he Last Days of Dhul Hijjah: Year-End Duas, Prayer & Preparing for Muharram

The 8th of Dhul Hijjah: A Day of Sacred Thirst

Most pilgrims know the 8th of Dhul Hijjah simply as Yawm al-Tarwiyah — the day they travel from Makkah to Mina, carrying water for the days ahead. The name itself means “the day of quenching thirst.” But for the lovers of Ahlul Bayt (as), this day carries a second meaning that pierces the heart.

In 60 AH, it was on this very day that Imam Hussain (as) — surrounded by his family and a small band of companions — converted his Hajj into Umrah and turned away from the Kaaba, departing toward Iraq. While the world sought water, the Imam began a journey toward a different kind of thirst: a thirst for justice, for truth, and for the salvation of Islam itself.

This dual layer of meaning makes the 8th of Dhul Hijjah one of the most profound days in the Islamic calendar. It is a day of worship, but also a day of grief. A day of Hajj — and a day of departure.

Why Imam Hussain (as) Left Makkah

When asked why he was abandoning the Hajj, Imam Hussain (as) gave an answer that echoes through the centuries. He did not wish for his blessed blood to be shed within the sanctity of the Kaaba, thereby protecting the holiness of the House of Allah for all believers until the end of time. By leaving, he made himself the shield of the Kaaba.

This singular act teaches us something profound: true worship is not merely the performance of rituals. It is the willingness to stand for truth at the moment truth demands your sacrifice. While the crowds moved toward Mina seeking personal salvation, Imam Hussain (as) moved toward Iraq to seek the salvation of the entire Ummah.

The word Tarwiyah — to quench thirst — finds its deepest meaning in this departure. For the followers of Ahlul Bayt (as), this day begins a journey of spiritual thirst: a thirst for justice that was immortalized on the burning sands of Karbala, and one that still calls us to ask where we stand.

Recommended Acts of Worship on This Day

Fasting

Fasting on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah is highly emphasized in our tradition. Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as) has narrated that fasting on this day serves as an expiation (Kaffarah) for sixty years of sins. (Mafatih al-Jinan, p. 496)

The intention for this fast is to seek closeness to Allah (Qurbatan ilAllah) on this blessed and bittersweet day.

Ghusl (Ritual Bath)

Performing Ghusl on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah is Mustahab (strongly recommended). It is best performed close to the time of Dhuhr, as a means of arriving at the acts of this day in both physical and spiritual purity.

Two-Rakaat Prayer

On each of the first ten nights of Dhul Hijjah, it is recommended to offer a two-unit prayer between the Maghrib and Isha obligatory prayers. In each unit, recite Surah al-Fatihah once, Surah al-Tawhid once, and the following verse (Surah al-A’raf, 7:142):

وَوَاعَدْنَا مُوسَى ثَلَاثِينَ لَيْلَةً وَأَتْمَمْنَاهَا بِعَشْرٍ فَتَمَّ مِيقَاتُ رَبِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً وَقَالَ مُوسَى لِأَخِيهِ هَارُونَ اخْلُفْنِي فِي قَوْمِي وَأَصْلِحْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

Translation: “And We made an appointment with Moses for thirty nights and completed them with ten [more]; so the term of his Lord was completed as forty nights. And Moses said to his brother Aaron: Take my place among my people, do right, and do not follow the way of the corrupters.” (Quran 7:142)

The reward for offering this prayer is to share in the reward of those who perform Hajj.

Ziyarat of Imam Hussain (as)

Because the 8th of Dhul Hijjah marks the day Imam Hussain (as) began his final journey toward Iraq, it is a day of reflection and grief for his lovers. It is highly recommended to recite the Ziyarat of the Imam today. If a full Ziyarat is not possible, even a simple salutation directed toward Karbala is deeply meaningful:

اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا اَبَا عَبْدِ اللّٰهِ

Translation: “Peace be upon you, O Aba Abdillah.”

