View source for Dhu al-Hijja

{{Short description|12th month of the Islamic calendar}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox month
| image       = The Kaaba during Hajj.jpg
| alt         = 
| caption     = The Kaaba during [[Hajj]]
| native_name = {{Native name|ar|ذُو ٱلْحِجَّة}}
| calendar    = [[Islamic calendar]]
| num         = 12
| days        = 29-30 (depends on actual observation of the moon's crescent)
| season      = 
| gregorian   = 
| holidays    = 
* [[Eid al-Adha]]
* [[Eid al-Ghadir]]
* [[Hajj]]
| prev_month  = [[Dhu al-Qadah]]
| next_month  = [[Muharram]]
}}
{{IslamicMonths sidebar}}

'''Dhu al-Hijja''' ({{lang-ar|ذُو ٱلْحِجَّة|translit=Ḏū al-Ḥijja}} {{IPA-ar|ðu‿l.ħid͡ʒ.d͡ʒah|IPA}}) is the twelfth and final month in the [[Islamic calendar]]. It is the month in which the ''[[Hajj|Ḥajj]]'' ([[Pilgrimage]]) takes place as well as [[Eid al-Adha]], the “Festival of the Sacrifice.”

The [[Arabic language|Arabic]] name of the month, ''Dhu al-Hijja'', means "Possessor of the Pilgrimage" or "The Month of the Pilgrimage". During this month, Muslim pilgrims from all around the world congregate at [[Mecca]] to visit the [[Kaaba]]. The Hajj is performed on the eighth, ninth and the tenth of this month. The [[Day of Arafah]] takes place on the ninth of the month. [[Eid al-Adha]], the "Festival of the Sacrifice", begins on the tenth day and ends on sunset of the 13th.

The name of this month is also spelled '''Dhul-Hijja''' or '''Zu al-Hijja'''. In [[Urdu]], the month is commonly known as '''Zilhaj''' or '''Zilhij'''. In modern [[Turkish language|Turkish]], the name is '''Zilhicce'''.

== Hadiths ==
According to Islamic traditions, the first 10 days of Dhu al-Hijja are the most blessed days in which to do good deeds according to Imam Ali: "9-10 Dhu al Hajja are the best days for nikah relations."

Narrated Ibn Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ ) said, "No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these (first ten days of Dhu al-Hijja)." Then some companions of the Prophet said, "Not even Jihad?" He replied, "Not even Jihad, except that of a man who does it by putting himself and his property in danger (for Allah's sake) and does not return with any of those things." (Reported by Tirmidhi)

[[Muhammad|Prophet Muhammad ﷺ]] used to fast the first nine days of this month, owing to their perceived virtue
.

One of the wives{{vague|date=August 2014}} of Muhammad said: "Allah's Messenger used to fast the [first] nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of 'Ashurah, and three days of each month." (Reported by Abu Dawud)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://central-mosque.com/index.php/Spirituality/ten-blessed-days-of-dhul-hijjah.html |title=Ten Blessed Days of Dhul Hijjah &#124; Soul |publisher=Central-mosque.com |access-date=2013-09-26 |archive-date=2013-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928021904/http://central-mosque.com/index.php/Spirituality/ten-blessed-days-of-dhul-hijjah.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Timing ==
The Islamic calendar is a [[lunar calendar]], and months begin when [[new moon]] is sighted. Since the [[Islam]]ic lunar calendar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the [[Tropical year|solar year]], Dhu al-Hijja migrates throughout the seasons. The estimated start and end dates for Dhu al-Hijja, based on the Umm al-Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia, are:<ref>[https://webspace.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/islam/ummalqura.htm Umm al-Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia]</ref>

{|class=wikitable style="text-align:right"
|+Dhu al-Hijjah dates between 2021 and 2025
|-
!scope="col"|[[Anno Hegirae|AH]]
!scope="col"|First day ([[Common Era|CE]]/[[Anno Domini|AD]])
!scope="col"|Last day ([[Common Era|CE]]/[[Anno Domini|AD]])
|-
!scope="row"|1442
|11 July 2021
|{{0}}8 August 2021
|-
!scope="row"|1443
|30 June 2022
|29 July 2022
|-
!scope="row"|1444
|19 June 2023
|18 July 2023
|-
!scope="row"|1445
|{{0}}7 June 2024
|{{0}}6 July 2024
|-
!scope="row"|1446
|28 May 2025
|25 June 2025
|}

