The First 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah, Charity Multiplied

In a few weeks the month of Dhul Hijjah will begin, and with it the ten days the Prophet ﷺ described as the most beloved to Allah of any days in the year.

"There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." The companions asked: "Not even jihad in the path of Allah?" He ﷺ said: "Not even jihad in the path of Allah, except for a man who went out with himself and his wealth, and came back with neither." Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Sahih Bukhari)

Most Muslims know Ramadan. Fewer talk about these ten days. But every act of worship you already know, prayer, fasting, dhikr, Qur'an, and charity, is multiplied in reward during this short window.

What the ten days are

The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah run from 1 Dhul Hijjah to 10 Dhul Hijjah, the last day being Eid al-Adha. The ninth day is the Day of Arafah, the day on which pilgrims stand on the plain of Arafah. For those not performing Hajj, the Prophet ﷺ said fasting that day expiates the sins of the previous year and the year to come (Sahih Muslim).

This year, Dhul Hijjah is expected to begin in mid-May, subject to moon sighting. The ten days, and the peak giving window that comes with them, are a matter of weeks away, not months.

Why scholars emphasise charity in these days

Classical scholars noted that these ten days combine what no other days of the year combine. The major acts of worship (prayer, fasting, Hajj, and sacrifice) all sit inside the same short window. Every good deed earns more. That includes sadaqah.

There is no hadith that sets a specific multiplier. But the principle from the Bukhari hadith is clear: deeds done in these days are more beloved to Allah than deeds done on any other. A donation in Dhul Hijjah is the same money, on a better day.

A practical plan for the ten days

You do not need to wait until the tenth day. The whole window is the window. A few suggestions, all small, all sustainable:

• **Pick a daily sadaqah.** Even a few dollars a day, given on each of the ten days, keeps you giving throughout the window instead of only at the end.

• **Fast the Day of Arafah.** For those not performing Hajj, this is one of the heaviest acts of the year and costs nothing.

• **Dedicate a larger gift to a sadaqah jariyah.** A water well, a vocational training grant, a widow's monthly support. Something that keeps earning reward after the ten days end. We wrote about the wells in [Sadaqah Jariyah and the Water Wells](/blog/sadaqah-jariyah-and-the-water-wells).

• **Include your family.** Let your children pick a cause and a day. Sadaqah given on behalf of children counts for them, and the habit stays with them.

Where Ruhama fits

Ruhama supports orphans, widows, and families in Bangladesh and Egypt through a network of volunteers, with zero paid staff and 100% of donations going direct to families. During Dhul Hijjah, the cleanest thing we can say is this: if you were already planning to give, give in these ten days. Same donation, better day.

If you would like to time your gift for the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, you can give here and choose a cause at checkout. Both Zakat and general sadaqah are supported.

May Allah accept from all of us.