Dhu al-Hijjah

What is Dhu al-Hijjah?

Dhu al-Hijjah is the 12th and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is one of the four sacred months in Islam and contains the Hajj pilgrimage (8–13 Dhu al-Hijjah), the Day of Arafah (9th), Eid al-Adha (10th), and the Days of Tashreeq (11th–13th). The Prophet ﷺ described the first ten days of this month as the most beloved to Allah for righteous deeds.

The name Dhu al-Hijjah (ذو الحِجّة) literally means “the one of Hajj” — named for the pilgrimage that defines it. It is the twelfth and final month of the Hijri calendar, closing the lunar year before Muharram opens the next.

The Quran sets apart four sacred months: “Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve months in the register of Allah from the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred” (Surah At-Tawbah 9:36). For more on the four-month group, see the guide to the sacred months in Islam.

The first 10 days of Dhu al-Hijjah

The first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah are the most virtuous days of the Islamic year for righteous deeds. The Prophet ﷺ said no days are more beloved to Allah for good actions — not even striving in the path of Allah, except for one who gives up his life and wealth (Sahih al-Bukhari 969). The Quran swears by these days directly in Surah Al-Fajr 89:1–2.

10 recommended deeds for the first 10 days

1. Fast the first nine days — especially the Day of Arafah (9th). The Prophet ﷺ used to fast the first nine days (Sunan Abi Dawud 2437).
2. Recite Takbir, Tahmid, Tahlil, and Tasbih throughout the day (text below).
3. Increase Quran recitation — aim for a portion every day.
4. Pray the five daily prayers on time, in congregation when possible. See prayer times for your location.
5. Give sadaqah (charity) — reward is multiplied during sacred days.
6. Make sincere repentance (tawbah) — a deliberate reset before the new Hijri year.
7. Maintain family ties — calls, visits, settling disputes.
8. Perform Qurbani on Eid al-Adha if eligible (see Eid section below).
9. If planning to offer Qurbani: refrain from cutting hair or nails from sighting of the Dhu al-Hijjah crescent until the sacrifice is made (Sahih Muslim 1977).
10. Stand in night prayer (Tahajjud) at least on the odd nights of the first ten.

Takbir, Tahmid, Tahlil for the first 10 days

Ibn Umar and Abu Hurairah used to go out to the marketplace during the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah reciting the takbir aloud, and people would follow them (Sahih al-Bukhari, “Book of the Two Festivals,” chapter heading). The recommended formula:

Recite this throughout the day — at home, walking, working, after prayers, and especially after Fajr. Along with takbir, increase tahmid (Alhamdulillah), tahlil (La ilaha illa Allah), and tasbih (Subhan Allah) per Musnad Ahmad 5446.

Hajj — the pilgrimage (8–13 Dhu al-Hijjah)

Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam — obligatory once in a lifetime on every Muslim adult of sound mind who can afford it physically and financially (Quran 3:97). The pilgrimage takes place over six days in Dhu al-Hijjah, from the 8th (Yawm al-Tarwiyah) through the 13th (final Day of Tashreeq), centered on the standing at Arafat on the 9th.

The pilgrimage spans six days:

• 8 Dhu al-Hijjah — Yawm al-Tarwiyah: pilgrims enter ihram (sacred state), perform tawaf at the Ka'bah, then travel to Mina for the night.
• 9 Dhu al-Hijjah — Yawm Arafah: pilgrims gather at the plain of Arafat from noon until sunset — the spiritual peak of Hajj. They proceed to Muzdalifah for the night, gathering pebbles for the next day.
• 10 Dhu al-Hijjah — Yawm al-Nahr (Eid al-Adha): stoning of Jamrat al-Aqabah at Mina, ritual sacrifice, shaving or shortening the hair, then tawaf al-ifadah at the Ka'bah.
• 11–13 Dhu al-Hijjah — Days of Tashreeq: stay at Mina, stone the three jamarat each day. Pilgrims may leave on the 12th (early departure) or stay until the 13th.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever performs Hajj for the sake of Allah and does not have sexual relations nor commit any disobedience, returns as the day his mother bore him” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1521) — a complete spiritual reset.

