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12-Feb-2026 
The 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah, known as Yawm al-Tarwiyah, holds a unique layer of poignancy. While it is the first day of the Hajj rituals for pilgrims, for followers of the Ahlul Bayt, it is also remembered as the day Imam Hussain (as) converted his Hajj into Umrah and departed from Makkah toward Karbala in 60 AH to safeguard the sanctity of the Kaaba.
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The 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah represents a “Choice of Truth.” While the crowds were moving toward Mina to seek personal salvation, Imam Hussain (as) was moving toward Iraq to seek the salvation of the Ummah.
It is narrated that when asked why he was leaving during the Hajj, the Imam (as) indicated that he did not want his blood to be shed within the sanctuary of Makkah, thereby preserving the holiness of the Kaaba for all time. This teaches us that true worship is not just performing rituals, but standing for justice at the right time.
“Tarwiyah” means “to quench the thirst.” While pilgrims quench their thirst with water in Makkah today, the followers of the Ahlul Bayt begin a journey of spiritual thirst — a thirst for justice, a thirst for the proximity of the Imam, and a thirst that would eventually be immortalized on the sands of Karbala.
Fasting on the 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah is highly emphasized.
Significance: According to Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as), fasting on this day acts as an expiation (Kaffarah) for 60 years of sins. (Mafatih ul Jinan pg no. 496)
Intention: To seek closeness to Allah (Qurbatan ilAllah) on this blessed day of Tarwiyah.
Performing a ritual bath (Ghusl) on this day is Mustahab (recommended). It is best performed close to the time of Dhuhr prayers to achieve physical and spiritual purity.
Because this is the day the Imam (as) began his final journey to Iraq, it is a day of reflection and grief.
Ziyarat of Imam Hussain (as): It is highly recommended to recite the Ziyarat of the Imam. If you cannot recite a long version, a simple salutation toward Karbala suffices:
“السلام عليك يا أبا عبد الله”
“Assalamu Alayka ya Aba Abdillah.”
Reflection: Reflect on the Imam’s sacrifice and how he left the sanctuary of Makkah to protect the essence of Islam, teaching us that the spirit of the faith is more sacred than even the walls of the Kaaba.
Daily Dua for the First 10 Days: Recite the specific supplication for the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah recorded in Mafatih al-Jinan, beginning with:
“O Allah, these are the days which You have preferred over all other days…” (Allahumma hadhihil ayyamul lati faddaltaha…)
Dua al-Mashlool: Often recommended for those seeking relief from burdens, as it is a powerful plea for mercy.
The night following the 8th (the Eve of Arafah) is one of the four most sacred nights in the year.
Amaal of the Night: It is a night of forgiveness. It is recommended to stay awake in worship if possible.
Preparation: Use the afternoon of the 8th to prepare your “Dua List” for the Great Day of Arafah tomorrow.
In the blessed month of Dhu’l-Hijjah, the pious companions of the Holy Prophet and their followers used to do acts of worship extraordinarily. The first ten days of this month are called al-ayyam al-ma’lumat (The Stated Days) by the Holy Qur’an. About these highly honorable days, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said that nothing is more preferable to Almighty Allah than practicing acts of worship on these ten stated days.
It is recommended to observe fasting on the first nine days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, for it is equal to the fasting of one’s whole lifetime.
At each of these ten nights, it is recommended to offer a two unit prayer between the Maghrib and Isha’ obligatory prayers and to recite at each unit Surah al-Fātiḥah once, Surah al-Tawḥīd once, and the following verse (7/142):
وَ وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ ثَلَاثِينَ لَيْلَةً وَ أَتْمَمْنَاهَا بِعَشْرٍ فَتَمَّ مِيقَاتُ رَبِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً وَ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِأَخِيهِ هَارُونَ اخْلُفْنِي فِي قَوْمِي وَ أَصْلِحْ وَ لَا تَتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
The reward of offering this prayer is to participate in the rewards of those who go on Hajj.
