First 10 Days of Muharram: Virtues and How to Maximise Them

The first 10 days of Muharram — running from 16 to 25 June 2026 — open the sacred Month of Allah and build toward the Day of Ashura on the 10th, when fasting expiates the previous year's minor sins; the entire period carries the amplified reward of the sacred month, making it the second-best fortnight for voluntary worship after the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah.

• First 10 days of Muharram 2026: 16 June (1 Muharram) to 25 June (10 Muharram — Ashura), subject to moon sighting.
• Every day of Muharram is within a sacred month — good deeds earn amplified reward (Quran 9:36).
• The Prophet ﷺ called Muharram "the Month of Allah" — the only month given this divine attribution (Sahih Muslim 1163).
• The 10th day (Ashura — 25 Jun 2026) is the pinnacle: fasting expiates the year's minor sins.
• Fast on the 9th (24 Jun) and 10th (25 Jun) for the complete sunnah of Ashura fasting.
• Give sadaqah throughout — the sacred month multiplier makes every act more valuable.
• Full calendar: Islamic Hijri Calendar 2026 · Muharram 2026 guide.

The first 10 days of Muharram are the opening days of the Islamic New Year and the first 10 days of the sacred Month of Allah. In 2026 they run from 16 June (1 Muharram 1448 AH — the Islamic New Year) to 25 June 2026 (10 Muharram — the Day of Ashura). Every one of these 10 days falls within a sacred month, meaning good deeds earn amplified reward throughout.

Unlike the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah — which are explicitly described in hadith as the best days of the year for good deeds (Sahih Bukhari 969) — the first 10 days of Muharram have no single hadith that categorises them as a special sub-unit. Their significance comes from being the opening of the sacred month, building toward the spiritual peak of Ashura on the 10th day.

• 2026 dates: Muharram 16–25 June · Dhul Hijjah 18–27 May.
• Hadith status: Muharram — sacred month, amplified reward · Dhul Hijjah — "best days of the year" (Bukhari 969).
• Pinnacle day: Muharram 10th — Ashura (1 year of sins expiated) · Dhul Hijjah 9th — Arafah (2 years expiated).
• Key act: Muharram — fasting (9th + 10th), sadaqah, dhikr · Dhul Hijjah — fasting (first 9 days), Qurbani (10th).

The recommended acts for the first 10 days follow directly from the status of Muharram as a sacred month and the approaching Ashura on day 10. Think of the 10 days as a runway — each day is an opportunity to accumulate voluntary worship building toward the highest point of Ashura.

Day-by-day guide for Muharram 2026

• 1 Muharram (16 Jun): Islamic New Year — reflect, make dua, set intentions for 1448 AH.
• 2–8 Muharram (17–23 Jun): Sacred month — voluntary fasting (Mon/Thu or any day); sadaqah; dhikr; Quran.
• 9 Muharram / Tasu'a (24 Jun): Recommended fast — companion to Ashura; follow the Prophet's ﷺ stated sunnah.
• 10 Muharram / Ashura (25 Jun): Day of Ashura — fast; expiates one year of minor sins; sadaqah; spend on family.

“The best of fasts after Ramadan is fasting in the Month of Allah — Muharram. — Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Sahih Muslim 1163”

The 10th of Muharram — Ashura (25 June 2026) — is the spiritual pinnacle of the entire month, not just the first 10 days. It is the day Allah saved Prophet Musa and Bani Israel from Pharaoh; the day the Prophet ﷺ established the sunnah of fasting; and the day of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn at Karbala in 680 CE. Fasting on Ashura expiates the minor sins of the preceding year (Sahih Muslim 1162b).

The 9th day (24 June 2026) is equally important: the Prophet ﷺ expressed his intention to fast on the 9th as well (Sahih Muslim 1134a), making the pairing of 9th + 10th the fullest sunnah. See the complete Ashura fasting guide for full details on timing, rules, and rewards.

Every day of the first 10 days of Muharram is within the sacred month of Allah — meaning sadaqah given on any of these days earns the amplified reward of a sacred month. Giving sadaqah jariyah — ongoing charity whose reward continues after the donor's death — in the first 10 days of Muharram creates a particularly powerful combination: the sacred-month multiplier applies at the moment of donation, and then the jariyah reward keeps flowing indefinitely. A water pump from HNCO is among the most impactful forms of sadaqah jariyah available in Muharram 2026.

What are the first 10 days of Muharram in 2026?

16 June (1 Muharram — Islamic New Year) to 25 June 2026 (10 Muharram — Day of Ashura), subject to moon sighting.

Are the first 10 days of Muharram like the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah?

No — they are different. The first 10 of Dhul Hijjah are singled out in hadith as the best days of the year for good deeds (Bukhari 969). The first 10 of Muharram are the opening of the sacred month building toward Ashura. Both are special but distinct in nature.

What is the most important day in the first 10 days of Muharram?

The 10th day — Ashura (25 June 2026). Fasting on Ashura expiates the minor sins of the previous year (Sahih Muslim 1162b). The 9th (24 June) is the recommended companion fast.

What should I do in the first 10 days of Muharram?

Increase voluntary fasting (especially building to the 9th + 10th), give sadaqah, increase dhikr and Quran recitation, make dua for the new Islamic year, and avoid sin. See the complete Muharram worship guide.

Is there a specific hadith about the first 10 days of Muharram?

The general hadith applies: "The best of fasts after Ramadan is fasting in the Month of Allah, Muharram" (Sahih Muslim 1163). The specific Ashura hadith is Sahih Muslim 1162b.