Dhul Hijjah 2027: the first ten days
Their merit, fasting, the takbir, Eid al-Adha and the sacrifice
The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah 2027 (1448 AH) are expected to begin on Friday, May 7, 2027, according to the Umm al-Qura calendar. The Prophet ﷺ said no days are dearer to Allah for good deeds. The 9th is the day of Arafah, the 10th Eid al-Adha. The date depends on the moon sighting in your country.
When does Dhul Hijjah 2027 start?
According to the Umm al-Qura calendar, the first of the ten days falls on Friday, May 7, 2027, the day of Arafah on Saturday, May 15, 2027 and Eid al-Adha on Sunday, May 16, 2027. The month begins at sunset the evening before, and each country confirms it by sighting the moon: check with your mosque.
| Moment | Hijri date | Estimated date |
|---|---|---|
| First of the ten days | 1 Dhû al-Hijja 1448 | Friday, May 7, 2027 |
| Day of Arafah | 9 Dhû al-Hijja 1448 | Saturday, May 15, 2027 |
| Eid al-Adha | 10 Dhû al-Hijja 1448 | Sunday, May 16, 2027 |
| Days of tashriq | 11 to 13 Dhû al-Hijja 1448 | Monday, May 17, 2027 to Wednesday, May 19, 2027 |
The merit of the first ten days
Surah Al-Fajr opens with an oath by the dawn and by ten nights, which most commentators on the Quran understand as the first ten nights of Dhu al-Hijjah.
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وَٱلْفَجْرِ
wal-fajr
By the dawn
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وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ
walayālin ʿashr
And [by] ten nights
The Prophet ﷺ said that no days are dearer to Allah for good deeds than these ten days; not even striving in the path of Allah surpasses them, except for one who sets out with his life and wealth and comes back with nothing.
What to do during these ten days?
Prayer, reading the Quran, remembering Allah, charity and fasting: each according to their means. One page of the Quran read with care every day is worth more than a big plan left unfinished.
The four schools consider it recommended to fast the first nine days, or some of them. The most recommended is the 9th, the day of Arafah, for those not on pilgrimage.
One of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ reported that he fasted the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijjah, the day of Ashura and three days every month.
The takbir of Dhul Hijjah
The takbir means proclaiming the greatness of Allah. During these days many say it often, along with the tahlil and the tahmid, at home, in the market, after the prayers.
When to start it, its wording, and whether it is said after every prayer: schools and mosques differ. Follow the practice of your mosque.
Verse 203 of Surah Al-Baqarah asks believers to remember Allah over a few days, which commentators identify as the days of tashriq, 11 to 13 Dhu al-Hijjah, when His greatness is proclaimed. Verse 2:203 in Surah Al-Baqarah
Umm ʿAtiyyah reported that on the day of Eid the women went out too, all of them, to say the takbir and supplicate with the people, hoping for the good of that day.
Eid al-Adha 2027
Eid al-Adha, the festival of the sacrifice, falls on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah: Sunday, May 16, 2027 according to the Umm al-Qura calendar. The day begins with the Eid prayer, then comes the sacrifice for those who offer it.
The Prophet ﷺ said that the day of Eid al-Adha begins with the prayer, then comes the sacrifice; an animal slaughtered before the prayer is only meat for one’s family, not a sacrifice.
ʿUmar reported that the Prophet ﷺ forbade fasting on two days: the day of Eid al-Fitr and the day of Eid al-Adha, when people eat from their sacrifice.
The sacrifice (udhiyah)
The sacrifice is offered after the Eid prayer and during the days that follow: until 12 Dhu al-Hijjah for most schools, until the 13th for the Shafi‘is. For the animal, its age, sharing the meat or sharing one sacrifice among several people, the rules vary between schools: ask the imam of your mosque.
Verse 37 of Surah Al-Hajj reminds that neither the meat nor the blood of the sacrificed animals reaches Allah: it is piety that reaches Him. Verse 22:37 in Surah Al-Hajj
The Prophet ﷺ told whoever intends to offer a sacrifice to take nothing from their hair or nails once the ten days have begun.
The days of tashriq
The three days after Eid, 11 to 13 Dhu al-Hijjah (Monday, May 17, 2027 to Wednesday, May 19, 2027 according to the Umm al-Qura calendar), are the days of tashriq. They are not days of fasting: the hadith calls them days of eating, drinking and remembering Allah.
The Prophet ﷺ said that the days of tashriq are days of eating, drinking and remembering Allah.
Frequently asked questions
When do the ten days of Dhul Hijjah 2027 begin?
On Friday, May 7, 2027, according to the Umm al-Qura calendar. The month begins at sunset the evening before, and the actual date depends on the moon sighting in your country: it may differ by a day.
Do I have to fast the first nine days?
It is not an obligation, but the four schools consider this fast recommended, all or some of it; the day of Arafah is the most recommended. A wife of the Prophet ﷺ reported that he fasted these nine days (the hadith shown above); ʿA’ishah said she never saw him fast the ten days (Sahih Muslim 1176), and scholars reconcile the two reports. For your situation, ask the imam of your mosque for advice.
Can I cut my hair or nails during these days?
The hadith’s instruction concerns whoever offers a sacrifice, until they have offered it. Schools differ: the Hanbalis make it an obligation, the Malikis and Shafi‘is a recommendation, and the Hanafis allow cutting them. Ask the imam of your mosque.
What is the date of Eid al-Adha 2027?
Sunday, May 16, 2027, according to the Umm al-Qura calendar: 10 Dhu al-Hijjah. Check with your mosque: the date may differ by a day between countries.
Tilawa editorial team · Updated 2026-10-25 · Report an error