== Special days ==
* The first 9 days of Dhu al-Hijja for fasting
* The first 10 nights of Dhu al-Hijja for standing (Qiyaam) in [[Tahajjud]]
* The 8th, 9th and 10th of Dhu al-Hijja as the days of Hajj
* The 9th of Dhu al-Hijja as the Day of Arafah
* [[Takbirut Tashreeq]] is observed from the 9 Dhu al-Hijja till 13 Dhu al-Hijja
* The 10th of Dhu al-Hijja as the Night of Eid
* [[Eid al-Adha]] (Festival of the Sacrifice) begins on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijja and ends on sunset of the 13th Dhu al-Hijja
* 18th Dhu al-Hijja - [[Eid al-Ghadir|Eid-al-Ghadeer]]

== Prescribed acts of worship ==
The following acts have been prescribed for the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijja:
* A person should give extra charity [[Sadaqah]] in these 9 days
* Better your [[Salaah]] in these days
* Spend time in the [[Masjid]]
* Perform voluntary [[Nafl prayer]] at home
* Recitation, Memorization and Reading of the [[Qur’an]]
* [[Dhikr]]
* [[Dua]]
* Fasting the first nine days [[sawm]]
* [[Iʿtikāf]]

On the days of [[Qurban (Islamic ritual sacrifice)|Qurban]]i, i.e. 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhu al-Hijja, the greatest action is the spilling of blood of a sacrificial animal (Qurbani).

== Reward for fasting and ''Tahajjud'' ==
According to the [[hadith]], great rewards have been mentioned for fasting the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijja and standing in worship ([[Tahajjud]]) in the first 10 nights of Dhu al-Hijja:

{{Quote|The Prophet of Allah said: There are no days more beloved to Allah that he be worshipped in them than the ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, fasting every day of them is equivalent to fasting a year; and standing every night of them (in Salaah) is equivalent to standing on the [[Qadr Night|Night of Qadr]].|[[Jami` at-Tirmidhi|Tirmidhi]], 758}}

This hadith has been classed  as a daeef(weak) hadith by many scholars,

Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (no. 758); al-Bazzaar (no. 7816) and Ibn Maajah (1728) via Abu Bakr ibn Naafi‘ al-Basri, who said: Mas‘ood ibn Waasil told us, from Nahhaas ibn Qaham, from Qataadah, from Sa‘eed ibn al-Musayyab, from Abu Hurayrah. 

This is a da‘eef isnaad because of an-Nahhaas ibn Qaham and Mas‘ood ibn Waasil. Hence the scholars of hadith unanimously agreed that it is to be classed as da‘eef. 

At-Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

This is a ghareeb hadith, which we know only from the hadith of Mas‘ood ibn Waasil, from an-Nahhaas. 

I asked Muhammad – i.e., al-Bukhaari – about this hadith and he did not know it except via this isnaad. 

Some of this was also narrated from Qataadah, from Sa‘eed ibn al-Musayyab, from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a mursal report. Yahya ibn Sa‘eed criticised Nahhaas ibn Qaham with regard to his memory. End quote. 

Al-Baghawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Its isnaad is da‘eef (end quote) 

Sharh as-Sunnah (2/624) 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

There is some weakness in it. End quote 

Sharh al-‘Umdah (2/555) 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Its isnaad is da‘eef. End quote. 

Fath al-Baari (2/534) 

It was classed as da‘eef by Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him) in as-Silsilah ad-Da‘eefah (no. 5142). 

The reason for the 10 days being distinguished is due to the combination of worship in this period of prayer, fasting, charity, [[Takbir]] and Hajj.

