There are days so sacred that the Prophet ﷺ said no good deeds performed on any other days are more beloved to Allah than those performed on these. If you have ever held a strand of tasbih beads in your hands at Fajr and felt, even briefly, that the world had stilled around you — you already understand, intuitively, what the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are for.
The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are the most virtuous days of the entire Islamic year, described in authentic hadith as surpassing even the last ten nights of Ramadan in the reward of daytime deeds. For Muslims in the UK and around the world, they represent an unparalleled window for worship, reflection, giving, and drawing closer to Allah ﷻ — and this year, with Dhul Hijjah beginning around 27 June 2026 and Eid al-Adha falling on 6 July 2026, that sacred window opens right now.
In this guide, we explore why these ten days carry such immense weight, how you can structure your daily dhikr practice around them, and how a thoughtfully chosen tasbih or intention-setting gemstone piece can become far more than an accessory — it can become an anchor for your heart.
Why Are the First Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah So Significant?
Allah ﷻ swears by these days in Surah Al-Fajr — "By the dawn, and by the ten nights" (89:1–2) — and scholars of tafsir across the centuries, from Ibn Kathir to Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, have understood this oath to refer to the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. When Allah swears by something in the Qur'an, it signals to the believer that this is a matter of profound importance.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "There are no days during which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." The companions asked whether even jihad for the sake of Allah was surpassed, and he ﷺ confirmed: yes — except for a man who goes out with his life and wealth and returns with neither. (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Within these ten days sits the Day of Arafah — the ninth of Dhul Hijjah — which carries its own extraordinary promise: fasting on that day expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year. And then comes Eid al-Adha, the day of gratitude, sacrifice, and community.
For those of us not making Hajj this year, these days are our own pilgrimage of the heart.
What Is the Best Way to Use Tasbih During Dhul Hijjah?
The scholars recommend increasing four particular forms of dhikr during these blessed days, as mentioned in authentic narrations: Tahlil (Lā ilāha illallāh), Takbir (Allāhu Akbar), Tahmid (Alhamdulillāh), and Tasbih (SubḥānAllāh). These are to be said abundantly — aloud in the home, whispered on the commute, counted on the beads of your tasbih while the kettle boils or before sleep.
A quality tasbih is not merely a counting tool. It is a physical invitation to return. Every time your fingers close around the beads, there is a moment of pause — a micro-intention — and that pause, multiplied across ten sacred days, builds something real inside you.
Here is a simple structure many find meaningful during Dhul Hijjah:
- After Fajr: 33 counts of SubḥānAllāh, 33 of Alhamdulillāh, 33 of Allāhu Akbar, completing with Lā ilāha illallāh — a well-established Sunnah practice to begin the day in a state of remembrance.
- Mid-morning: An intention to perform at least one voluntary act of worship — even two rak'ahs of Duha — held in mind as you hold your tasbih.
- Before Maghrib: A moment of stillness with your beads, making du'a for yourself, your family, and the Ummah.
- After Isha through to sleep: Continuous, gentle recitation — no target, just presence.
The gemstone beads in a handcrafted tasbih add something subtle but real to this practice: texture, weight, and beauty that engage the senses and gently signal to the mind that this time is set apart.
Which Gemstones Hold Significance for Islamic Spiritual Practice?
This is where tradition and the natural world meet in a way that feels quietly miraculous. Gemstones have been prized in the Islamic world for over a millennium — not for superstition, but for their beauty as reflections of Allah's creation, and for the grounding, calming properties that many believers have always found in wearing or handling natural stone.
It is worth noting that Islamic tradition, including narrations recorded in hadith literature, speaks warmly of certain stones. The Prophet ﷺ wore an aqeeq (carnelian) ring, and scholars from Ibn al-Qayyim to later Ottoman craftsmen wrote about the virtues of wearing natural gemstones with the right intention — as adornment, as gratitude for creation, and as a reminder of the One who made all things beautiful.
