The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are among the most sacred days of the entire year. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." The Companions asked: "Not even jihad in the path of Allah?" He said: "Not even jihad in the path of Allah, except for a man who goes out with his life and his wealth and does not return with either of them." (Al-Bukhari)
These are not days to be passive. They are days in which every act of worship — prayer, fasting, dhikr, charity, recitation of Quran — carries a weight that is greater than any other time of year. The believer who understands this will not let these days pass as ordinary ones.
Why These Ten Days Are Special
Allah swears by these days in the Quran: "By the dawn, and by the ten nights." (Surah al-Fajr: 1-2) The scholars of tafsir have explained that the ten nights referred to here are the first ten nights of Dhul Hijjah. When Allah swears by something in His book, it is a sign of its tremendous importance.
These days combine the greatest acts of worship — prayer, fasting, charity, and sacrifice — in a way that no other period of the year does. They culminate in the Day of Arafah, which is the ninth of Dhul Hijjah and the greatest day of the Islamic year, and then Eid al-Adha on the tenth.
How to Make the Most of These Days
Fast, especially on the Day of Arafah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about fasting on the Day of Arafah: "It expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year." (Muslim) For those not performing Hajj, this is one of the greatest single days of worship available to them.
Increase in dhikr and takbeer. Ibn Umar and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to go out to the marketplace during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah saying the takbeer, and the people would say takbeer when they heard them. The takbeer, tahmid, tahlil, and tasbih should be said abundantly during these days — especially after the five daily prayers from Fajr on the Day of Arafah until Asr on the last of the days of tashriq.
Offer the sacrifice (qurbani). For those who are able, the sacrifice on Eid al-Adha is a confirmed Sunnah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed every year. It honors the legacy of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his willingness to sacrifice what was most precious to him in obedience to Allah. The meat is divided between the family, neighbors, and the poor.
Increase in prayer, Quran, and charity. These days are an opportunity to add nawafil prayers, extra recitation of Quran, and voluntary charity. Every righteous deed in these days is magnified in its reward, so even small consistent acts carry great weight.
Repent sincerely. These days are also an opportunity for tawbah — to turn back to Allah, seek His forgiveness, and make a genuine commitment to improve. The mercy of Allah in these days is immense for the one who approaches them with sincerity.
The Lesson of Ibrahim (Peace Be Upon Him)
The rites of Dhul Hijjah — Hajj, the sacrifice, Eid al-Adha — all trace back to the trials and submission of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his family. His willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail (peace be upon him) in obedience to Allah, and Ismail's willing submission, stand as the greatest example of what it means to put the command of Allah above everything else. The lesson is timeless: the believer who gives up what he loves most for Allah will find that Allah gives him back more than he gave up.
This same spirit of seizing a brief, blessed window of time for extra worship is also why we mark the virtues of Muharram and the Day of Ashura each year.
We carry a number of books to help you make the most of these blessed days spiritually. Recommended titles include Diseases of the Hearts and Their Cures by Ibn Taymiyyah | $12.00, Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth | $22.00, and for children, Dhul Hijjah Adventures with Binyamin and Chester | $10.00.
Browse our full collection here →
Baarakallahu feekum — The Islamic Book Cafe | Portland, Oregon
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.