It is recommended to say the following supplication, which is reported by Shaykh al-Tusi and Sayyid Ibn Tawus from Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as), after the obligatory Fajr and Maghrib Prayers since the first day of Dhu’l-Hijjah and up to the eve of the ‘Arafat Night, the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah:
اَللَّهُمَّ هَذِهِ الْأَيَّامُ الَّتِي فَضَّلْتَهَا عَلَى الْأَيَّامِ وَ شَرَّفْتَهَا قَدْ بَلَّغْتَنِيهَا بِمَنِّكَ وَ رَحْمَتِكَ فَأَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ بَرَكَاتِكَ وَ أَوْسِعْ عَلَيْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ نَعْمَائِكَ اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَنْ تَهْدِيَنَا فِيهَا لِسَبِيلِ الْهُدَى وَ الْعَفَافِ وَ الْغِنَى وَ الْعَمَلِ فِيهَا بِمَا تُحِبُّ وَ تَرْضَى
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يَا مَوْضِعَ كُلِّ شَكْوَى وَ يَا سَامِعَ كُلِّ نَجْوَى وَ يَا شَاهِدَ كُلِّ مَلَإٍ وَ يَا عَالِمَ كُلِّ خَفِيَّةٍ أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَنْ تَكْشِفَ عَنَّا فِيهَا الْبَلَاءَ وَ تَسْتَجِيبَ لَنَا فِيهَا الدُّعَاءَ وَ تُقَوِّيَنَا فِيهَا وَ تُعِينَنَا وَ تُوَفِّقَنَا فِيهَا لِمَا تُحِبُّ رَبَّنَا وَ تَرْضَى وَ عَلَى مَا افْتَرَضْتَ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ طَاعَتِكَ وَ طَاعَةِ رَسُولِكَ وَ أَهْلِ وِلَايَتِكَ
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَ أَنْ تَهَبَ لَنَا فِيهَا الرِّضَا إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ وَ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا خَيْرَ مَا تُنْزِلُ فِيهَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَ طَهِّرْنَا مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ يَا عَلَّامَ الْغُيُوبِ وَ أَوْجِبْ لَنَا فِيهَا دَارَ الْخُلُودِ
اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ لَا تَتْرُكْ لَنَا فِيهَا ذَنْباً إِلَّا غَفَرْتَهُ وَ لَا هَمّاً إِلَّا فَرَّجْتَهُ وَ لَا دَيْناً إِلَّا قَضَيْتَهُ وَ لَا غَائِباً إِلَّا أَدَّيْتَهُ وَ لَا حَاجَةً مِنْ حَوَائِجِ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا سَهَّلْتَهَا وَ يَسَّرْتَهَا إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
اَللَّهُمَّ يَا عَالِمَ الْخَفِيَّاتِ يَا رَاحِمَ الْعَبَرَاتِ يَا مُجِيبَ الدَّعَوَاتِ يَا رَبَّ الْأَرَضِينَ وَ السَّمَاوَاتِ يَا مَنْ لَا تَتَشَابَهُ عَلَيْهِ الْأَصْوَاتُ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اجْعَلْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ عُتَقَائِكَ وَ طُلَقَائِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَ الْفَائِزِينَ بِجَنَّتِكَ وَ النَّاجِينَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ وَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ
It is recommended to say the following five testaments on the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah:
(1) أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
(2) أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ أَحَداً صَمَداً لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ صَاحِبَةً وَ لَا وَلَداً
(3) أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ أَحَداً صَمَداً لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ
(4) أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَ يُمِيتُ وَ هُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
(5) حَسْبِيَ اللهُ وَ كَفَى سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ دَعَا لَيْسَ وَرَاءَ اللهِ مُنْتَهَى أَشْهَدُ لِلهِ بِمَا دَعَا وَ أَنَّهُ بَرِيءٌ مِمَّنْ تَبَرَّأَ وَ أَنَّ لِلهِ الْآخِرَةَ وَ الْأُولَى
Archangel Gabriel has conveyed these five testaments as a gift of Almighty Allah to Prophet Jesus (as) and instructed him to say them on the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. An excellent reward has been mentioned to be for whoever repeats these five statements one hundred times each day.
However, ‘Allamah al-Majlisi says that it is not improbable that each of these five testaments is repeated ten times each day. Yet, to repeat them one hundred times is better.
It is recommended to say the following invocation, which is reported from Imam Ali Ameer al-Momineen (as), on the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. An excellent reward has been reported for those saying this invocation, which should preferably be repeated ten times a day:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ عَدَدَ اللَّيَالِي وَ الدُّهُورِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ عَدَدَ أَمْوَاجِ الْبُحُورِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَ رَحْمَتُهُ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ عَدَدَ الشَّوْكِ وَ الشَّجَرِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ عَدَدَ الشَّعْرِ وَ الْوَبَرِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ عَدَدَ الْحَجَرِ وَ الْمَدَرِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ عَدَدَ لَمْحِ الْعُيُونِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ فِي اللَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ وَ [فِي] الصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ عَدَدَ الرِّيَاحِ فِي الْبَرَارِي وَ الصُّخُورِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ مِنَ الْيَوْمِ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ
As the sun sets on the 8th of Dhu Al-Hijjah, our hearts are caught between the plains of Mina and the road to Karbala. While the world prepares for the Day of Arafah, we remember Imam Hussain (as), who traded his pilgrimage for a higher sacrifice — leaving the Kaaba to become its true protector.
Whether you are fasting today or offering your salutations from afar, let your amaal be a bridge to the Imam’s mission. Use this evening to refine your intentions, for tomorrow is the day where every prayer finds its answer.
The 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah marks the heartbreaking moment in 60 AH when Imam Hussain (as) concluded his Umrah and began his journey toward Iraq. While others gathered water in Makkah (Tarwiyah), the Imam gathered his family for a journey of eternal thirst and ultimate victory.
As you plan your pilgrimage to Iraq, remember: You are not just visiting a shrine; you are answering a call that began today. Every step you take in Najaf and Karbala is a “Labbaik” to the Imam who sacrificed his Hajj so that your Ziyarat could exist.
Join our upcoming caravan as we trace the footsteps of the Holy Household. Let this 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah be the day you decide to begin your own journey of light.
🕋 Plan your journey of light today: www.ziaratplanner.com
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