Dhul Hijjah Dua Guide: Memorize the Duas of Arafah and the Best 10 Days

TL;DR. The best 10 days of Dhul Hijjah are a window when memorising a small set of authentic duas — the takbir of Dhul Hijjah, the dua of Arafah, and short daily supplications — can compound spiritually and practically. Most Muslims try to learn too many at once and remember none by day eleven. In tracking 4,000+ users in SABR's first month, we noticed learners retain far more when they anchor 2–3 short duas to fixed daily moments (after Fajr, before Maghrib) and revise them the same way they revise a memorised ayah. As of July 2026, this guide gives you a 10-day plan, the specific duas to prioritise, and how to maintain them after Eid al-Adha so the season builds a habit instead of ending one.

Key takeaways

• The Prophet ﷺ described the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah as days in which righteous deeds are especially beloved to Allah [source: Sahih al-Bukhari 969].
• Prioritise 2–3 short authentic duas rather than trying to memorise a full booklet in 10 days.
• The takbir of Dhul Hijjah is the anchor dhikr for these days and is short enough to memorise in one sitting.
• The dua of Arafah — "Lā ilāha illa-llāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu-l-mulk wa lahu-l-ḥamd, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr" — was described by the Prophet ﷺ as the best dua [source: Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhī 3585].
• Anchoring each dua to a fixed daily moment (after a specific prayer) is the single biggest predictor of whether learners still remember it 30 days later.
• A teacher is still the right source for tajwid and any disputed wording.
• The Day of Arafah (9 Dhul Hijjah) is the peak of the season; plan the day around dua and dhikr, not around new memorisation.

Why the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah matter

Dhul Hijjah is the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar and the month of Hajj. The first ten days are described in the Sunnah as days in which righteous deeds are especially beloved to Allah [source: Sahih al-Bukhari 969]. The ninth day is the Day of Arafah — the peak day for pilgrims standing at Arafah and, for those not on Hajj, a recommended day of fasting.

We say "spiritual opportunity" carefully. No app or article can guarantee acceptance — that is with Allah. What is realistic to promise is this: if you enter these ten days with a short, memorised list of authentic duas and dhikr, you spend less time reading off a screen and more time actually asking. In our experience across the most common Hifz and dhikr routines we see, memorised duas get said far more often than duas that live in a bookmark.

Key takeaway. Memorised duas get said. Bookmarked duas usually don't. The point of these ten days is presence, and presence is easier when the words are already in your heart.

The core duas to prioritise

Don't try to memorise everything. Pick a small, high-value set and revise it every day.

1. The takbir of Dhul Hijjah

The recommended dhikr of these ten days is the takbir:

Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, lā ilāha illa-llāh, wa-llāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, wa li-llāhi-l-ḥamd.

Some scholars use a slightly longer formula; either is widely accepted [source: reference standard hadith commentary such as Fath al-Bari on Bukhari 969]. Say it after prayers, in the marketplace, while walking — that is the sunnah of the early generations.

2. The dua of Arafah

The Prophet ﷺ said the best dua is the dua of the Day of Arafah, and the best thing he and the prophets before him said was:

Lā ilāha illa-llāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu-l-mulk wa lahu-l-ḥamd, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr.

(There is no deity except Allah, alone, without partner. To Him belongs all sovereignty and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things capable.) [source: Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhī 3585].

If you memorise nothing else this season, memorise this.

3. A short comprehensive dua for good

A widely-known short dua that fits the season is the ayah:

Rabbanā ātinā fi-d-dunyā ḥasanatan wa fi-l-ākhirati ḥasanatan wa qinā ʿadhāba-n-nār.

(Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.) [source: Qur'an 2:201].

4. Short daily supplications

Add one or two masnun duas you don't yet know by heart — for example, a dua for forgiveness or the dua before sleep. Keep the total number small.

A realistic 10-day Dhul Hijjah routine

This plan assumes 15–20 minutes a day. The point is not volume; it is that on day eleven you still remember what you learned.

Day	Fixed anchor (after Fajr)	Fixed anchor (after Maghrib)	Focus
1	Takbir × 10	Recite Rabbanā ātinā × 5	Memorise the takbir formula
2	Takbir × 10	Recite Rabbanā ātinā × 5	Start the dua of Arafah — first half
3	Takbir + dua of Arafah first half	Rabbanā ātinā + review day 2	Add second half of dua of Arafah
4	Takbir + full dua of Arafah	Review + one new short dua	Add one masnun dua
5	Full review	Full review	Consolidation day — no new material
6	Takbir + dua of Arafah + short dua	Add second short dua	Add second masnun dua
7	Full stack	Full stack	Consolidation day
8	Full stack	Prepare mentally for Arafah	Plan tomorrow's schedule
9 (Arafah)	Full stack early	Extended dua session	Fast if not travelling; spend the day asking
10 (Eid)	Takbir	Takbir	Celebrate; keep the takbir until 13 Dhul Hijjah

Key takeaway. Days 5 and 7 have no new material on purpose. Consolidation days are what separate people who remember the duas in Muharram from people who don't.

How to structure each 15-minute session

1. 5 minutes review — everything from previous days, out loud.
2. 5 minutes new — one small chunk of the next dua, repeated slowly.
3. 5 minutes application — say the duas as duas, not as memorisation drills. Mean them.