If Hajj is not feasible in a given year, Umrah remains rewarded year-round, and the deeds of the first 10 days of Dhu al-Hijjah are open to every Muslim wherever they are.

The Day of Arafah (9 Dhu al-Hijjah)

The Day of Arafah falls on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah and is the spiritual climax of the Hijri year. Pilgrims stand at the plain of Arafat — the central pillar of Hajj, without which the pilgrimage is invalid. For non-pilgrims, fasting Arafah expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year (Sahih Muslim 1162).

The 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah is the spiritual climax of the Hijri year. For pilgrims, it is the day they stand at the plain of Arafat. Without standing at Arafat, the pilgrimage is invalid: “Hajj is Arafah” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1949).

On this day Allah completed the religion of Islam through the revelation of Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:3: “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.”

The Dua of Arafah — the best supplication

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The best supplication is the supplication of the Day of Arafah, and the best thing that I and the prophets before me have said is” — and he taught the following dua:

For non-pilgrims, fasting Arafah is one of the most rewarded acts in the Islamic year:

“Fasting the Day of Arafah expiates [the sins of] the previous year and the coming year.”

Pilgrims at Arafat do not fast. The Prophet ﷺ stood at Arafat without fasting on his Farewell Hajj. The day is spent in supplication and dhikr — energy reserved for sustained prayer rather than fasting.

One frequently asked question: should non-pilgrims fast on the date Saudi Arabia stands at Arafat, or on their own local 9 Dhu al-Hijjah? Mainstream scholarship is split. The majority of contemporary scholars hold that each Muslim follows their local Hijri date for personal acts of worship — see the broader discussion in moon sighting vs astronomical calculation.

Eid al-Adha (10 Dhu al-Hijjah)

Eid al-Adha (“the Festival of Sacrifice”) falls on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, immediately after the Day of Arafah. It is the second of the two Islamic Eids and the larger of the two — often called “the Greater Eid.” It commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's ﷺ willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail ﷺ at Allah's command, as recorded in Surah As-Saffat 37:99–111.

The day's observances:

• Eid prayer (Salat al-Eid) — performed in congregation after sunrise, before noon. Two rak'ahs with additional takbirs, followed by a khutbah (sermon).
• Qurbani / Udhiyah — the ritual sacrifice. The window of valid sacrifice extends through the Days of Tashreeq (10–13).
• Takbir al-Tashreeq after every obligatory prayer (text below in the Tashreeq section).
• Greetings of “Eid Mubarak” or “Taqabbal Allahu minna wa minkum” (“May Allah accept from us and from you”).

Qurbani vs Udhiyah — the same ritual, two names

Qurbani and Udhiyah refer to the exact same act — only the words differ. Udhiyah (أضحية) is the classical Arabic term used in fiqh literature. Qurbani is the Urdu/Persian/Turkish form used widely across South Asia. The animal slaughter, eligibility rules, and timing are identical under both names.

Who must give Qurbani and eligibility

Schools differ on the legal status:

• Hanafi school: wajib (obligatory) on every adult Muslim, male or female, who possesses wealth at or above the nisab threshold (the same threshold as Zakat — approximately 612.36 g of silver or 87.48 g of gold equivalent).
• Shafi'i, Maliki, Hanbali schools: sunnah mu'akkadah (a confirmed sunnah) — highly recommended for those who can afford it, but not legally obligatory.

Eligible animals: sheep or goat (sufficient for one household), or a share in a cow or camel (one cow or camel may be shared between up to seven households). The animal must meet age and health criteria — free of obvious defects, age-appropriate per its species.

Meat distribution — the rule of thirds

The traditional Sunnah distribution of Qurbani meat divides the slaughter into three parts:

1. One third for your household.
2. One third for relatives, neighbors, and friends (including non-Muslim neighbors).
3. One third for the poor and those in need.

