Dhu al-Hijja

According to Islamic traditions, the first 10 days of Dhu al-Hijja are the most blessed days in which to do good deeds according to Imam Ali: "9-10 Dhu al Hajja are the best days for nikah relations."

Narrated Ibn Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ ) said, "No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these (first ten days of Dhu al-Hijja)." Then some companions of the Prophet said, "Not even Jihad?" He replied, "Not even Jihad, except that of a man who does it by putting himself and his property in danger (for Allah's sake) and does not return with any of those things." (Reported by Tirmidhi)

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to fast the first nine days of this month, owing to their perceived virtue.

One of the wives of Muhammad said: "Allah's Messenger used to fast the [first] nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of 'Ashurah, and three days of each month." (Reported by Abu Dawud)[1]

The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and months begin when new moon is sighted. Since the Islamic lunar calendar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year, Dhu al-Hijja migrates throughout the seasons. The estimated start and end dates for Dhu al-Hijja, based on the Umm al-Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia, are:[2]

• The first 9 days of Dhu al-Hijja for fasting
• The first 10 nights of Dhu al-Hijja for standing (Qiyaam) in Tahajjud
• The 8th, 9th and 10th of Dhu al-Hijja as the days of Hajj
• The 9th of Dhu al-Hijja as the Day of Arafah
• Takbirut Tashreeq is observed from the 9 Dhu al-Hijja till 13 Dhu al-Hijja
• The 10th of Dhu al-Hijja as the Night of Eid
• Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice) begins on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijja and ends on sunset of the 13th Dhu al-Hijja
• 18th Dhu al-Hijja - Eid-al-Ghadeer

The following acts have been prescribed for the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijja:

• A person should give extra charity Sadaqah in these 9 days
• Better your Salaah in these days
• Spend time in the Masjid
• Perform voluntary Nafl prayer at home
• Recitation, Memorization and Reading of the Qur’an
• Dhikr
• Dua
• Fasting the first nine days sawm
• Iʿtikāf

On the days of Qurbani, i.e. 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhu al-Hijja, the greatest action is the spilling of blood of a sacrificial animal (Qurbani).

According to the hadith, great rewards have been mentioned for fasting the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijja and standing in worship (Tahajjud) in the first 10 nights of Dhu al-Hijja:

The Prophet of Allah said: There are no days more beloved to Allah that he be worshipped in them than the ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, fasting every day of them is equivalent to fasting a year; and standing every night of them (in Salaah) is equivalent to standing on the Night of Qadr.

— Tirmidhi, 758

This hadith has been classed as a daeef(weak) hadith by many scholars,

Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (no. 758); al-Bazzaar (no. 7816) and Ibn Maajah (1728) via Abu Bakr ibn Naafi‘ al-Basri, who said: Mas‘ood ibn Waasil told us, from Nahhaas ibn Qaham, from Qataadah, from Sa‘eed ibn al-Musayyab, from Abu Hurayrah. 

This is a da‘eef isnaad because of an-Nahhaas ibn Qaham and Mas‘ood ibn Waasil. Hence the scholars of hadith unanimously agreed that it is to be classed as da‘eef. 

At-Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

This is a ghareeb hadith, which we know only from the hadith of Mas‘ood ibn Waasil, from an-Nahhaas. 

I asked Muhammad – i.e., al-Bukhaari – about this hadith and he did not know it except via this isnaad. 

Some of this was also narrated from Qataadah, from Sa‘eed ibn al-Musayyab, from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a mursal report. Yahya ibn Sa‘eed criticised Nahhaas ibn Qaham with regard to his memory. End quote. 

Al-Baghawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Its isnaad is da‘eef (end quote) 

Sharh as-Sunnah (2/624) 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

There is some weakness in it. End quote 

Sharh al-‘Umdah (2/555) 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Its isnaad is da‘eef. End quote. 

Fath al-Baari (2/534) 

It was classed as da‘eef by Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him) in as-Silsilah ad-Da‘eefah (no. 5142). 

The reason for the 10 days being distinguished is due to the combination of worship in this period of prayer, fasting, charity, Takbir and Hajj.

From the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijja, it is particularly recommended to fast the Day of Arafah (9 Dhu al-Hijja) as expiation of the sin of two years:

Abu Qatada narrates that Muhammad was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafah. He said: as for the fasting on the Day of Arafah, I anticipate that Allah will forgive the year (i.e. the sins of the year) after it and the year before it.

— Tirmizi, 758

Mount Arafat during Ḥajj

• 9 Dhu al-Hijja, Day of Arafah.
• 10-13 Dhu al-Hijja, Eid al-Adha is observed by Muslims on the hajj and around the world in commemoration of the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Isma'il (Ishmael) for Allah.

• Islamic-Western Calendar Converter (based on the Arithmetical or Tabular Calendar).
• Hadith on Dhul-Hijjah