Dhul-Qadah Date Today — Sacred 11th Month 1448 AH

Dhul-Qadah Today: The Sacred Month Before Hajj

Dhul-Qadah is the eleventh month of the Hijri year, the first of the two consecutive sacred months that close the year, and the month of sitting still: its name points to settling down, because pilgrims once paused their journeys here before the Hajj season. Like Rajab, it is a sacred month, a time for extra care in conduct and for preparation rather than for celebration. Modern pilgrims feel that meaning directly, as Dhul-Qadah is when visas, vaccinations, packing, and group arrangements are finalised.

Its historical anchor is the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, concluded in 6 AH, a truce that opened the road to Makkah and proved more fruitful than any battle of its era. That memory suits the month's character: patience, negotiation, and a long view rather than confrontation. Dhul-Qadah runs 29 or 30 days by moon sighting, and its final days are the bridge into Dhul-Hijjah, when the pilgrimage rites themselves begin. Families at home can also use the month to arrange care for elders, cover household duties, and prepare welcome plans for returning pilgrims.

A pilgrim's count makes the month concrete. If today is the 10th of Dhul-Qadah, then about nineteen or twenty days remain before Dhul-Hijjah, and the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah, the first Hajj day, is roughly twenty-seven or twenty-eight days away. If today is the 25th, departure is days away and last checks, documents, and family farewells should already be done.

Questions visitors ask about this page

Why is Dhul-Qadah a month of preparation?

Dhul-Qadah precedes the Hajj month, so pilgrims traditionally settled travel plans here, and its sacred character encourages calm preparation rather than haste.

What is the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah?

Concluded in 6 AH, the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was a truce between the Muslims of Madinah and Makkah that opened the road to pilgrimage and proved decisive for the years that followed.