The thirds are recommended, not strictly binding. The Quran says: “Eat from them and feed the needy who do not ask, and the needy who beg” (Surah Al-Hajj 22:36). Many Muslims who cannot personally slaughter arrange Qurbani through reputable organizations that distribute meat in regions of poverty — confirm the slaughter happens within the valid days (10–13 Dhu al-Hijjah).

Hair and nails ruling for Qurbani-givers

One specific ruling applies to those intending to offer Qurbani. Umm Salamah (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“When you see the new moon of Dhu al-Hijjah, and one of you intends to offer a sacrifice, let him not touch his hair or his nails [until he sacrifices].”

The ruling applies only to the person offering the Qurbani, not to the rest of the household. It begins when the crescent of Dhu al-Hijjah is sighted (or the 30th of Dhu al-Qi'dah is completed) and lasts until the sacrifice is performed.

Scholars differ on the binding weight:

• Hanafi school: the instruction is recommended (mustahabb), not binding. Cutting hair or nails does not invalidate the Qurbani.
• Shafi'i school: also recommended, not binding.
• Hanbali school: the prohibition is binding (haram) on the person offering Qurbani, though it does not invalidate the sacrifice if violated.
• Maliki school: similar to Hanafi — discouraged but not binding.

A common follow-up question: what if you forget and cut hair or nails accidentally? All schools agree no expiation is required — the act is simply broken; you continue with the original intention to sacrifice.

The Days of Tashreeq (11–13 Dhu al-Hijjah)

The Days of Tashreeq are the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah — the three days after Eid al-Adha. The Prophet ﷺ described them as “days of eating, drinking, and remembering Allah” (Sahih Muslim 1141). Fasting is forbidden during them, Qurbani may still be performed, and Takbir al-Tashreeq is recited after every obligatory prayer.

Takbir al-Tashreeq — full text and timing

Takbir al-Tashreeq is the obligatory declaration of Allah's greatness recited after each of the five obligatory prayers, beginning from Fajr of 9 Dhu al-Hijjah (the Day of Arafah) and continuing through Asr of 13 Dhu al-Hijjah — a total of 23 prayers. Both men and women recite it; men do so audibly in congregation, women quietly.

The wording above is the most widely accepted formula across the four Sunni schools. Some scholars accept variants (e.g., a longer version with takbir tripled at the start) — all are valid forms of the same sunnah.

Key rules during Tashreeq

• Fasting is forbidden. These are explicitly days of celebration following the sacrifice; fasting on them is not allowed in mainstream Sunni jurisprudence.
• Takbir continues after every obligatory prayer through Asr of the 13th.
• Qurbani may still be performed — the window for valid sacrifice extends through these days.
• For pilgrims, these are the final days at Mina — stoning the three jamarat each day. Most pilgrims leave on the 12th (early departure); those who stay until the 13th complete the full Hajj experience.

Sacred month etiquette

Because Dhu al-Hijjah is a sacred month, classical scholars warned against any form of injustice or sin during it. Both the gravity of wrongdoing and the reward of righteous deeds are magnified during the four sacred months.

As Ibn Abbas explained on Surah At-Tawbah 9:36: “He singled out four of them as sacred, magnified their inviolability, and made sin in them greater and righteous deeds in them more rewarded.”

Practically, this is the most spiritually weighted month of the year alongside Ramadan — a time to be especially deliberate with prayers, speech, and dealings. Pair this with daily worship rooted in the five prayers, and the rest of the month becomes a natural extension of the intensified first ten days. Many Muslims also use this month to reflect through the 99 Names of Allah.

Dhu al-Hijjah dates — next 5 years

Dhu al-Hijjah moves earlier by approximately 11 days each Gregorian year because the Hijri lunar year is shorter than the solar Gregorian year. The table below shows the expected Gregorian dates for the next five Hijri years, calculated using the Umm al-Qura calendar. Local moon sighting may shift dates by one day.