At Luxury R Visible, we source our gemstones with this intention in mind. Here is how specific stones connect to the spiritual needs of these ten days:
Amethyst — For Stillness and Inner Calm
The deep violet of amethyst has been associated with tranquillity across many spiritual traditions, and many who handle it during dhikr describe a genuine quietening of mental noise. For the sister or brother who finds it hard to switch off a busy mind and be present in prayer, an amethyst tasbih or bracelet can serve as a gentle sensory cue: this is time for stillness.
Lapis Lazuli — For Clarity and Elevated Thought
One of the oldest gemstones in human spiritual and artistic history, lapis lazuli — with its night-sky blue and gold flecks — has adorned mosques, manuscripts, and jewellery across the Islamic world from Andalusia to Persia. It is associated with clarity of thought and elevated intention. Holding lapis lazuli beads while making the Takbirat of Dhul Hijjah can feel like an act of honouring something ancient and sacred.
Black Onyx — For Grounding and Protection
Black onyx holds a meaningful place in Islamic jewellery tradition. Solid, smooth, and deeply grounding in the hand, it is often associated with steadfastness and protection from distraction — qualities every worshipper needs when trying to sustain ten days of heightened devotion against the demands of daily life. A black onyx tasbih for Fajr feels like an act of intention in itself.
Rose Quartz — For Gratitude and Compassionate Heart-Opening
The Days of Dhul Hijjah, culminating in the sacrifice of Eid al-Adha, are also about the heart: Ibrahim's ﷺ willingness to give what he loved most. Rose quartz, soft and warm to the touch, is often chosen by those who wish to cultivate a more open, grateful, loving presence in their worship — a heart less defended, more present.
How to Set an Intention With Your Jewellery Before Worship
Before you reach for your tasbih or put on a gemstone bracelet, try this simple practice drawn from the Islamic concept of niyyah — conscious intention:
- Hold the piece in both hands for a moment before you begin.
- Say Bismillah quietly.
- Name your intention aloud or in your heart: "I intend this dhikr for the pleasure of Allah alone, in these blessed days."
- Begin.
This takes less than thirty seconds. But it transforms the act from habit into worship. The jewellery becomes a threshold — something you cross from the ordinary into the intentional.
The Gift That Carries Reward Beyond Eid
If you are thinking of someone in your life who would benefit from support in their spiritual practice — a mother who has always wanted a beautiful tasbih but never bought one for herself, a newly practising friend finding their feet, a husband who keeps meaning to revive his dhikr — a gemstone tasbih or Islamic jewellery piece gifted in these ten days carries a beauty beyond the physical.
You are gifting someone a tool for worship at the most rewarding time of the Islamic year. Every SubḥānAllāh they count on those beads in Dhul Hijjah, and beyond, is an act of goodness that can extend to you through the intention of your giving. This is sadaqah in its most personal, most thoughtful form.
Browse our full spiritual gifts collection or explore the complete Luxury R Visible range — every piece is chosen with care for both beauty and meaning.
With Eid al-Adha on 6 July 2026, last orders for pre-Eid delivery are approaching — but more importantly, the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah have already begun. The reward is available right now, today, in whatever form of worship you can offer.
Your Practical Takeaway: A Dhul Hijjah Dhikr Starter Plan
You do not need to overhaul your life in ten days. You need a few anchors. Here is a simple, sustainable plan:
- Choose one tasbih or gemstone piece to dedicate to your Dhul Hijjah practice — keep it by your prayer mat or on your wrist as a wearable reminder.
- Set a daily dhikr minimum you can realistically keep — even 33 counts after each salah is enough to begin. Consistency over the ten days is the goal.
- Fast on the Day of Arafah (9th Dhul Hijjah, approximately 5 July 2026) if your health allows — this sunnah fast carries extraordinary reward.
- Make Eid al-Adha meaningful — give your Eid gift with a word of spiritual encouragement, not just as an exchange. A tasbih with a note about these ten days is a gift that keeps giving.
- Hold your niyyah lightly but firmly — if you miss a session, do not abandon the ten days. Return to your beads at the next prayer. The door remains open until Maghrib of the 10th.
These days were made for you. May Allah ﷻ accept from all of us, and may your worship in this sacred time leave marks of light in your heart that remain long after Eid has passed.
— The Luxury R Visible Team
