3 Most Important Things to Do on the Day of Arafah
Arafah, Time, and Setting Up our Day
Among the ways of Allah is that He chooses. From among the many planets, stars and galaxies, He chose the earth to be the seat of life.
From among all of life, He chose human beings to be the best of His creation.
And from among human beings He chose the prophets to be the greatest of them.
From Prophets He chose the Five Great Messengers (Ulu al Azm) to be the greatest.
And from them He chose our beloved Muhammad (peace be upon him) to be the greatest.
Similarly, from among all lands He chose Makkah, Madinah and Jerusalem to be the most sacred.
From among all the Surahs of the Quran, He chose Al-Fatihah to be the greatest, and from all verses of the Quran He chose Ayat al-Kursi to be the greatest.
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Similarly among the months He has chosen Ramadan to be the greatest. And among the days, He chose the Day of Arafah to be the best of all days. And that day is almost upon us.
Use Time Wisely
Imam Ash-Shafi’i would say that if Allah only revealed chapter Al-Asr, then He would have done enough, as its message is so encompassing.
The central message of Surah Al-Asr is that time is running out, human beings are all at loss except a chosen few. The exceptions are the people who believe, do righteous deeds, call one another to the truth and call one another to patient perseverance.
These special days of Allah help give us a boost in our worship and help us understand that our time is indeed short.
Just like the special day of Arafah shall pass, so shall our life.
And just like the sunset, so shall our life go. It is about best using our lives.
The Wonders of the Day of Arafah
Just like we rush to do our good deeds on a special day, so should we try to in our daily life.
We shall have our low points, and our high points but the aim is to hope to have a bit of consistency. The famous scholar of Islam, Imam Al-Ghazali said:
“Neglect not your time, nor use it haphazardly. On the contrary you should bring yourself to account. Structure your remembrances and other practices during each day and night.
This is how you bring about the spiritual blessing during each period. If each of your breaths is a priceless jewel, be not like the deceived fools. They are joyous because each day their wealth increases while their life grows ever shorter.”
In short, Imam Al-Ghazali is giving us a perfect way to determine our life, and in the short term our day of Arafah. He is teaching us to remain focused, and that is something that we shall all try to do.
3 Things to Do
Three of the most important acts of worship that we need to do in the day of Arafah, among others are fasting, dhikr and dua.
The Prophet said:
The best of du’a is dua on the Day of Arafah. (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi)
He also mentioned that:
“fasting on that Day atones for the sins of the past year and the following year (minor sins).” (Narrated by Ahmad)
In other narration he said:
There are no days more beloved to Allah that He be worshiped in them than the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, fasting every day of them is the equivalent of fasting a year, and standing every night of them (in prayer) is the equivalent of standing on the Night of Qadr. (At-Tirmidhi)
What Happens When We Rely on God
Therefore, the aim would be to try and make the best use of this day if possible, and we will suggest a routine, which would be possible even if one is busy Insha’Allah. So here is the routine.
Wake up Early and pray Tahajjud and Have Suhoor. Make lots of du’a during the Tahajjud time.
Pray Fajr and follow it up with some Quran and Dhikr. Some specific dhikr that are mentioned for Arafah and Dhul Hijjah are there, which we can aim to do 100 of each. They will not take more than 15 minutes but are immensely rewarding Insha’Allah.
– Subhan Allah
– Alhamdulilla
– La ilaha illa Allah
– Allahu Akbar
– La ilaha illa Allahu, wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu, wa huwa ‘alaa kulli shayy’in qadeer.
You can get some sleep to recharge yourself for the rest of the day after this, or at least some rest.
Pray 4-8 units of Duha before the time of Dhuhr comes in. if you are working, you can try to do so before you head out for work.
And pray Dhuhr with the Sunnah before and after it.
Pray Asr, and if possible 4 unites before Asr. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
May Allah have mercy on the one who prays 4 rak’ahs before Asr. (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi)
After Asr keep making du’a after du’a until it’s time for iftar Insha’Allah.
This is just a guide to help us through the day of Arafah, and does not need to be strictly followed. One can add extra nafl prayers, charity and Quran throughout the day as well.
Standing at Arafah, Longing for Forgiveness?
It is a sunnah to leave for Arafah after the sunrise of the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah.
This is while uttering takbir (which is saying: Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest), tahlil, (which is saying: la ilaha ila-Allah (there is no God but Allah)) and talbiyah (which is saying: labbayka Allahumma labbayk)).
The Prophet (peace be upon him) spent the day at Arafah until almost sunset. Then he said:
O Bilal! Ask the people to be quiet and listen to me.
Bilal stood up and asked the people to be quiet and listen to the Prophet. When they were quiet, the Prophet said:
O People! A little while ago Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to me, gave me salutations from Allah, and informed me that Allah has forgiven those who spend the Day at Arafah…
At this, Umar ibn Al-Khattab stood up and asked:
O Allah’s Messenger, is this for us only?
The Prophet said:
This is for you, and for all those who will come after you, until the Day of Judgment…
Umar exclaimed:
How plentiful and blissful Allah’s bounties are! (Authenticated by Al-Albani)
The Prophet also said:
Allah frees far more people from Hellfire on the Day of Arafah than on any other day. Allah comes closer this day and proudly says to the angels: ‘What do these people want and seek?!'” (Muslim)
In fact, the importance of standing on the Mountain of Arafah during the journey of Hajj is highly confirmed in the Prophet’s very words:
“Hajj is Arafah.” (An-Nasai)
“Staying at Arafah”
“Staying at Arafah” means physical as well as mental presence in any part of Arafah. This is whether one is awake, asleep, riding, sitting, lying down or even walking.