Supplications of Yawm al-Tarwiyah

Dua for the First Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah

This supplication is recommended after the obligatory Fajr and Maghrib prayers from the 1st of Dhul Hijjah until the eve of the Night of Arafah. It has been reported by Shaykh al-Tusi and Sayyid Ibn Tawus from Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as):

اَللّٰهُمَّ هٰذِهِ الْاَيَّامُ الَّتِي فَضَّلْتَهَا عَلَى الْاَيَّامِ وَ شَرَّفْتَهَا قَدْ بَلَّغْتَنِيهَا بِمَنِّكَ وَ رَحْمَتِكَ فَاَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ بَرَكَاتِكَ وَ اَوْسِعْ عَلَيْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ نَعْمَائِكَ اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْاَلُكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ تَهْدِيَنَا فِيهَا لِسَبِيلِ الْهُدَى وَ الْعَفَافِ وَ الْغِنَى وَ الْعَمَلِ فِيهَا بِمَا تُحِبُّ وَ تَرْضَى

Translation: “O Allah, these are the days which You have preferred over all other days and have honored. You have allowed me to reach them by Your grace and mercy, so send down upon us Your blessings and expand upon us Your bounties in these days. O Allah, I ask You to send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and to guide us to the path of guidance, chastity, and contentment, and to deeds that You love and are pleased with.”

The complete text of this supplication is available in Mafatih al-Jinan.

The Five Testaments

Archangel Gabriel conveyed these five testaments as a gift from Almighty Allah to Prophet Jesus (as), with the instruction to recite them during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. An excellent reward has been mentioned for whoever repeats each statement one hundred times per day, though Allamah al-Majlisi indicates that even ten repetitions each day carries great merit:

اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ اَحَداً صَمَداً لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ صَاحِبَةً وَ لَا وَلَداً

اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ اَحَداً صَمَداً لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً اَحَدٌ

اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ 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

حَسْبِيَ اللّٰهُ وَ كَفَى سَمِعَ اللّٰهُ لِمَنْ دَعَا لَيْسَ وَرَاءَ اللّٰهِ مُنْتَهَى اَشْهَدُ لِلّٰهِ بِمَا دَعَا وَ اَنَّهُ بَرِيءٌ مِمَّنْ تَبَرَّاَ وَ اَنَّ لِلّٰهِ الْآخِرَةَ وَ الْاُولَى

Invocation of Imam Ali (as)

This invocation has been reported from Imam Ali, Ameer al-Momineen (as). It is recommended to repeat it ten times each day during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, and a great reward has been narrated for those who recite it:

لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ اللَّيَالِي وَ الدُّهُورِ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ اَمْوَاجِ الْبُحُورِ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَ رَحْمَتُهُ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ الشَّوْكِ وَ الشَّجَرِ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ الشَّعْرِ وَ الْوَبَرِ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ الْحَجَرِ وَ الْمَدَرِ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ لَمْحِ الْعُيُونِ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ فِي اللَّيْلِ اِذَا عَسْعَسَ وَ فِي الصُّبْحِ اِذَا تَنَفَّسَ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ عَدَدَ الرِّيَاحِ فِي الْبَرَارِي وَ الصُّخُورِ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ مِنَ الْيَوْمِ اِلَى يَوْمِ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ

Translation: “There is no god but Allah, [His praise equal to] the number of nights and ages. There is no god but Allah, [His praise equal to] the number of waves in the seas. There is no god but Allah, and His mercy is better than all they gather. There is no god but Allah, [His praise equal to] the number of thorns and trees. There is no god but Allah, [His praise equal to] the number of hairs and fur. There is no god but Allah, [His praise equal to] the number of stones and pebbles. There is no god but Allah, [His praise equal to] the number of glances of eyes. There is no god but Allah, in the night when it darkens and in the morning when it breathes. There is no god but Allah, [His praise equal to] the number of winds across open lands and rocks. There is no god but Allah, from today until the day the trumpet is blown.”

The Night Ahead: Preparing for Arafah

As the sun sets on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah, the heart stands between two worlds — the plains of Mina and the road to Karbala. The night that follows, the Eve of Arafah, is counted among the four most sacred nights of the entire year. It is a night of forgiveness, a night when supplications ascend without veil. Whoever is able should remain awake in worship.

Use this evening to prepare your heart and your list of prayers for the Great Day of Arafah tomorrow. And let your thoughts also remain with the Imam (as), who sacrificed his Hajj so that the truth of Islam could survive. Every prayer you raise tonight carries the weight of his departure. Let it not be wasted.

The path from Makkah to Karbala that Imam Hussain (as) walked on this day is now a path you can walk in the spirit of gratitude and love. Our 2026 Iraq Ziyarat Packages are open for those who wish to stand in Karbala and Najaf, walking in the footsteps of those who gave everything so that we could still say: Labbaik ya Hussain.

Let this 8th of Dhul Hijjah be the day you decide to begin your own journey of light.

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