The first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah are among the most sacred in the Islamic year. The Prophet ﷺ said no other days are more beloved to Allah than these. For Aussie Muslims, the days begin around mid-May 2026 (subject to moon sighting), counting down to Eid ul-Adha and Qurban on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah — expected around 27 May 2026.
This guide is a simple, realistic, day-by-day plan for getting the most spiritual benefit out of these 10 days while you’re juggling work, school runs, gym, and life in Australia. Plus how Qurban — the obligation of day 10 — fits in.
If you’d like to lock in your Qurban before the days even begin, give Qurban from $180 →.
Why these 10 days matter
The first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah include:
The Day of Arafah (9th of Dhul Hijjah) — the day on which fasting (for non-pilgrims) expiates the sins of the previous and coming year, according to a well-known hadith.
Eid ul-Adha (10th of Dhul Hijjah) — the Festival of Sacrifice.
The days of Hajj for those performing pilgrimage in Makkah.
Worship in these days carries extra weight. Acts that may feel small at other times of the year — a couple of voluntary fasts, an extra du’a, a quick Sadaqah — carry disproportionate reward right now.
A day-by-day plan for Dhul Hijjah 2026
Dates below are approximate and depend on moon sighting. Verify with your local mosque or ARO’s Ramadan / Islamic calendar resources when available.
Day 1 — 1st of Dhul Hijjah (~18 May 2026)
Renew your intention. What do you want from these 10 days? Write it down — three lines, no more. “This Dhul Hijjah, I want to…”. Read once a day for the rest of the 10.
Day 2 — 2nd of Dhul Hijjah (~19 May 2026)
Increase dhikr. Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar. Aim for 100 of each — split across your commute, your coffee break, the walk to the kitchen.
Day 3 — 3rd of Dhul Hijjah (~20 May 2026)
Give Sadaqah. Even $10. Even $5. Pick a cause that’s on your heart. ARO options: Hunger Relief, Clean Water, Bushfire Emergency Appeal, Pakistan Flood Relief, Afghanistan Earthquake Relief.
Day 4 — 4th of Dhul Hijjah (~21 May 2026)
Lock in your Qurban — today. Don’t leave it any later. Choose your tier ($180 / $230 / $450) on the ARO Qurban 2026 page, donate, save the receipt for your 2025–26 tax return. Done. One less thing to forget.
Day 5 — 5th of Dhul Hijjah (~22 May 2026)
Recite Surah Al-Kahf (or as much as you can manage). Traditionally read on Fridays, but the longer recitations of Dhul Hijjah are a Sunnah well worth reviving.
Day 6 — 6th of Dhul Hijjah (~23 May 2026)
Fast a voluntary day if you’re able. Fasting any day in the first 9 of Dhul Hijjah carries significant reward. (Don’t fast on the 10th — Eid ul-Adha — that’s forbidden.)
Day 7 — 7th of Dhul Hijjah (~24 May 2026)
Reconcile a relationship. Call the relative you haven’t spoken to. Send the message you’ve been drafting in your head for months. Forgiveness counts as worship in these days.
Day 8 — 8th of Dhul Hijjah (~25 May 2026)
Read about the story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) — the sacrifice that Qurban commemorates. Start with ARO’s existing piece: The Story of Prophet Ibrahim and the Origins of Qurbani.
Day 9 — 9th of Dhul Hijjah — Day of Arafah (~26 May 2026)
The most important day of the year for non-pilgrims. Fast if you’re able. Make du’a — long, slow, specific du’a — particularly between Asr and Maghrib. This is the day the Prophet ﷺ said fasting expiates sins of the previous and coming year (Sahih Muslim).
If your Qurban isn’t given yet, give it now. Tomorrow morning the window opens — and once it closes, you cannot make it up.
Day 10 — 10th of Dhul Hijjah — Eid ul-Adha (~27 May 2026)
Eid prayer. Family. Food. Qurban. Your Qurban (already given through ARO) is performed on your behalf today. Spend the day with people you love. Call those you can’t be with. Eat well. The days of sacrifice continue through the 11th, 12th and 13th — Qurban donations must be received before the third day of Eid to be valid.
How Qurban fits the bigger picture of the 10 days
Qurban is the headline act of the 10 days, but it’s not the only practice. The first 9 days are about preparation — fasting, dhikr, Sadaqah, reflection — that primes the heart for the sacrifice of day 10. Donors who lock in Qurban early in the 10 days often find themselves walking through the rest of the period with more focus, because the obligation is already off their plate.
So if you take only one practical step from this guide: give your Qurban this week, not next.
A realistic note for Aussie Muslims juggling life
You don’t have to do all ten things. Pick three. Pick five. Pick one. The point of these days isn’t perfectionism — it’s more. More dhikr than yesterday. More gratitude. More patience. More giving. The bar is your own previous week’s effort, not someone else’s curated Instagram practice.
What matters most: don’t let the 10 days quietly pass without doing the obligation of day 10 — Qurban.
Give your Qurban 2026 early in the 10 days
The cleanest thing you can do this Dhul Hijjah is give Qurban on day 1, 2, or 3 — and let the rest of your worship in the 10 days be lighter for it.
Halal. Tax-deductible. Performed on your behalf in 11 countries. Australian Relief Organisation. ACNC Registered. DGR Endorsed. ABN: 60 159 966 659.
For the full Qurban 2026 picture, see our complete donor’s guide. For Qurban specifically for a deceased loved one, see our dedicated guide.