Shaykh al-Islām was asked:

“Which is more virtuous: the Day of ‘Arafah, Friday, the day of Eid al-Fitr, or the Day of Sacrifice?”

He answered:

All praise is due to Allah. The most virtuous day of the week is Friday, by scholarly agreement. The most virtuous day of the year is the Day of Sacrifice. Some scholars have said that it is the Day of ‘Arafah, but the first view is correct, because the Sunan collections report that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“The most virtuous day in Allah’s sight is the Day of Sacrifice, followed by the Day of Rest.”

This is also because the Day of Sacrifice is the day of the greater pilgrimage according to Mālik, al-Shāfi‘ī, and Ahmad, as it is authentically reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“The Day of Sacrifice is the day of the greater pilgrimage.”

It includes rites that are not performed on other days, such as the stay at Muzdalifah, stoning Jamrat al-‘Aqabah alone, slaughtering the sacrificial animals, shaving the head, and performing the pilgrimage circumambulation. Performing these rites on this day is preferable, according to the Sunnah and scholarly agreement. And Allah knows best.