Dhu al-Hijjah is one of four sacred months in Islam.
The four sacred months are Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. Islamic tradition treats these months as periods in which fighting was prohibited or particularly restricted, helping protect pilgrimage routes, travel, trade, and religious observance. The first three occur consecutively, while Rajab appears later in the lunar year.
Dhu al-Hijjah is especially important because it contains the Hajj pilgrimage and Eid al-Adha. Pilgrims gather in Mecca during the month, with major rites occurring from the eighth through the 13th days. The Day of Arafah falls on the ninth, and Eid al-Adha begins on the tenth.
The sacred-month tradition predates Islam among Arab communities, but Islam confirmed and regulated it. The Qur’an states that there are twelve months in the year and that four are sacred. The status of these months does not mean ordinary wrongdoing is acceptable at other times; rather, Islamic teachings emphasize the seriousness of injustice and violence during sacred periods. The four-month count is also distinct from Ramadan, which is highly holy but is not one of the four sacred months.