There are moments in the Islamic year when the veil between intention and reward feels extraordinarily thin — and the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are among the most powerful of them all. If you have been searching for a season to deepen your practice, to give a gift that carries genuine meaning, or simply to slow down and remember what matters, this is it.
What Makes the First Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah So Sacred in Islam?
The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah — beginning approximately 6th July 2026 — are widely regarded by Islamic scholars as the most virtuous days of the entire year. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." (Sahih al-Bukhari). This hadith alone is enough to set the heart alight. These are not ordinary days. They encompass the Day of Arafah (the 9th), considered the spiritual pinnacle of Hajj, and culminate in Eid al-Adha on the 10th — a global act of remembrance, sacrifice, and gratitude shared by millions of Muslims, including the pilgrims completing Hajj in Makkah at that very moment.
The significance is layered and ancient. Many scholars hold that the ten nights referenced in Surah Al-Fajr (89:2) — "By the ten nights" — refer precisely to these days of Dhul Hijjah, a view held by Ibn Abbas (RA) and a number of classical commentators. Whether you are performing Hajj this year or marking the season from your home in the UK, these ten days extend an invitation to every Muslim: to increase in worship, to give generously, to fast (particularly on the Day of Arafah), and above all, to remember Allah often.
Why Is Dhikr So Central to These Ten Days?
Among the acts of worship most emphasised during Dhul Hijjah, dhikr — the remembrance of Allah through repeated phrases — holds a place of particular beauty. Allah commands in the Quran: "...and remember Allah during the appointed days." (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:203). The Takbeer (Allahu Akbar), Tahmeed (Alhamdulillah), Tahleel (La ilaha illallah), and Tasbeeh (SubhanAllah) are the heartbeat of these days. They are to be spoken aloud, whispered in prayer, and carried quietly in the mind throughout daily life — at dawn, between tasks, before sleep.
This is precisely where the tasbih — prayer beads — becomes not merely an accessory but a devotional tool of real practical weight. Counting dhikr with a tasbih anchors the mind when it wanders. It transforms a commute, a quiet moment in the kitchen, or the pause before sleep into an act of worship. The physical rhythm of moving each bead through your fingers is, for many Muslims, inseparable from the spiritual rhythm of remembrance itself.
If you have never used one, or are looking to gift one to someone you love this Eid, our tasbih collection brings together pieces crafted with genuine care — from hand-knotted silk to beads of natural gemstone, each one made to accompany a lifetime of dhikr.
Does the Choice of Material in a Tasbih Actually Matter?
This is a question worth sitting with. There is no Islamic ruling that prescribes a specific material for prayer beads — what matters is the sincerity of the heart holding them. And yet, for many Muslims, the tactile quality of a tasbih does shape the experience of use. A bead that feels smooth and substantial in the hand invites a slower, more present kind of counting. A gemstone tasbih, warm from being held, becomes something that is reached for naturally, kept close, and passed down.
From a craft and gemological perspective, the stones most traditionally associated with Islamic devotional objects include turquoise, long prized across the Muslim world from Persia to the Ottoman Empire and believed in folk tradition to bring protection and clarity; aqeeq (carnelian), which holds a particularly honoured place in Sunnah tradition — the Prophet ﷺ is reported to have worn a carnelian ring — and lapis lazuli, whose deep celestial blue has adorned mosques and manuscripts for over a thousand years. These are not mere aesthetic choices. They are materials that carry history, culture, and a sense of sacred continuity through the hands of every person who has ever held them.
Explore the full range of our gemstone jewellery to find pieces that speak to you — whether for your own devotion or as a gift that will be treasured long after Eid.
How Can You Mark These Ten Days with Real Intention?
Intention is the hinge on which everything turns in Islam. The same ten days can pass in a blur of routine or be elevated into something genuinely transformative — the difference is almost entirely in the niyyah (intention) you set and the small, consistent acts you build around it. Here are some grounded ways to honour these days:
- Fast on the Day of Arafah (15th July 2026). The Prophet ﷺ said it expiates the sins of the previous and coming year. Even if you cannot fast the full ten days, this single fast is among the most rewarding in the entire Islamic calendar.
- Increase your Takbeer and Tasbeeh. Keep a tasbih close — on your desk, in your bag, by your bed. Let the beads do the counting so your heart can simply be present.
- Give sadaqah with intention. These days amplify the reward of every righteous deed. A gift given now — to a family member, a friend returning from Hajj, or a cause you believe in — lands differently when given in this sacred window.
- Recite Surah Al-Kahf on Friday 10th July. Many scholars recommend this as a regular Friday practice, and doing so during Dhul Hijjah adds another layer of blessing.
- Mark Eid al-Adha (6th–7th July 2026) as a genuine celebration. Not just of food and family, but of Ibrahim (AS) and his willingness to surrender everything to Allah. Wear something that feels significant. Give something that will last.
What Makes a Gift Truly Meaningful During Dhul Hijjah?
If you are choosing a gift for someone performing Hajj, returning from pilgrimage, or simply for a family member whose faith inspires you, the most resonant gifts during this season are those that accompany worship rather than simply sitting on a shelf. A beautifully crafted tasbih. A piece of spiritual jewellery in a gemstone with personal meaning. A gift set chosen with thought rather than haste.
The act of gifting itself is a sunnah — the Prophet ﷺ encouraged exchanging gifts as a means of cultivating love between hearts. When that gift is chosen during the most blessed days of the year, given with a sincere dua for the recipient, it carries something intangible that purely transactional gifting cannot replicate.
Browse our spiritual gifts collection for curated pieces suited to Eid al-Adha, Hajj returns, and every meaningful occasion in between. And if you would like to explore the full breadth of what we offer, our complete collections are a gentle place to begin.
A Practical Takeaway: Your First Ten Days Intention Plan
Before 6th July arrives, take five quiet minutes to write down one thing you want to do more of during these ten days and one person you want to honour with a meaningful gift or gesture. Pin it somewhere you will see it each morning. Let your tasbih be the thread that ties your days together — picked up at dawn, counted between meetings, set down at night with gratitude.
These ten days are not asking you to be perfect. They are asking you to be present. And in that presence — in the turning of each bead, in the whispered SubhanAllah, in the gift chosen with love — there is more worship than you might imagine.
May Allah accept from all of us. Ameen.