It is recommended to seek forgiveness of Allah as much as possible, glorify Allah, and supplicate for one’s well-being and welfare in this life and in the Hereafter.
It is also recommended to supplicate for the welfare of others. This is to be done sincerely with fervor, attention and with hands raised humbly in supplication.
As for the recommended supplications, it was reported that on the Day of Arafah the Prophet (peace be upon him) would say:
There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone. He has no partners. To Him alone, belongs the Kingdom, and all praise. In His hand is all the good, and He has power over all things.
Again, it was reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
The supplication most frequently used by the prophets before me and by me on the Day of Arafah is this:
‘There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone. He has no partners. To Him belongs the kingdom and all praise, and He has power over all things. O Allah! Place light [guidance] in my sight, in my ears and in my heart. O Allah! Open my heart and ease my tasks. O Allah! I seek refuge with You from evil whispers, from confusion, from the trial of the grave, from the evil that takes place during the day or night, from the evil carried by the winds, and from the afflictions of the world.'”
Leaving Arafah
According to Sunnah, pilgrims should leave Arafah quietly and peacefully after sunset. The Prophet left Arafah very peacefully and quietly, while saying:
O people, walk calmly; rushing or making hast is not a virtue… (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
The inner peace to be felt then is a reflection of the pilgrim’s certainty that his or her worship has been accepted. This in itself is a sign of faith in Allah, because it is His promise to accept those whom are granted that blessed stand.
Dr. Mohsen Haredy, added the following:
It is highly recommended for non-pilgrims to observe fasting on the Day of Arafah.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) exhorted us to do good deeds during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and fasting is one of those good deeds.
Abu Qatada al-Ansari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that:
“…. He (the Prophet) was asked about fasting on the day of Arafah, whereupon he said: It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year.” (Muslim)
As for pilgrims, they are not allowed to fast on the Day of Arafah so that they will be strong enough to worship and supplicate Allah on this great day.
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet “Forbade fasting on the day of Arafah for one who is actually at Arafah.” (Ahmad)
The Prophet himself did not fast the Day of Arafah when he performed Hajj. Umm al-Fadl bint al-Harith reported that some people argued about the fasting of the Messenger of Allah on the day of Arafah.
Some of them said that he had been fasting, whereas the others said that he had not been fasting. I sent a cup of milk to him while he was riding his camel at Arafah, and he drank it. (Muslim)
The best day of the year is here.
Many Muslims had a strong faith during Ramadan and a high level of spirituality.
Were you one of them?
Remember the best ten nights of the year?
Remember the night of peace, the Night of Decree?
Ramadan ended two months ago and after Eid we all experienced a drop in spirituality. The gates of Heaven that were wide open during the month closed when it ended.
But this week they opened again, with the gift and spiritual blessings of Dhul Hijjah we now have another golden opportunity and a very special day ahead.
If Laylatul Qadr was the best night of the year, the Day of Arafah is no doubt the best day, not only for pilgrims, but for all Muslims around the world.
Allah (SWT) is the Most Generous, and on that day He forgives the pilgrims who traveled hundreds and thousands of miles to reach Makkah and also Muslims who fast on the Day of Arafah.
When I was blessed to go to Hajj thirty years ago, the days we spent in Makkah and Madinah were truly amazing, but the Day of Arafah was something else.
The crowds were everywhere and the scene truly reminded me of the Day of Judgment, especially with the heat of the month of June.
But the feelings were beyond description, especially during the last hours before sunset when everybody was making du’a.
The whole place felt surrounded by angels, and millions of Muslims were praying for Allah’s forgiveness and for their needs with tears everywhere.
If one needed a wakeup call to return to Allah’s Path, this was it: an amazing turning point on the journey of life we are going through, that reminds us of the last journey to Allah that will take place on the Day of Judgment.
But it was also a day of hope, as pilgrims left Arafah trusting that Allah would answer their prayers as He promised.
With no seats left inside the bus, I remember leaving Arafah on top of the bus chanting with fellow pilgrims Labayk Allahuma Labayk…
Why Fast?
Fasting for non-pilgrims is highly recommended as a Sunnah which is attached to a great reward: Allah (SWT) forgives the sins of two years, as mentioned in the Hadith, where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
… I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Arafah may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming years,… (Sahih Muslim)
In addition to this great reward, fasting makes us come closer to Allah (SWT), as we refrain from food and drink for His sake, and we starve the body to feed the soul.
When a fasting person makes du’a, the chances of acceptance are higher, especially at the end of the day when breaking the fast at sunset.
Fasting is also a sign of a believer’s love for Allah (SWT), as this is something Allah loves.
It is an act that won’t benefit Him in any way, but will benefit us.
Do you love Allah (SWT) as He loves you?
If for some reason you can’t fast this year then increase your other good deeds, give to charity and help those in need, read the Quran and take care of your family, relatives and neighbors.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave his farewell speech in Arafah, a few months before he passed away, and this speech has many gems we need to remember on this day and every day.
Human beings are equal, and this is one of the important lessons to reflect upon which is very relevant to our world of today.
There is no difference between people based on color or ethnicity, and therefore there is no room for racism among Muslims.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; white has no superiority over black, nor does a black have any superiority over white; [none have superiority over another] except by piety and good action.
The prophet gave special attention in his speech to kindness to women. He (peace be upon him) said:
Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers.
There are many more important words of wisdom in this speech which we need to remember these days.
So whatever you do, don’t deprive yourself of the blessings of the best day of the year, and seek Allah’s abundant blessings and bounties.
He is the Most Kind, the Most Generous, the Most Merciful, and He forgives all sins.
