Dhu al-Hijjah (also Dhu al-Hijja Arabic: ذُو ٱلْحِجَّة, romanizedḎū al-Ḥijja IPA: [ðu‿l.ħid͡ʒ.d͡ʒah]) is the twelfth and final month in the Islamic calendar.[1] Being one of the four sacred months during which war is forbidden, it is the month in which the Ḥajj (Arabic: حج, lit.'pilgrimage') takes place as well as Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى, lit.'The Festival of the Sacrifice').

Dhu al-Hijjah
The Kaaba during Hajj
Native nameذُو ٱلْحِجَّة (Arabic)
CalendarIslamic calendar
Month number12
Number of days29–30 (depends on actual observation of the moon's crescent)
Significant days

The Arabic name of the month, Dhu al-Hijjah, means "Possessor of the Pilgrimage" or "The Month of the Pilgrimage".[1] During this month, Muslim pilgrims from all around the world congregate at Mecca to visit the Kaaba. The Hajj rites begin on the eighth day and continue for four or five days. 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 the thirteenth day.[1]

The name of this month is also spelled Dhul-Hijja. In modern Turkish, the name is Zilhicce.[1]

Timing

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The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and months begin when new moon is sighted. Since the Islamic lunar calendar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year, Dhu al-Hijjah 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:[2]

Dhu al-Hijjah dates between 2022 and 2026
AH First day (CE/AD) Last day (CE/AD)
1443 30 June 2022 29 July 2022
1444 19 June 2023 18 July 2023
1445 07 June 2024 06 July 2024
1446 28 May 2025 25 June 2025
1447 18 May 2026 15 June 2026

Special days

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Mount Arafat during Hajj

Mention in Hadith

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According to Hadith, great rewards have been mentioned for performing certain Islamic rituals on specific days of Dhu al-Hijja:

One of the wives 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."[3]

The Prophet 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 the equivalent of fasting a year, and standing every night of them (in prayer) is the equivalent of standing on the Night of Qadr."[4]

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.[5]

General events

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Sunni

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Shi'ite

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Yaşaroğlu, M.Kâmil (2013). "ZİLHİCCE". TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, Vol. 44 (Yusuf – Zwemer) (in Turkish). Istanbul: Turkiye Diyanet Foundation, Centre for Islamic Studies. pp. 415–416. ISBN 978-975-389-785-3.
  2. ^ Umm al-Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia
  3. ^ "Ten Blessed Days of Dhul Hijjah | Soul". Central-mosque.com. Archived from the original on 2013-09-28. Retrieved 2013-09-26.
  4. ^ "Jami' at-Tirmidhi 758 – The Book on Fasting – كتاب الصوم عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم – Sunnah.com – Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)". sunnah.com. Retrieved 2024-06-15.
  5. ^ "Sahih Muslim 1162b – The Book of Fasting – كتاب الصيام – Sunnah.com – Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)". sunnah.com. Retrieved 2024-06-15.
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