The month of Shawwal

 Shawwal, Dhulqa’da and Dhulhijja are the three months named as "Ashhur al-Hajj" (i.e. the months of Hajj). Although the major acts of Hajj are normally performed in the first ten days of Dhulhijja, yet the whole period starting from the first of Shawwal up to the 10th of Dhulhijja is held to be the period of Hajj because some acts of Hajj can be performed any time during this period. For example, an 'Umrah performed before Shawwal cannot be treated as the 'Umrah of Tamattu: while the 'Umrah performed in Shawwal can be affiliated to the Hajj. For these reasons these three months have been named as the 'months of Hajj' and the month of Shawwal has the distinction of being the first of these.