What is Dhul Hijjah? 5 Essential Facts to Teach Your Children (Plus Free Activity Pack!)

Does it ever feel like the “Best Ten Days” sneak up on you? We often spend months planning and preparing our homes for Ramadan, but then find ourselves halfway through Dhul Hijjah before we’ve even realized it’s started. There seems to be an endless supply of resources and information out there for Ramadan, but far fewer Dhul Hijjah activities for kids, even though Dhul-Hijjah contains the most blessed days of the entire year.

It is so important for us to teach our kids about the weight of this month so they can learn to take advantage of it. Our children will likely only go on Hajj once in their lives—insha’Allah more—but they will have this incredible opportunity for extra rewards and khair every single year right from home.

To help you pass these lessons down authentically without the fluff, here are 5 researched, evidence-based facts pulled directly from our dhul hijjah activities for kids free resource pack.

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1. It is the 12th Month and One of the Four Sacred Months

Dhul Hijjah is the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar. In Surah At-Tawbah (9:36), Allah states that out of the twelve months, four are sacred. Dhul Hijjah is one of these four, alongside Muharram, Rajab, and Thul-Qi’dah. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar and follows the moon, Dhul Hijjah arrives 10–11 days earlier each year on the Gregorian calendar.

2. They are the Best 10 Days of the Year

The first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah are the best days of the entire year for performing righteous deeds. Their significance is established directly in the Qur’an, where Allah swears by them in Surah Al-Fajr (89:1-2): “By the dawn. And [by] the ten nights.”

Furthermore, the Prophet (ﷺ) explicitly stated: “The best days in the world are the ten days.” (Ibn Hibbān, Al-Bazzār, declared saheeh by Al-Albānī) .

The flipbook pictured is taken from the Dhul Hijjah activities for kids pack. Kids really like the hands-on learning and it’s great for madrasah Dhul-Hijjah activities and homeschool co-op meet ups.

3. The Reward for Good Deeds Outweighs Jihad

To teach children the sheer weight of these days, we look to the hadith narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that there are no days where righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten. When the Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, not even Jihad in Allāh’s cause?” the Prophet (ﷺ) replied: “Not even Jihad in Allah’s cause, except for the man who left out with life and his wealth and does not return back.” (Abu Dawud, graded saheeh by Al-Albānī) .

4. Fasting on the Day of Arafah Expiates Two Years of Sins

The 9th of Dhul Hijjah is the Day of Arafah, the day when pilgrims gather at Mount Arafah to supplicate for forgiveness. For Muslims who are not performing Hajj, fasting on this specific day is highly encouraged and carries a precise reward. The Prophet (ﷺ) stated that fasting on the Day of Arafah “expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year.” (Muslim) .

5. Eid al-Adha and the Rulings of Udhiyyah (Sacrifice)

Celebrated on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, Eid al-Adha commemorates the historical account of Prophet Ibrahim (عليه السلام) and his willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Allah. For families who can afford it, the offering of Udhiyyah (the sacrificial animal) must take place strictly after the Eid prayer, between the 10th and 13th of the month.

Your children can learn the strict age requirements for the allowed animals:

• Sheep & Goats: Must be at least 1 year old.
• Cows: Must be at least 2 years old (can be shared by 7 people).
• Camels: Must be at least 5 years old (can be shared by 7 people).

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Download the Free Dhul Hijjah Activities for Kids Pack

If you want to bring these specific facts into your lesson planning, you can download our complimentary information and activity pack. It is designed with clear evidence and hands-on layouts to help children retain these details independently.

What is included inside the Dhul Hijjah activities for kids pack:

• A-MAZE-ING Facts Maze: An interactive maze that requires children to answer True or False questions based on the structural facts of the month (like verifying that Eid is on the 10th, not the 9th) to find their way out.
• The “BEST 10 DAYS” Flapbook: A structured, multi-layer flapbook template that kids align, staple, and fill out to record their own research notes.
• Daily Deed Tracker: Practical check-boxes to help kids implement the Sunnah acts of Dhul Hijjah, including daily prayers, giving charity, reading Qur’an, and practicing the specific words of Takbeer.

[Get your copy at www.teachmeislam.org/days]