Definition

1. Noun:
   • The twelfth month of the Islamic calendar: "Dhu'l-Hijja" is the final month in the Islamic lunar calendar.
   • The season of the Hajj pilgrimage: This month is most significant for being the time when the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca takes place.
   • A month with a variable length: In the Islamic calendar, which is based on lunar cycles, "Dhu'l-Hijja" has 29 or 30 days, with an extra day added in leap years to synchronize with the solar calendar.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The Hajj rituals are performed during the month of Dhu'l-Hijja.
  • Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, falls on the 10th day of Dhu'l-Hijja.
  • Muslims around the world anticipate the arrival of Dhu'l-Hijja.

Advanced Usage

• "In Dhu'l-Hijja": Used to specify an event occurring within this sacred month.
  • The pilgrimage must be completed in Dhu'l-Hijja.
• "The first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijja": Refers to a period considered especially virtuous for worship.
  • Many believers increase their prayers and good deeds during the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijja.

Variants and Related Words

• Dhu al-Hijjah: An alternative transliteration of the same Arabic term.
• Hajj (n): The major Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, which is a pillar of Islam and occurs in this month.
• Islamic calendar (n): The lunar calendar used by Muslims, also known as the Hijri calendar.

Synonyms

• Pilgrimage month: A descriptive term highlighting its primary association.
• The month of the Hajj: Another descriptive synonym.

Notes on Meaning

• Religious Significance: As the month of Hajj, "Dhu'l-Hijja" holds immense spiritual importance in Islam. It is a time for pilgrimage, sacrifice, and reflection.
• Calendar Context: Its position as the twelfth month marks the end of the Islamic year. The sighting of the new moon determines its start, so its dates shift annually relative to the Gregorian calendar.

Noun

1. the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar and the season of the hajj; has one extra day in leap years