From the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijja, it is particularly recommended to fast the Day of Arafah (9 Dhu al-Hijja) as expiation of the sin of two years:

{{Quote|Abu Qatada narrates that Muhammad was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafah. He said: as for the fasting on the Day of Arafah, I anticipate that Allah will forgive the year (i.e. the sins of the year) after it and the year before it.|[[Jami` at-Tirmidhi|Tirmizi]], 758}}

== General events ==
[[File:Pilgrims cover Arafat's roads, plains and mountain - Flickr - Al Jazeera English.jpg|thumb|[[Mount Arafat]] during [[Hajj|Ḥajj]]]]

* 9 Dhu al-Hijja, Day of [[Arafa]]h.
* 10-13 Dhu al-Hijja, [[Eid al-Adha]] is observed by Muslims on the [[hajj]] and around the world in commemoration of the willingness of [[Abraham in Islam|Ibrahim]] ([[Abraham]]) to sacrifice his son [[Ishmael in Islam|Isma'il]] ([[Ishmael]]) for [[God in Islam|Allah]].

=== Sunni ===
* 18 Dhu al-Hijja, [[assassination of Uthman]], the prominent [[Sahaba|companion]] and son-in-law of [[Prophet Muhammad|Muhammad]] and [[Khadija bint Khuwaylid|Khadija]]. Husband of [[Ruqayyah bint Muhammad|Ruqayyah]] and [[Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad|Umm Kulthum]].

=== Shi'ite ===
* 01 Dhu al-Hijja, ''[[Nikah]]'' ([[Islamic marital jurisprudence|marriage]]) of [[Ali]] and [[Fatimah]] – AH 2 (24 February AD 624).
* 07 Dhu al-Hijja, martyrdom of [[Twelver]] and [[Isma'ilism|Ismāʿīlī]] [[Imamah (Shi'a doctrine)|Shīʿite Imām]], [[Muhammad al-Baqir|Muhammad al-Bāqir]] ‐ AH 114.
* 08 Dhu al-Hijja, [[Husayn ibn Ali|Husayn ibn ʿAlī]] began his journey to [[Battle of Karbala|Karbalāʾ]] from Mecca.
* 09 Dhu al-Hijja, martyrdom of [[Muslim ibn Aqeel|Muslim ibn ʿAqīl]] and Hani ibn Urwah in [[Kufa]]h. It is also a day of [[Supererogation|supererogatory]] [[fasting]] – AH 60.
* 15 Dhu al-Hijja, birth of [[Twelver|Twelver Imām]], [[Ali al-Hadi|ʿAlī al-Naqī]] - AH 214 [Disputed date].
* 18 Dhu al-Hijja, [[Shia Islam|Shīʿite Muslims]] celebrate [[the event of Ghadir Khumm]] - AH 10.
* 19 Dhu al-Hijja, Fatimah went to Ali's house after their marriage.
* 23 Dhu al-Hijja, martyrdom of [[Meesam Tammar]], friend of Ali – AH 60.
* 23 Dhu al-Hijja, martyrdom of two sons of Muslim ibn ʿAqīl in Kufa - AH 60.
* 24 Dhu al-Hijja, event of [[Mubahala|al-Mubahalah]] took place ('[[Eid al-Mubahila]]h).
* 24 Dhu al-Hijja, some historians mention that the [[Hadith]], [[Ahl al-Kisa]]', event was also on the same day prior to Muhammad setting out for Mubahila.
* 24 Dhu al-Hijja, supplication day and giving of alms with the ring by Ali. In reply verse, "Verily your ''Walee'' is Allah; and His Messenger and those who establish ''[[salat|Salaat]]'', and pay ''[[Zakāt|Zakaat]]'' while they be in ''Rukooʿ''. (Maa-Idah: 55)" was revealed.
* 25 Dhu al-Hijja, [[Sura]] [[Al-Insan]] or Hal Ata, or Dahar, which records the giving of alms to orphans, the destitute and travellers by Fatimah [[Hasan ibn Ali|Hasan]] and Husain was revealed.
* 25 Dhu al-Hijja, Ali becomes the Caliph of Islam – AH 35.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=note}}


== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://webspace.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/islam/islam_tabcal.htm Islamic-Western Calendar Converter] (based on the Arithmetical or Tabular Calendar).
*[http://ahadith.co.uk/searchresults.php?q=ten+days+dhul+hijjah Hadith on Dhul-Hijjah]

{{IslamicMonths |expanded}}
{{Hajj topics}}
{{Characters and names in the Quran}}
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[[Category:Months of the Islamic calendar|93]]
[[Category:Islamic terminology]]