The Excellence of the First 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah

Official Decision and Announcement of the High Judiciary Council of Saudi Arabia…

Announcement of the High Judiciary Council (HJC) of Saudi Arabia regarding the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah.

1 Dhul-Hijjah will be Friday 28 October 2011, and the Muslims performing Hajj will be in ‘Arafah on Saturday 5 November 2011 (9 Dhul-Hijjah 1432), and the Muslim Ummah shall be celebrating ‘Eed al-Adhaa on Sunday 6 November 2011, (10 Dhul-Hijjah 1432), inshaaAllaah

"There are no days during which good deeds are more beloved by Allaah than these (ten) days."  The Prophet, sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, was then asked: "Not even Jihaad in Allaah's way?" He replied: "Not even Jihaad in Allaah's way; except for a person who went out (for Jihaad) with his self and wealth and came back with none (i.e. lost all for Allaah)."[Bukhari 969]   

Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali (may Allah have mercy on him) said "It appears and Allaah knows best that good deeds practiced during these ten days are superior to any other ten days during any other month."


It's recommended to be involved in a lot Dhikr. 

وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَعْلُومَاتٍ 

And mention the Name of Allah on appointed days [ Hajj:28] 

Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "The majority of the scholars view the appointed days as the ten days of Dhul Hijah."


There is great virtue in Fasting on the 9th.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about fasting on the Day of of Arafah. He said, "Fasting the day of `Arafah expiates the [minor] sins of two years: a past one and a coming one".   [Muslim 1162]. 

Allah swears by these days. 

وَالْفَجْرِوَلَيَالٍ عَشْروَالشَّفْعِ وَالْوَتْرٍِ 

1. By the dawn;
2. By the ten nights (i.e. the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah), 
3. And by the even and the odd . [ Fajr 1-3 ]
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "The ten are the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and the odd is the Day of Arafah and the even is the Eid (Eid Al-Adha is the 10th). [ Ahmed 3/ 327 and Bazzar 2286]. Ibn Rajab graded the isnad of this hadeeth as being Hasan. 


Taken from La'taif al Ma'rif and Tafseer ibn Katheer - Translated and compiled by Abu Aaliyah