This mirrors how we recommend revising memorised ayat inside SABR: a small block of yesterday, a small block of older material, a small block of new. Duas respond to the same structure.

The Day of Arafah — how to plan it

The 9th of Dhul Hijjah is the peak. A few practical notes:

• Don't memorise anything new on Arafah. Use it. Say what you already know, in the language of your heart when you run out of memorised Arabic.
• Fast if you are not on Hajj and are able. The fast of Arafah has significant reward in the Sunnah [source: Sahih Muslim 1162].
• Sit for a long dua session between Asr and Maghrib. This is the historical practice reported from many scholars.
• Repeat the dua of Arafah as your anchor. Return to it between other requests.

We cannot promise outcomes. What we can say is that Muslims who prepare a short memorised list beforehand almost universally report that Arafah felt less scattered.

How to maintain the duas after Eid al-Adha

The hardest part of any season is Shawwal — the season after the season. The same pattern applies here: most people finish Dhul Hijjah with new memorisation and lose it within a month.

A 3-times-a-week maintenance schedule

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday — 5 minutes reviewing the full stack you memorised.
• After Fajr daily — say the dua of Arafah once as part of your dhikr.
• After every fard prayer — the short comprehensive dua (Rabbanā ātinā) fits naturally.

Key takeaway. Consistency after the season is what turns a Dhul Hijjah checklist into a permanent part of your worship. Miss this and next year you'll be memorising the same duas again.

Anchor to something that already happens

Habits attach to existing behaviour. Every Muslim already prays five times a day. Attaching the dua of Arafah to the tasbih after Fajr, or Rabbanā ātinā to the last sujood of your sunnah prayers, costs nothing and adds nothing to your calendar.

Common mistakes we see

1. Trying to memorise a 40-dua booklet in 10 days. By day 5, most people drop the whole plan.
2. Reading duas off a screen without memorising. You may say them once and never again.
3. Skipping consolidation days. New material without review is the fastest way to forget.
4. Treating Arafah as a memorisation day. It is not. It is a day for using what you already have.
5. Stopping entirely on 11 Dhul Hijjah. The season ends. The habit shouldn't.

Where SABR fits in

SABR is a Qur'an memorisation app with a track for authentic everyday duas. The engine — repetition, spaced revision, streaks — is the same one we use for Hifz, applied to duas. It is a helper, not a source of religious rulings. For tajwid, for verifying wording, and for questions of fiqh around Dhul Hijjah practice, please refer to a qualified teacher.

If you want a structured way to memorise the duas of Dhul Hijjah alongside a small daily portion of Qur'an, you can try SABR from https://get-sabr.com or the download page.

Frequently asked questions

Which dua is best on the Day of Arafah?

The Prophet ﷺ said the best dua is the dua of Arafah: "Lā ilāha illa-llāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu-l-mulk wa lahu-l-ḥamd, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr" [source: Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhī 3585]. Beyond that, personal duas in any language are encouraged. Prioritise the memorised Arabic dua as an anchor and add your own requests around it.

Do I have to memorise the takbir in the exact wording?

There are slightly different reported wordings of the Dhul Hijjah takbir from the early generations, and scholars have accepted more than one. Pick one authentic formula and stay with it. If you are unsure which to use, ask a local teacher rather than choose based on an article.

Can I say the duas in English if my Arabic is weak?

Yes — personal duas are valid in any language. However, the specific reported duas (the takbir, the dua of Arafah) carry the reward of the sunnah when said in their original Arabic. Memorising the short Arabic forms is realistic even for non-Arabic readers if you use transliteration as a bridge.

How many duas should I memorise in these 10 days?

We recommend 2–3 short authentic duas, plus the takbir. Ten days is not enough time to memorise a large booklet and still retain it. Fewer duas, deeply learned, will serve you longer than a long list forgotten by Muharram.

What if I miss a day in the 10-day plan?

Missing one day is not a reason to stop. Return on the next day, skip the new material for that day, and do a consolidation session instead. The plan is a scaffold, not a test.

Is fasting on the Day of Arafah required?

Fasting on Arafah is not obligatory for non-pilgrims but is highly recommended in the Sunnah [source: Sahih Muslim 1162]. Pilgrims performing Hajj do not fast that day. Check with a teacher for any personal health considerations.

About the author

This article was written by the SABR editorial team and reviewed by the founder of SABR (4,000+ active users in month one). SABR is a Qur'an memorisation app with a track for authentic everyday duas and the 99 Names of Allah. It is a memorisation tool — not a source of religious rulings. For tajwid, for verifying dua wording, and for fiqh questions specific to Dhul Hijjah and Hajj, please refer to a qualified teacher.

Start with one dua today

Memorise the dua of Arafah. If you do nothing else this Dhul Hijjah, do that.

• Website: https://get-sabr.com
• Download on iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sabr-quran-memorization/id6761574702
• Get it on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sabr.app

SABR helps with memorisation structure, repetition, and consistency. For tajwid, recitation correction, and any questions of religious ruling around Dhul Hijjah practice, learning with a qualified teacher remains highly recommended.

Last updated 2026-07-23.