Every year, as the Islamic calendar turns toward its final month, Muslims around the world feel the shift. Dhul Hijjah is not just a date on a calendar—it is the month of Hajj, the month of the Feast of Sacrifice, and the month the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described as containing the most beloved days to Allah for righteous deeds.

In 2026, Dhul Hijjah is expected to begin around Monday, May 18, and Eid al-Adha falls on Tuesday, May 27. All dates are subject to moon sighting confirmation.

The month opens with ten days unlike any other in the Islamic calendar. The Prophet ﷺ said:

"There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." (Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith 969)

The scholar Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah wrote in Zad al-Ma'ad that these ten days—combining the virtue of the day and the night—surpass even the last ten nights of Ramadan for the reward of daytime deeds. While the nights of Ramadan are superior due to Laylat al-Qadr, the days of Dhul Hijjah are the greatest days of the entire year.

From May 18, when the crescent of Dhul Hijjah is sighted, the month's spiritual weight begins immediately. These first nine days before Eid al-Adha are a window for fasting, extra prayer, dhikr, Quran recitation, and giving in charity (Sadaqah). If you intend to give Qurbani this year, the tradition is to stop cutting your hair and nails from the 1st of Dhul Hijjah until your sacrifice has been completed—a practice established in Sahih Muslim (hadith 1977).

The 8th of Dhul Hijjah is known as Yawm al-Tarwiyah—the Day of Watering. Historically, this was the day pilgrims would provide water for their animals and fill their containers in preparation for the journey to Arafah. Today, it is the day pilgrims performing Hajj leave Makkah and travel to the valley of Mina, where they spend the night in prayer and preparation. For the millions of Muslims in Canada not on Hajj this year, it is a day of personal preparation—a moment to turn inward as the greatest day of the year draws close.

No day in the Islamic year carries more spiritual weight than this one. On the plain of Arafah, outside Makkah, hundreds of thousands of Hajj pilgrims stand in supplication from midday until sunset—an act the Prophet ﷺ described as the heart of Hajj itself:

"Hajj is Arafah." (Sunan al-Nasa'i)

For Muslims who are not performing Hajj, the Day of Arafah is a day of fasting, dua, and dhikr. The Prophet ﷺ was asked about fasting on this day and said it "expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year." (Sahih Muslim, hadith 1162). No other voluntary fast in the year carries this immense reward.

Spend the afternoon—from after Dhuhr until Maghrib—in sincere supplication, mirroring the pilgrims on the plain. The Day of Arafah is also the last day to ensure your Qurbani 2026 is arranged. The sacrifice window opens the following morning, after the Eid prayer—so May 25 is the day to confirm your donation if giving through a charity.

Eid al-Adha—the Feast of Sacrifice, Eid ul-Adha, the "Big Eid"—begins the morning after Arafah. It commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim's (AS) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail (AS) in obedience to Allah, and the divine mercy that replaced Ismail with a ram at the last moment.

Every year on this day, Muslims across the world honour that act of submission through Qurbani (Udhiyah)—the sacrifice of a livestock animal whose meat is shared with family, neighbours, and those in need. The day begins with Ghusl, wearing your best clothes, and attending the Eid prayer. After the prayer, the Qurbani sacrifice window opens.

Note: Do not fast on Eid al-Adha—fasting on this day is prohibited. The Takbeer should fill the air from the moment Fajr breaks on the Day of Arafah and continues through the 13th: "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lillahil hamd."

Eid al-Adha does not end on the 10th. The celebration extends through the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul Hijjah—the Days of Tashreeq. The Qurbani sacrifice window remains open through sunset on May 29, so those who were unable to give on Eid day can still complete their sacrifice.

Fasting is prohibited on all three days—these are days of eating, remembrance, and community. For Hajj pilgrims, the Days of Tashreeq involve the stoning of the Jamarat in Mina. For Muslims at home in Canada, they are days to visit family, give generously, and continue the Takbeer after every prayer until Asr on the 13th.

For Muslims in Canada, giving Qurbani through a charity like Human Appeal Canada is a widely practised and fully valid route. Scholars across all four major schools permit appointing a trusted agent (wakeel) to perform the sacrifice on your behalf in a country where the need is greatest.

Human Appeal carries out Qurbani in over 40 countries after the Eid prayer, distributing fresh meat to families who may have no other source of protein. In 2025, over 1.17 million people were reached through your support. The sacrifice window in 2026 runs from after Eid prayer on May 26 through sunset on May 29.

• Quran: Surah Al-Fajr (89:1–2) — Classical commentators identify the "ten nights" as the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.
• Sahih al-Bukhari: Hadith 969 — The Prophet ﷺ on the virtue of righteous deeds in the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.
• Sahih Muslim: Hadith 1162 — Fasting on the Day of Arafah. Hadith 1977 — Refraining from cutting hair and nails.
• Sunan al-Nasa'i: "Hajj is Arafah" — Authenticated by Sheikh al-Albani.
• Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah: Zad al-Ma'ad — On the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah being the greatest days for worship.

By Human Appeal

Canada