First 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah: The Best Days of the Year

There are two seasons of intense spiritual opportunity in Islam: the last ten nights of Ramadan and the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. If you have been focusing only on one of them, you have been leaving half the prize on the table.

The Prophet ﷺ did not frame this as one of many opportunities. He said these ten days are the best days of the year — the days in which righteous deeds are most beloved to Allah. That is not a minor claim.

If you have been letting these days pass without intentionality, this guide is for you.

What Makes These Days Extraordinary

Allah swears by them in the Quran:

وَالْفَجْرِ وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ

Wal-fajri wa layalin 'ashr

"By the dawn and by the ten nights..."

— (Surah Al-Fajr, 89:1-2)

When Allah swears by something, it marks that thing as significant. The scholars of tafsir almost universally identify "the ten nights" as the first ten nights of Dhul Hijjah. Allah is drawing attention to their status before the Prophet ﷺ even makes his explicit statement.

The Prophet ﷺ then adds the explicit confirmation:

"There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days."

— (Sahih Bukhari 969)

The companions asked: "Not even striving in the path of Allah?" He replied: "Not even striving in the path of Allah, except for a man who goes out with his life and wealth and comes back with nothing."

Only the act of giving everything for Allah's cause — life and all wealth — exceeds these ten days.

Why Modern Muslims Miss This Opportunity

The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah suffer from an awareness problem that Ramadan does not have. Ramadan has physical preparation, communal fasting, tarawih, and cultural momentum behind it. The beginning of Dhul Hijjah often passes with most Muslims only aware of it when Eid al-Adha is imminent.

This is the nafs defaulting to the path of least resistance. The days arrive, and without intentional planning, they pass like any other days.

The solution is a single decision made before the first of Dhul Hijjah: this year, these ten days will be treated with the same intentionality as Ramadan.

What to Do During the First 10 Days

Increase Dhikr — Especially Takbeer

Ibn Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet ﷺ commanded people during these ten days to increase in the takbeer:

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahil hamd

The early Muslims would say takbeer in the marketplaces, in their homes, and in public — reminding others and filling the days with praise. This is not a private practice for the mosque. It belongs in your daily life during these ten days.

Add it on your commute. Say it while doing chores. Replace idle moments with this praise. See how to make dhikr a daily habit for the framework to make this stick.

Fast — Especially the Day of Arafah

The Prophet ﷺ used to fast the first nine days of Dhul Hijjah. (Sunan Abu Dawud 2437). If you cannot manage nine days, prioritize the Day of Arafah — the 9th of Dhul Hijjah:

"Fasting on the Day of Arafah expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year."

— (Sahih Muslim 1162)

Two years of sins for a single day of fasting. For those not performing Hajj, this is one of the most powerful single-day investments available. See day of arafah fasting for preparation.

Give Sadaqah

The multiplier on deeds during these days applies to charity too. A pound, a dollar, a small amount given during these days carries magnified weight. Set aside an amount now — before the days arrive — so the decision is already made.

Increase Quran Recitation

These are days of elevated worship. Adding extra Quran recitation — even a few more pages than usual — during this window is simple and carries the multiplied reward of these days.

Repent and Seek Forgiveness

The doors of tawbah are always open, but these days carry special weight. If there is a sin you have been meaning to turn away from, these days are the window. Start with a genuine astaghfirullah and a real intention to change.

For the complete framework, see how to make sincere tawbah.

How to Plan These 10 Days Practically

Intention without a plan evaporates. Here is a simple framework:

The night before Dhul Hijjah begins: Make your intention. Write down your three commitments for the ten days. Examples: "I will fast the Day of Arafah. I will say takbeer 100 times daily. I will give sadaqah every day."

Each morning: Begin with the morning adhkar plus a short dua asking Allah to accept your deeds during these days. See dua for dhul hijjah for supplications specific to this season.

Each evening: Spend five minutes with the evening adhkar plus a brief review. Did you say takbeer? Did you read Quran? Did you give anything? Small, daily accountability makes the difference between a season that changes you and one that passes you by.

Day 9 (Arafah): Fast if you are not on Hajj. Make generous dua. This is the day when Allah descends to the nearest heaven and asks the angels: "What do these people want?" Make sure you are asking for everything.

Plan Your Dhul Hijjah Worship Season

DeenBack helps you set up daily worship goals and track them through the 10 days of Dhul Hijjah — so this season actually changes you.

Free download. Premium features available in-app.

Signs of Progress

At the end of the ten days, if you engaged with them intentionally:

• The takbeer feels natural rather than effortful
• Your tongue is more inclined toward dhikr in general
• The Day of Arafah fast felt meaningful, not just mechanical
• You feel a shift in your relationship with this time of year — from passive awareness to active participation

Common Questions

What if Dhul Hijjah has already started and I did not plan — is it too late?

Begin now. The reward of righteous deeds during these days starts from the first and continues to the last. Even five days of intentional worship is better than ten days of missing the opportunity.

I am not going for Hajj — can I still benefit from these days?

Absolutely. These days carry elevated reward for all Muslims, not only those performing Hajj. The Prophet's ﷺ statement about the best days refers to all righteous deeds, not only the rites of Hajj.

Can I start the Qurbani restriction (not cutting hair or nails) even if I am not the one who will slaughter?

Yes. The restriction applies to the person offering the sacrifice. If your family is performing Qurbani on your behalf, many scholars say it applies to you as well. If you are uncertain, maintaining the restriction is the safer and more rewarding choice.

What is the best way to observe Eid al-Adha at the end of these ten days?

Eid al-Adha begins on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah. Perform the Eid prayer, make the sacrifice if you are able (or arrange for it), eat from the meat and share with others. The Eid is the crescendo of these ten days, not a separate event. See dua for Eid al-Adha for the specific supplications.

Closing — The Best Days You Have Not Fully Used Yet

These ten days will arrive again. When they do, the question is whether you will let them pass in the same way they passed last year — or whether this time you will meet them with a plan, a commitment, and the intention to make them count.

Start the planning now. Decide the fasts, decide the sadaqah, decide the dhikr commitment. And treat these days with the seriousness they deserve — because the Prophet ﷺ said there are no better days than these for drawing close to Allah.

That is not an exaggeration. Act like it.

Make the First 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah Count

Set your Dhul Hijjah goals and track your worship day by day with DeenBack — building the habits that make this season genuinely transformative.

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