In short
- The best days of the year for good deeds
- Say the takbir at any time, all ten days
- Fast, above all on the 9th
- Giving a sacrifice? Don't cut hair or nails
- No fasting on the 10th to the 13th
The best days of the year
مَا مِنْ أَيَّامٍ الْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ فِيهَا أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَيَّامِ
Ibn ʿAbbas reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days” (meaning the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah). They asked: “Not even striving in the path of Allah?” He said: “Not even striving in the path of Allah, except a man who went out with his life and his wealth and came back with neither.”
وَالْفَجْرِ وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ وَالشَّفْعِ وَالْوَتْرِ
By the dawn, and by ten nights, and by the even and the odd.
Ibn Kathir wrote that most of the early scholars understood the “ten nights” in Surah al-Fajr as these ten days. Ibn Rajab explained that a deed in these days is more beloved to Allah than the same deed at any other time, and that this is why even striving in Allah's path outside them does not equal them, unless a person gives everything.
Scholars compared these days with the last ten nights of Ramadan. A common view, held by Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim, is that the days of Dhul Hijjah are better than the days of Ramadan's last ten, and the nights of Ramadan's last ten are better than the nights of Dhul Hijjah, because Laylat al-Qadr is among them.
When they fall in 2027
By the Umm al-Qura calendar, 1 Dhul Hijjah 1448 is expected on Friday, 7 May 2027, the Day of Arafah on Saturday, 15 May 2027 and Eid al-Adha on Sunday, 16 May 2027. Confirm the start of the month with your local mosque, as moon sighting can move it by a day.
Deeds for the ten days
Remember Allah, and say the takbir
وَأَذِّن فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ لِّيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ
Call the people to Hajj. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, from every distant pass, to witness benefits for themselves and to mention the name of Allah on known days.
Ibn ʿAbbas explained the “known days” as these ten days. Al-Bukhari reports that Ibn ʿUmar and Abu Hurayrah went out to the marketplace in these days saying the takbir, and people said it with them. Say it at home, in the car, at work and in the street. See the takbir of Dhul Hijjah.
Fast, especially on Arafah
Fasting is among the best deeds, so fasting in the best days is a good choice. Fasting the 9th, the Day of Arafah, has its own great reward. Do not fast on the 10th, Eid day. See fasting on Arafah.
Pray on time and pray more
Keep the five prayers on time, in the mosque for men where possible, and add voluntary prayers: the sunnah prayers before and after the obligatory ones, Duha in the morning, and the night prayer.
Read the Qur'an
Set a goal for the ten days that you can keep, and read with the meaning.
Give charity
Charity given in the best days is among the best charity. Many people spread a set amount across all ten days so that they do not miss any of them, including the Day of Arafah.
Repent
The best days are the best time to turn back to Allah. Repentance means regretting the sin, leaving it, resolving not to return, and putting right any wrong you did to others.
Keep family ties and treat people well
Visit your parents and relatives, settle disputes, and forgive. These are among the deeds Allah loves most.
Prepare the sacrifice
The ten days end with the Day of Sacrifice. If you can afford it, offer an udhiyah (qurbani), following the Sunnah of Ibrahim. See Eid al-Adha and the sacrifice.
Hair and nails if you are giving a sacrifice
إِذَا دَخَلَتِ الْعَشْرُ، وَأَرَادَ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يُضَحِّيَ، فَلَا يَمَسَّ مِنْ شَعَرِهِ وَبَشَرِهِ شَيْئًا
Umm Salamah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When the ten days begin and one of you intends to offer a sacrifice, let him not take anything from his hair or his skin.”
- Who it applies to: the person offering the sacrifice, from sunset on the last day of Dhul Qaʿdah until their animal is sacrificed. It does not apply to their family members or to the person slaughtering on their behalf.
- What it covers: cutting, shaving or plucking hair from any part of the body, and cutting nails.
- Its ruling: scholars differ. The Hanbali school treats it as forbidden; the Shafiʿi school treats it as disliked; the Hanafi school does not consider it binding. Following it is the safer way.
- If you made a mistake: ask Allah's forgiveness. Your sacrifice is still valid and there is no penalty.
- If you only decide to sacrifice later in the ten days, the rule applies from the moment you decide.
The ten days at a glance
- Days 1 to 7Fasting, takbir at any time, Qur'an, charity, repentance. If you are giving a sacrifice, leave your hair and nails.
- Day 8, TarwiyahThe pilgrims go to Mina. Others continue the deeds of the ten days and prepare for Arafah. This day has no special fast of its own.
- Day 9, ArafahThe pilgrims stand at Arafat. Others fast and make du'a. The takbir after each obligatory prayer starts at Fajr.
- Day 10, Eid al-AdhaThe Eid prayer, then the sacrifice. The pilgrims stone Jamrat al-ʿAqabah, sacrifice, shave and circle the Kaʿbah.
- Days 11 to 13, TashriqDays of eating, drinking and remembering Allah. No fasting. The takbir continues until ʿAsr on the 13th. The sacrifice can be offered until sunset on the 12th or 13th, depending on the school of law.
Questions people ask
Why are the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah special?
The Prophet ﷺ said there are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days (Sahih al-Bukhari 969). Allah also swears by “ten nights” in Surah al-Fajr, which most early scholars explained as these days.
Can I cut my hair or nails in the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah?
If you intend to offer a sacrifice, the Prophet ﷺ said not to take anything from your hair or skin from the start of the ten days until you sacrifice (Sahih Muslim 1977). This applies to the person offering the sacrifice, not to their family members.
Should I fast all nine days of Dhul Hijjah?
Fasting any of the first nine days is a good deed and was the practice of the Prophet ﷺ according to one of his wives (Abu Dawud 2437). The most important is the 9th, the Day of Arafah. Never fast on the 10th, which is Eid.
Last reviewed . How we check sources.