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Dhu'l-Hijjah or alternatively Zulhijja (Arabic: ذو الحجة; properly transliterated, also called Zil-Hajj) is the twelfth and final month in the Islamic calendar. It is a very sacred month in the Islamic calendar, one in which the Hajj (pilgrimage) takes place as well as the Festival of the Sacrifice.
Contents
- Hadith
- Timing
- Special Days of Dhu al Hijjah
- Prescribed acts of worship
- Reward for Fasting and Tahajjud
- Fasting on 9 Dhu al Hijjah
- Trimming Hair and Nails
- General Islamic Events
- Islamic Events For Shiah
- References
"Dhu al-Hijjah" literally 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. 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.
In Dhu al-Qi'dah (Islamic month), there will be fight among the tribes, Muslim pilgrims will be looted and there will be a battle in Mina in which many people will be slain and blood will flow until it runs over the Jamaratul Aqba (one of the three stone pillars at Mina). The man they seek will flee and will be found between the Rukn (a corner of the Kaaba containing the Black Stone) and the Maqam of Prophet Abraham (near Ka'ba). He will be forced to accept people's Bay'ah (being chosen as a Leader/Caliph). The number of those offering Bay'ah will be the same as the number of the people of Badr (Muslim fighters who participated in the Battle of Badr at time of Prophet Muhammad). Then, the dweller of Heaven and the dweller of the Earth will be pleased with him.
Hadith
According to Islamic traditions, the first 10 days of Dhu al-Hijjah are the most blessed days in which to do good deeds:
Narrated Ibn Abbas: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) 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 (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast the first nine days of this month, owing to their perceived virtue:
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." (Reported by Abu Dawud)
In Islamic eschatology about Hajj and Mahdi:
In Dhu al-Qi'dah (Islamic month), there will be fight among the tribes, Muslim pilgrims will be looted and there will be a battle in Mina in which many people will be slain and blood will flow until it runs over the Jamaratul Aqba (one of the three stone pillars at Mina). The man they seek will flee and will be found between the Rukn (a corner of the Kaaba containing the Black Stone) and the Maqam of Prophet Abraham (near Ka'ba). He will be forced to accept people's Bay'ah (being chosen as a Leader/Caliph). The number of those offering Bay'ah will be the same as the number of the people of Badr (Muslim fighters who participated in the Battle of Badr at time of Prophet Muhammad). Then, the dweller of Heaven and the dweller of the Earth will be pleased with him.
Timing
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-Hijjah, based on the Umm al-Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia, are:
Special Days of Dhu al-Hijjah
Prescribed acts of worship
The following acts have been prescribed for the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijjah
On the days of Qurbani, i.e. 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th Dhu al-Hijjah, the greatest action is the spilling of blood of a sacrificial animal (Qurbani).
Reward for Fasting and Tahajjud
Great rewards have been mentioned in the Hadith for fasting the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijjah and standing in worship (Tahajjud) in the first 10 nights of Dhu al-Hijjah:
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 Night of Qadr. [Tirmizi 758]
The reason for the 10 days being distinguished is due to the combination of worship in this period of Salaah, fasting, charity, Takbir and Hajj. In no other time do these great deeds combine.
Fasting on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah
From the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijjah, it is particularly recommended to fast the Day of Arafah (9th Dhu al-Hijjah) as expiation of the sin of two years:
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 [Tirmizi 749].
Trimming Hair and Nails
After sighting the moon of Dhu al-Hijjah one should not remove the hair of the head, underarms or below the navel and nor should the person trim their nails until having offered their Qurbani sacrifice. Once sacrifice has been completed, may one attend to these matters.
The Prophet has said: whoever sees the crescent of Dhu al-Hijjah and wants to slaughter a sacrifice, he should not take from his hair and nor his nails [Tirmizi 1523]
This is regarded as a recommended (Mustahabb) action. A person's sacrifice (Qurbani) is deemed complete even if this injunction was not fulfilled.
A Muslim is legislated by the Sunnah to remove under arm hair and pubic hair on a weekly basis; not doing after a 40-day period is considered sinful in the Sharia. After 40 days, hair removal would be considered compulsory upon a person; in the 10 days of Dhu al-Hijjah such a person will be compelled to adhere to the Sunnah of hair removal rather than the Mustahabb action of non-removal as the Muslims are the only religion to follow the sight of the moon it is very well known among many countries