What is the significance of the first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah?
The Prophet ﷺ said no days are more beloved to Allah for righteous action than these. How non-pilgrims can claim their share — with fasting, dhikr, and takbīr.
10 passages from 7 books in the library
The first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah are, in al-Ghazali's words in the Iḥyāʾ, "the best days" of the year — paired with the last ten nights of Ramadan as the year's two peaks. Their summit is the day of ʿArafah: he teaches that "Hajj is ʿArafah," its chief part, and that "the best supplication is the supplication on the day of ʿArafah." While pilgrims stand at ʿArafah and Muzdalifah until after sunset, al-Ghazali warns against performing Hajj while "deluded" and neglecting one's parents, and counts ʿArafah among the noblest times for supplication.
Drawn from the classical sources below — in the scholars' own words.
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 7 books by Imam al-Ghazali, Ibn Battuta, and Ibn Kathir — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"The Hadith about Hajj states, Hajj is Arafah, understood to mean its chief part is Arafah."
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
More on Ibn Battuta →
· Provenance →
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"Hajj Ahmad Tabrizi, Hajj Ibrahim Kanawi, Hajj Hussain Khorasani, and the two Hajjas"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"This contentment is a sign of the acceptance of one's hajj. Adversity on the path of hajj holds"
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"must precede Hajj. Thirdly, Umrah should occur during the months of Hajj. Fourthly, one must"
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"One should not leave the edge of Arafah until after sunset to combine the standing at Arafah"
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"The Hajj acts suffice, and Umrah is incorporated into Hajj. If one performs Tawaf and Sa'i"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"performing hajj might perform hajj while deluded, whereas they should prioritize their parents'"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"The hadith, Whoever dies without performing hajj, has been presented earlier in the hajj"
14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir →
· Provenance →
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"supplication is the supplication on the day of Arafah and the best thing I and the prophets before me have said is"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"The best days of Ramadan are the last ten nights, and the best days in Dhu al-Hijjah are the first ten days."
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