We are about to welcome the Hijri month of Dhul Qa’dah insha’Allah! What do you know about this month? Read on to learn about its meaning in Arabic, chronological order in the Islamic calendar and significance in Islam.

Meaning of Dhul Qa’dah

Dhul Qa’dah, or Ḏū al-Qaʿdah (in Arabic: ذُو ٱلْقَعْدَة) literally means ‘(a month which is) the possessor of sitting’-People would not initiate war in this month and would stay. It is from the word, “qa’ada” which means to sit. This month also marks the preparation of Hajj (pilgrimage) in the following month.

The month of Dhul Qa’dah is among the four sacred months in which fighting and war are prohibited unless the enemy initiated the fight. The four sacred months are Dhul Qa’dah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab.

Chronological order in the Hijri calendar

Dhul Qa’dah is the eleventh month of the Islamic calendar. This month comes after Shawwāl and before Dhul Hijjah.

When will Dhul Qa’dah take place this year?

This year (2021), Dhul Qa’dah is expected to begin on June 11th, 2021, insha’Allah.

Significance of Dhul Qa’dah in the Quran

إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ

“Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred…” (Quran, 9:36)

Significance of Dhul Qa’dah in Ahadith

Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه narrated: The Prophet ﷺ said, “Time has come back to its original state which it had when Allah created the Heavens and the Earth; the year is twelve months, four of which are sacred. Three of them are in succession; Dhul-Qa’da, Dhul-Hijja and Al-Muharram, and (the fourth being) Rajab Mudar (named after the tribe of Mudar as they used to respect this month) which stands between Jumad (ath-thani) and Sha’ban.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 4662)

Anas رضي الله عنه narrated: Allah’s Messenger ﷺ performed four `Umras, all in the month of Dhul-Qa’da, except the one which he performed with his Hajj (i.e. in Dhul-Hijja). He performed one `Umra from Al-Hudaibiya in Dhul- Qa’da, another `Umra in the following year in Dhul Qa’da a third from Al-Jirana where he distributed the war booty of Hunain, in Dhul Qa’da, and the fourth `Umra he performed was with his Hajj. (Sahih al-Bukhari 4148)

Significance in Islamic History

Battle of Khandaq 5 AH: (Also known as The Battle of Ahzab, The Battle of the Trench or The Battle of the Confederates)

Twenty chiefs of the Jews with some celebrities of Bani Nadeer went to Makkah to negotiate an unholy alliance with the Quraish. They began to provoke the people there to attack Allah’s Messenger ﷺ promising them full support and backing.

The Quraysh, Kinanah, and other allies from Tihamah in the south rallied, ranked, and recruited four thousand men under the leadership of Abu Sufyan. From the east, there came tribes of Banu Sulaym, Ghatafan, Bani Murrah, Fazarah, and Ashja’, etc. They all headed for Madinah and gathered in its vicinity at a time already agreed upon. It was a great army of ten thousand soldiers. They, in fact, outnumbered all the Muslims in Madinah, women, children, and elders included.

Allah’s Messenger ﷺ held a council and conducted a careful discussion of a plan to defend Madinah. After a lengthy talk between military leaders and people possessed of sound advice, it was agreed, on the proposal of an honorable Companion, Salman Al-Farisi رضي الله عنه, to dig trenches as defensive lines. Salman رضي الله عنه said: “O Messenger of Allah! When siege was to lay to us in Persia, we used to dig trenches to defend ourselves.” It was really an unprecedented wise plan. Allah’s Messenger ﷺ hurriedly gave orders to implement the plan. The northern part of Madinah was the most at risk, all the other sides being surrounded by mountains, rocks, and palm tree orchards, the Prophet ﷺ as a skillful military expert, understood the Confederates would march in that direction, so he ordered that the trench is on that side. The Muslims went on digging the trench for several days.

Three thousand Muslims, with Muhammad ﷺ at their head, came out to encounter the idolaters, with Allah’s Promise of victory deeply established in their minds. They established themselves at the mountain of Sila’ with the trench standing as a barrier between them and the disbelievers.

On attempting to attack the Muslims and break into Madinah, the idolators were surprised to see a wide trench, a new trick unknown in Arabia before, standing as an obstinate obstruction.

It is clear that because of the trench standing between the two parties, no direct engagement took place, but rather there were military activities confined to arrow hurling, consequently the fight claimed the lives of a small number of fighters, six Muslims and ten polytheists, one or two killed by sword.

The battle of the Trench took place in the fifth year Al-Hijra. The siege of Madinah started in Shawwal and ended in Dhul-Qa’dah, i.e., it lasted for over a month. It was in fact a battle of nerves rather than of losses. No bitter fighting was recorded; nevertheless, it was one of the most decisive battles in the early history of Islam and proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that no forces, however huge, could ever exterminate the budding Islamic power growing steadily in Madinah.

(Reference: The Sealed Nectar, الرّحيق المختوم)

Al-Hudaibiyah Treaty: (Dhul-Qa’dah 6 A.H)

The truce declared at the Treaty of Al-Hudaibiyah marked a new phase in the process of Islamic action and the life of the Muslims. The Quraysh, a bitter enemy of Islam, withdrew from the war arena and embraced a peaceful settlement with the Muslims.

The clauses of the treaty were as follows:

1. The Muslims shall return this time and come back next year, but they shall not stay in Makkah for more than three days. They shall not come back armed but can bring with them swords only sheathed in scabbards and these shall be kept in bags.
2. War activities shall be suspended for 10 years, during which both parties will live in full security and neither will raise sword against the other.
3. Whosoever wishes to join Muhammad ﷺ, or enter into treaty with him, should have the liberty to do so; and likewise, whosoever wishes to join Quraish, or enter into treaty with them, should be allowed to do so.
4. If anyone from Quraish goes over to Muhammad ﷺ without his guardian’s permission, meaning a fugitive, he should be sent back to the Quraysh; but should any of Muhammad’s ﷺ followers return to the Quraysh, he shall not be sent back.

(Reference: The Sealed Nectar, الرّحيق المختوم)

Learn more about other Hijri months here!