Virtues of Dhul-Hijjah

Q: What is the virtue of the first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah?

A: The first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah are among the greatest and most virtuous days of the entire year. They fall within the sacred months — Rajab, Dhū al-Qaʿdah, Dhū al-Ḥijjah, and al-Muḥarram — and they also conclude the months of ḥajj, which are Shawwāl, Dhū al-Qaʿdah, and the first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. Among these days is Yawm al-Naḥr, the Day of Sacrifice, which the Prophet ﷺ described as “the greatest day of ḥajj.”

The jurists mention that the ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah are superior to the final ten days of Ramaḍān with respect to their days, and superior to every other set of ten days throughout the year. At the same time, the nights of the final ten of Ramaḍān remain superior to the nights of Dhū al-Ḥijjah because of Laylat al-Qadr. Thus, the virtue of the final ten of Ramaḍān is tied to its nights, while the virtue of the ten of Dhū al-Ḥijjah is tied to its days, which include Yawm al-Tarwiyah, the Day of ʿArafah, and Yawm al-Naḥr.

Because of the immense virtue of these days, the scholars strongly encouraged striving in every form of righteous action during them: dhikr, fasting, charity, recitation of the Qur’an, duʿāʾ, prayer, and all other acts of obedience. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allāh than the ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah.”

Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah stated that to fill these ten days and nights with worship is superior to a form of jihād in which one neither loses his life nor wealth.