What are the virtues of the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah?

The hadith at the centre of it

The virtue of these days rests on a narration from Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما, reported in Sahih al-Bukhari. The Prophet ﷺ said:

"There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days" — meaning the ten days [of Dhul Hijjah]. They said: "O Messenger of Allah, not even jihad in the way of Allah?" He said: "Not even jihad in the way of Allah, except a man who goes out with his life and his wealth and returns with nothing."— Sahih al-Bukhari 969, from Ibn Abbas

Ibn al-Qayyim, in Zad al-Ma'ad, notes that this hadith was reported with the soundest chain, and that the ten days are the very days Allah swears by in Surah al-Fajr:

"And by the ten nights"— Qur'an 89:2

The scholars understood these "ten nights" to be the first ten of Dhul Hijjah.

Why these days outrank others

Ibn al-Qayyim explains the logic: just as Allah favoured certain places over others — the sites of the pilgrimage rites over the rest of the earth — He favoured certain times over others. Ramadan is favoured over the months, its last ten nights over all other nights, and the Night of Decree over a thousand months. In the same way, the days of Dhul Hijjah are the best of days.

Al-Subki, in his commentary on Sunan Abi Dawud, draws out the practical meaning: a righteous deed performed in these ten days is given a reward so great that the same deed done outside them does not earn it — whether that deed is jihad or anything else. The Companions were astonished that jihad could be surpassed, because they considered it the best of deeds; the Prophet ﷺ answered that even jihad is outdone, except for the one who sacrifices everything and does not return.

Fasting in these days

Fasting is among the righteous deeds included in the general command. Al-Abbad, in his commentary on Sunan Abi Dawud, states plainly that fasting the ten is one of the most virtuous acts of nearness to Allah, and falls under the generality of the hadith "there are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days."

A point of confusion arises from Aisha's رضي الله عنها statement that she never saw the Prophet ﷺ fast the ten. Al-Nawawi, quoted in the commentary on Sunan Ibn Majah, explains that this does not indicate dislike of fasting them. The scholars said the hadith might suggest it were disliked, but the intended meaning is the nine days from the start of Dhul Hijjah, and there is no dislike in fasting them — rather it is strongly recommended, especially the ninth, the day of Arafah. The Prophet's ﷺ abstention is understood as being due to some obstacle such as illness or travel, or simply that Aisha did not see him fasting them, which does not prove he never did.

This is supported by the narration of Hunaydah ibn Khalid, from his wife, from one of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ:

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to fast the nine days of Dhul Hijjah, and the day of Ashura, and three days of every month: the first Monday of the month and the Thursday."— Sunan Abi Dawud 2437

Note that the tenth day — the day of Eid — is not fasted. Al-Abbad states that the tenth is the day of Eid and it is not permissible to fast it under any circumstances, because fasting the two Eids and the days of Tashriq is forbidden. The days of Tashriq are only permitted for the one who cannot find a sacrificial animal.

Dhikr and the wider acts of worship

Ibn al-Qayyim notes that it is recommended in these days to increase in takbir, tahlil and tahmid. The Prophet ﷺ said:

"So increase in them in takbir, tahlil and tahmid"— reported by Ahmad and al-Tabarani, from Ibn Umar

Ibn al-Qayyim notes that this narration's chain has some weakness, but the practice is established. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn Umar رضي الله عنه used to make takbir in Mina during those days, after the prayers, on his bed, in his tent, in his gathering and on his walk — all throughout those days.

The point is that the virtue is not confined to one act. Every good deed — prayer, charity, recitation, dhikr, sacrifice — is magnified in these days.

These days compared with the last ten of Ramadan

The scholars differed on which is better. Ibn al-Qayyim gives the resolution that removes the confusion:

Ibn al-Qayyim attributes this answer to his teacher Ibn Taymiyyah. The reasoning: the last ten nights of Ramadan are favoured because of Laylat al-Qadr, which is a night; the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are favoured because of the day of Arafah, which is a day. Al-Subki and the author of Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi report the same conclusion as the preferred view.

Key takeaways

• The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are the best days of the year for good deeds — no days are more beloved to Allah for righteous action, as the Prophet ﷺ stated in Sahih al-Bukhari.
• Every good deed is magnified in these days — fasting, prayer, charity, dhikr and sacrifice all fall under the hadith's generality.
• Fasting the nine days (1st–9th) is strongly recommended, especially the day of Arafah; the tenth is Eid and must not be fasted.
• Increase in takbir, tahlil and tahmid — this was the practice of Ibn Umar رضي الله عنه and is recommended by Ibn al-Qayyim.
• The days of Dhul Hijjah outrank the days of Ramadan, but the nights of Ramadan's last ten outrank the nights of Dhul Hijjah — because of the day of Arafah and the Night of Decree respectively.

Further reading

• Ibn al-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma'ad fi Hady Khayr al-'Ibad
• Al-Subki, al-Manhal al-'Adhb al-Mawrud (commentary on Sunan Abi Dawud)
• Al-Abbad, Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud

And Allah knows best.