The Best 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah: Hajj, Eid Al-Adha, and Qurbani
There are exactly ten days in the Islamic year that the Prophet ﷺ said are more beloved to Allah than any other days. Not the last ten nights of Ramadan. Not the first day of the new Islamic year. Not even the day of Friday.
The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.
These ten days bring together the three crowning acts of late-year Islamic worship — Hajj, Eid al-Adha, and Qurbani — into a single, intense season of devotion. This page is a hub: it explains why these days are so spiritually weighted, what each one contains, and how every Muslim — pilgrim or not — can claim a share of the season's reward.
What the Prophet ﷺ said about these days
"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 cause of Allah?"
The Prophet ﷺ answered: "Not even Jihad — except for a man who goes out, putting himself and his wealth at risk, and returns with neither." (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Allah Himself swears by these days in the Quran:
"By the dawn, and by the ten nights..." — Surah Al-Fajr 89:1–2
The classical commentators — Ibn Abbas, Ibn Kathir, Mujahid — all agree the ten nights are the first ten of Dhul Hijjah.
Why these particular ten days?
Because they contain everything.
| Day | Date (1447 AH / 2026) | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1–7 Dhul Hijjah | ~19–25 May 2026 | Days of fasting, takbeer, charity, preparation |
| 8 Dhul Hijjah | ~26 May 2026 | Yawm at-Tarwiyah — pilgrims enter Mina |
| 9 Dhul Hijjah | ~27 May 2026 | Day of Arafat — the most virtuous day of the year |
| 10 Dhul Hijjah | ~28 May 2026 | Eid al-Adha — Day of Sacrifice |
| 11–13 Dhul Hijjah | ~29–31 May 2026 | Days of Tashreeq (continued Qurbani, takbeer) |
In a single ten-day stretch, you have: the standing at Arafat, the festival of Eid, the sacrifice of Qurbani, and the global gathering of two million pilgrims. No other window in the calendar packs this much.
The three pillars of the season
1. Hajj — the pilgrimage of a lifetime
Hajj takes place from the 8th to the 13th of Dhul Hijjah. Two million pilgrims gather in white ihram, walk the same paths walked by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and complete a five-day sequence of rituals that ends with the festival of Eid al-Adha.
If you are performing Hajj this year, see our complete Hajj guide. For a full breakdown of dates, see Hajj 2026 dates and schedule.
2. Eid al-Adha — the festival of sacrifice
The 10th of Dhul Hijjah is Eid al-Adha, the second of the two Eids in Islam. It commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail — and Allah's mercy in replacing him with a ram. Pilgrims at Mina celebrate this day along with every Muslim community on earth.
Eid prayer, family gatherings, new clothes, and meat for the poor are the marks of this day. See Eid al-Adha 2026: date, prayer & how to celebrate for the full guide.
3. Qurbani — the sacrifice that feeds the world
Mandatory upon every financially able adult Muslim on the days of Eid al-Adha, Qurbani is the sacrifice of an eligible animal (sheep, goat, cow, or camel), with the meat distributed to family, neighbors, and — most importantly — the poor.
Qurbani is the act that turns the lesson of Ibrahim's sacrifice into food on a hungry family's table. Give Qurbani 2026 with HBSMWA — every share feeds families in flood-affected Pakistan and Palestine.
The day-by-day spiritual playbook
Days 1–8 — Build the season
- Fast as many days as you can. The Prophet ﷺ used to fast the first nine days.
- Recite takbeer abundantly: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah, wa Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lillahi al-hamd.
- Give Sadaqah daily. The Prophet ﷺ said good deeds in these days are multiplied. A small recurring gift now is worth more than the same gift in any other month.
- Read Quran — particularly Surah Al-Hajj.
- Repent and seek forgiveness with sincerity. These are days of accepted prayer.
Day 9 — The Day of Arafat
The most virtuous day of the year. Pilgrims stand at Arafat in worship from midday to sunset.
For non-pilgrims:
- Fast. The Prophet ﷺ said fasting on Arafat wipes away the sins of the previous and following year.
- Make abundant dua. The Prophet ﷺ called the dua of Arafat the best dua of all.
- Recite the Quran.
Day 10 — Eid al-Adha
- Pray the Eid prayer in congregation.
- Perform Qurbani (or arrange for it to be done on your behalf).
- Distribute the meat — one third for your family, one third for relatives and neighbors, one third for the poor.
- Wear your best clothes, gather with family, exchange greetings.
Days 11–13 — The Days of Tashreeq
- Continue Qurbani if not yet performed.
- Recite takbeer after every obligatory prayer.
- Spend time with family. The Prophet ﷺ called these "days of eating, drinking, and remembrance of Allah."
Sunnah practices for those giving Qurbani
The Prophet ﷺ instructed those intending to give Qurbani to refrain — from the start of Dhul Hijjah until after the sacrifice — from:
- cutting hair,
- trimming nails,
- removing skin.
This Sunnah aligns the donor with the pilgrims in their state of Ihram. It is not an obligation, but a beautiful symbolic act of solidarity.
Common mistakes to avoid
Treating these as ordinary days. The Prophet ﷺ named them more beloved than any other days — yet many Muslims pass through them as if they were just another week.
Saving worship for Arafat alone. Day 9 is the peak, but every one of the ten days is multiplied. Don't wait.
Skipping Qurbani because it feels expensive. Qurbani is a once-a-year obligation — far smaller in cost than its reward. The vast majority of able-bodied earning Muslims qualify and are required to give.
Forgetting the poor. The Quran is explicit: the meat of the sacrifice is to feed the bā'is al-faqīr — the desperately poor. The reward of Qurbani is multiplied through the joy of those who eat what most could never afford.
A month for every Muslim
You don't need a Hajj visa to live the spirit of the ten days. Pilgrims at Arafat will return home; the reward of these days is yours forever. Whether you fast all nine days, give a single sincere act of charity, or simply turn back to Allah after months of distraction — these are the days designed to receive you.
Give your Qurbani 2026 with HBSMWA — every share feeds a flood-affected family in Pakistan or a family in Palestine. The same Sunnah of Ibrahim, lived in our generation.
Build a water well as Sadaqah Jariyah — a continuous reward inspired by the spring of Zamzam itself.
Read next: The Blessed Month of Dhul-Hijjah → · Eid al-Adha 2026 → · Hajj: The Complete Guide → · Hajj 2026 Dates →