By Anse Kiashe Pugh
Allah ﷻ reminds us in the Quran:
“Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah from the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves therein…”
—Surat al-Tawba 9:36
Dhul-Hijja is one of these four sacred months—along with Dhul-Qaʿda, Muharram, and Rajab—times in which Allah calls us to heightened awareness, restraint, and worship. The sanctity of these months is not symbolic; it is a Divine designation that magnifies both the weight of our actions and the opportunity for good.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ further clarified their status. In an authentic hadith, he said:
“Time has come back to its original state as it was on the day Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year is twelve months, of which four are sacred: three consecutive months—Dhul-Qaʿda, Dhul-Hijja, and Muharram—and Rajab…”
—Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
Thus, we are not simply in a sacred month—we are in a sacred season within sacred time.
And within this sacred month lies a period unlike any other: the first ten days of Dhul-Hijja. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.”
—Sahih al-Bukhari
These are days of multiplied reward—days to fill with dhikr, fasting, charity, Quran, and a sincere return to Allah ﷻ. They are a gift for those on Hajj and those at home alike.
At the heart of these days lies the greatest day of the year: Yawm al-ʿArafa—the Day of Standing.
On this day, millions gather on the plains of ʿArafat, standing in humility before Allah, embodying complete servitude. But the meaning of this “standing” extends far beyond the physical—it is a reminder of a greater standing yet to come, when every soul will stand before its Lord. We ask Allah ﷻfor protection and mercy on that day.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the Day of ʿArafa…”
—Sahih Muslim
And he ﷺ also said:
“Fasting on the Day of ʿArafa expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year.”
—Sahih Muslim
What a profound mercy!
One day, when approached with sincerity, can be a means of such great forgiveness.
Dhul-Hijja, especially the days leading to ʿArafa, is a time to prepare the heart for this standing.
It begins with sincere tawba—turning back to Allah ﷻ with humility, regret, and resolve. In a sacred month, sins carry greater weight, but so too does repentance carry greater reward.
It continues with abundant dhikr. The early generations would fill these days with the takbir:
“Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar
La ilaha illa Allah
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa-lillahil-hamd.”
These words revive the heart and center it on the remembrance of Allah ﷻ.
Dhul-Hijja is a time when the foundations of Islam are lived. For those not on Hajj, it includes fasting, especially on the Day of ʿArafa, which is an act of worship that purifies not just the body but the soul.
It calls for deep dua. The Day of ʿArafa is a day of answered supplication—a time to ask Allah ﷻ for everything: forgiveness, guidance, healing, provision, and Janna.
And perhaps most importantly, it requires inner work.
To forgive those who have wronged us.
To let go of grudges.
To purify intentions.
For certainly, how we stand before Allah ﷻ is intimately connected to the state of our hearts.
As Dhul-Hijja also marks the closing of the Hijri year, it calls us to reflect:
What has this year meant for me?
How have I drawn closer to Allah ﷻ, or how have I drifted away?
And if we find shortcomings, then these days offer a powerful opportunity—to end the year in obedience, in humility, in sincerity.
Let us welcome the Day of ʿArafa with hopefulness and with gratitude.
Let us welcome it and prepare to receive its goodness, with our hearts softened, tongues remembering, and souls yearning for Allah’s ﷻ mercy.
For just as there is a Day of Standing on ʿArafa, there is a Day of Standing before Allah ﷻ. We ask Allah ﷻ for protection and mercy on that day.
May this Dhul-Hijja be a turning point. A time of forgiveness, renewal, and nearness. May Allah ﷻ grant us the ability to honor these sacred days and to stand before Him—on ʿArafa and beyond—with hearts that are accepted and souls that are forgiven.
Ameen.