.