Each year, the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims enter a ten-day period that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) singled out above the rest of the year. Pilgrims set out for Makkah; everyone else holds a parallel stretch of devotion at home.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." His companions asked: "Not even jihad (striving) in the way of Allah?" He replied: "Not even jihad in the way of Allah, except for a man who goes out with his life and his wealth and returns with nothing." (Sahih al-Bukhari 969)
وَٱلۡفَجۡرِ ﴿١﴾ وَلَيَالٍ عَشۡرٖ ﴿٢﴾
By the dawn, and by the ten nights.
Quran, Al-Fajr 89:1-2
Many classical commentators — including Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) — understood the ‘ten nights’ in this oath to be the first ten of Dhul Hijjah. Whether one accepts that interpretation or not, the practical point stands: these are days Allah Himself has honoured.
Why These Days Are Different
- They contain the Day of Arafah (the 9th, when pilgrims gather on the plain of Arafah), described in Sahih Muslim 1348 as the day when Allah frees the most people from the Fire.
- They contain Eid al-Adha (the 10th), the second of the two annual Eids (Islamic festivals), marking the completion of Hajj.
- They are the only ten-day stretch in which all five fundamental categories of worship gather: prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, and Quran recitation.
Practical Acts of Worship
Fasting (days 1–9)
Fasting any of the first nine days is a recommended Sunnah (practice of the Prophet). It is not obligatory — if you can manage even one or two, that is meaningful. Fasting on the Day of Arafah (the 9th) is the most rewarded fast of the year for those not performing Hajj; the Prophet (peace be upon him) said it expiates the sins of the previous year and the year to come (Sahih Muslim 1162). Pilgrims do not fast that day.
Takbeer, tahleel, and tahmeed
Throughout these ten days, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions filled their time with three forms of remembrance (declaring God’s greatness, oneness, and praise):
- Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)
- La ilaha illallah (there is no god but Allah)
- Alhamdulillah (all praise is due to Allah)
The takbeer of the Eid period is recited after obligatory prayers. For non-pilgrims, the majority of scholars (Hanafi, Shafi’i, Hanbali) recommend starting from Fajr (the dawn prayer) on the 9th through Asr (the mid-afternoon prayer) on the 13th. The Maliki school begins this practice after Dhuhr (the midday prayer) on the Day of Eid (the 10th).
Charity (sadaqah)
Charity in the sacred days carries weight known only to Allah. Small amounts count: a meal donated to a food bank, a transfer to a verified relief charity, a kind word to someone struggling. The principle in the Quran is that Allah multiplies what you give for His sake (Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:261).
Quran
Many Muslims aim to read more of the Quran during these ten days — a juz (one-thirtieth of the Quran) a day if able, a page if not. Even a few verses recited with attention is one of the highest forms of worship. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘The best of you is the one who learns the Quran and teaches it.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari 5027)
Salah (prayer) and dhikr
The foundation of these days is the five daily prayers, observed with sincerity. If you can add tahajjud (the night prayer) on any of these nights, do; if you cannot, the obligatory prayers are themselves the foundation. After every prayer, sit for a moment with the simple adhkar (daily remembrances) — SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah), alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar.
If You Are Not Performing Hajj
These days belong to every Muslim — not only those at the Kaaba (the sacred building at the centre of Makkah). Pilgrims walk a sacred path; those at home walk a parallel one. The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself spent many of these days in Madinah before he ever performed his farewell Hajj. Honouring them from your kitchen, your office, or your bedside is a complete act of worship.
For Muslims who have wanted to go on Hajj and have not been able to — financially, physically, or for any other reason — know that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Whoever intends a good deed and does not do it, Allah records it as a complete good deed.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari 6689) Intention is its own kind of journey.
What If You're Tired or Struggling?
Sacred time can amplify spiritual heaviness as well as joy. If these days arrive while you are exhausted, grieving, or distant from your usual practice, that is not failure. The door of Allah’s mercy does not close because you cannot fast. One sincere prayer, one small charity, one moment of dhikr is enough to enter the season.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most consistent, even if small.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6464) Carry whatever you can.
A Du’a (Supplication) for the First Ten Days
اللَّهُمَّ بَلِّغْنِي ذَا الْحِجَّةِ، وَأَعِنِّي فِيهَا عَلَى الصِّيَامِ وَالْقِيَامِ
Allāhumma ballighnī dhā'l-ḥijjah, wa aʿinnī fīhā ʿalā'ṣ-ṣiyāmi wa'l-qiyām
O Allah, allow me to reach Dhul Hijjah, and help me in it with fasting and standing in prayer.
A widely-used supplication adapted from the du’a for reaching Ramadan. No specific hadith source; used as a personal du’a.
Log Sunnah fasts day-by-day through the first nine days of Dhul Hijjah.
Tap-to-count for the morning, evening, and Eid takbeer collections.
Useful for the takbeer, tahleel, and tahmeed sequences these days call for.
Step-by-step guide to the five daily prayers.