Day of Arafah

The Day of Arafah (Arabic: يوم عرفة‎, romanized: Yawm 'Arafah) is an Islamic holiday that falls on the 9th day of Dhu al-Hijjah of the lunar Islamic Calendar. It is the holiest day in the Islamic calendar (the holiest night being The Night of Power), the second day of the Hajj pilgrimage, and the day after is the first day of the major Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha. At dawn of this day, Muslim pilgrims will make their way from Mina to a nearby hillside and plain called Mount Arafah and the Plain of Arafah. It was from this site that the prophet Muhammad gave one of his last sermons in the final year of his life. Some Muslims hold that part of the Quranic verse announcing that the religion of Islam had been perfected was revealed on this day.

The day of Arafah is also significant because this amazing ayah was revealed on this day:

"This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion." (Surah al Maa'idah 5:3)

Location

Mount Arafah is a granite hill about 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Mecca in the plain of Arafah. Mount Arafah reaches about 70 m (230 ft) in height and is known as the "Mountain of Mercy" (Jabal ar-Rahmah). According to Islamic tradition, the hill is the place where the Islamic prophet Muhammad stood and delivered the Farewell Sermon to the Muslims who had accompanied him for the Hajj towards the end of his life.

Customs

On 9 Dhu al-Hijjah before noon, pilgrims arrive at Arafah, a barren plain some 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Mecca, where they stand in contemplative vigil (守夜, the rite of staying awake for devotional purposes (especially on the eve of a religious festival): they offer supplications, repent and atone for their past sins, seek mercy of God, and listen to Islamic scholars giving sermons from near Mount Arafah. Lasting from noon through sunset, this is known as 'standing before God' (wuquf), one of the most significant rites of Hajj. At Namrah Mosque, pilgrims offer Zuhr (Dhohr) and Asr prayers together at noon time. A pilgrim's Hajj is considered invalid if they do not spend the afternoon on Arafah.

◆Arafah prayer

As Husayn ibn Ali recited the prayer during the Hajj at Mount Arafah on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah, Shia Muslims during the Hajj recite the Arafah prayer from Zuhr prayer to sunset. This day is called prayer day, specially for people who stand on Mount Arafah. On the Day of Arafah, those who cannot make it to Mecca will go to other holy places such as mosques to recite Arafah prayer.

◆Fasting on the Day of Arafah

Fasting on the Day of Arafah for non-pilgrims is a highly recommended Sunnah which entails a great reward; Allah forgives the sins of two years. It was narrated from Abu Qatadah that Muhammad was asked about fasting on the day of 'Arafah and he replied: It expiates for the past and coming years.

Imam An-Nawawi mentioned in his book al-Majmu', "With regard to the ruling on this matter, Imam As-Shafi'i and his companions said: It is mustahabb (recommended) to fast on the day of Arafah for the one who is not in Arafah. As for the pilgrim who is present in Arafah, Imam As-Shafi'i in his book Al-Mukhtasar and his followers declared 'It is mustahabb (recommended) for him not to fast'."

Prohibiting the pilgrims from fasting on these days is a great mercy for them, for fasting will exert undue hardship on the person performing the hajj. Above all, Muhammad did not fast while he stood before Allah offering supplications in Arafah. On the other hand, those who are not performing their hajj may observe fasting to gain the merits of the blessed day.

In hadith

Abu Qatada al-Ansari narrated that Muhammad was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafah, whereupon he said: It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year. Also about fasting on the Ashura (10 Muharram) he said: It expiates the sins of the preceding year.

In Sahih Muslim it was narrated from Aisha that Muhammad said:

There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the Day of Arafah. He comes close and expresses His fulfillment to the angels, saying, "What do these people want?"

The people would fast on this day to get their bad deeds in the upcoming year, and the past year, taken away.

DU'AA OF ARAFAH: Saying this du'aa very often:

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said of the Day of Arafah dua:

"The most excellent dua is the dua on the Day of Arafah, and the best of what I and the prophets before me have said, is 

"There is nothing that deserves to be worshiped in truth except Allaah, He is Alone and has no partner, to Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He is All-Powerful over all things.'" (Muwatta)

La ilaha illallahu Wahdahu La Sharika Lahu, Lahul Mulku, Wa Lahul Hamdu Wa Huwa Ala Kulli Shay'in Qadir

Making Tahleel, Takbeer, Tahmeed and Tasbeeh:

It is a sunnah of our Prophet (SAW) to recite the Tahleel, Takbeer and Tahmeed as many times as possible on the day of Arafah, and also on the days of Tashreeq (11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul Hijjah).

Tahleel is to say "Laa ilaaha il-lal-laah"

Takbeer is to say "Allahu Akbar"

Tahmeed is to say "Alhamdulillaah"

Tasbeeh is to say "Subhanallaah".

Seek forgiveness from Almighty Allah:

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:

"On this day, Allah, the most Exalted, descends to the nearest heaven, and He is proud of His servants on the earth and says to those in heavens, look at My servants, they have come from far and near, with hair disheveled and faces covered with dust, to seek my Mercy. Even if their sins are as much the sand or the froth of the sea, I shall forgive them."

A Reminder: "Small step is a big leap."