Dhul Hijjah, is the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar and holds immense significance for Muslims around the world.

It is a month filled with transformative and spiritual experiences, especially in the first 10 days, including the profound journey of Hajj and the joyous celebration of Eid al-Adha.

What Happens in the First 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah?

In Dhul Hijjah, we witness two very special events, Hajj and the blessed day of Eid al-Adha

Hajj

It is also during Hajj that, on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, the blessed Day of Arafah, the day in which Allah (SWT) perfected Islam, occurs. On this day, pilgrims performing Hajj gather on the plain of Arafat, seeking forgiveness, supplicating to Allah and engaging in profound acts of worship.

Hajj, the fifth and final pillar of Islam, is the pilgrimage Muslims make to Makkah in Saudi Arabia. Occurring on the 8th to 12th of Dhul Hijjah each year, Hajj is obligatory for all able-bodied and financially capable Muslims to perform at least once in their lifetime.

Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha is a day when we not only celebrate with family and community but also, for each of us who is able to, a day when give Qurban.

Qurban, also known as Qurbani or Udhiyah, is an act of worship that involves the sacrifice of an animal, usually a sheep, goat, cow or camel, for the sake of Allah (SWT). This righteous deed is rooted in the story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and his willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail (AS), as a demonstration of his faith, obedience and trust in Allah (SWT).

Benefits of the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah

After the holy month of Ramadan, we often miss the spiritual high we felt and wish we could’ve done more. But the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah offer us another chance to gain immense rewards, have our sins forgiven and reach great levels of piety, Insha’Allah.

What many people don’t know is that the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah are better than all the other days of the year – even better than the days of Ramadan, SubhanAllah!

Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days (Sahih Bukhari)

In the Qur’an, Allah (SWT) also states, “By the dawn; And [by] the ten nights.” (Al-Fajr, 89:1-2)

According to many scholars, these days mentioned as significant enough for Allah (SWT) to swear by them are the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah.

What Can We Do on the First 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah

Even for those of us not performing the Hajj pilgrimage this year, Dhul Hijjah is still a great time of blessing and immense reward. Wherever we can, we should engage in good deeds such as giving charity, performing acts of kindness to family and community, fasting and remembrance of Allah (SWT)

Fasting and Remembrance of Allah (SWT), in particular, are especially encouraged during these first 10 days.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to fast on the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah as one of his regular fasts and emphasised the importance of fasting on the 9th day of Dhul Hijjah.

As he (ﷺ) said: Fasting the day of `Arafah expiates the sins of two years: the past one and the coming one. (Sahih Muslim)

Our Prophet (ﷺ) also said: “There are no days that are greater before Allah or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days, so recite a great deal of tahleel, takbeer and tahmeed during them.” (Ahmad)

When are the 10 days of Dhul Hijjah?

This year, the month of Dhu al-Hijjah 1444 AH will begin on June 19, 2023, and Eid al Adha will fall on 28th June 2023, depending on the sighting of the moon.

Giving Qurban

At Islamic Relief, we work all year round to relieve food poverty and help families maintain a healthy and stable livelihood.

Every Eid al-Adha, Islamic Relief is at the forefront of distributing Qurban meat to some of the world’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, in over 30 countries. For many, this is the only time they will be able to eat meat in the entire year.

Your Qurban donation will not only bring happiness to those less fortunate than ourselves, but you’ll also enable vulnerable communities across the globe to enjoy Eid without worrying about how and what they will feed their families.

Donate during this blessed time and increase your rewards by helping enable families and entire communities to have a happy Eid al-Adha and beyond.