Day of Arafah

The Day of Arafah

The Day of Arafah is one of the blessed days of Allah, a day of significance and virtue, as emphasized in the Quran and Sunnah. It is the greatest pillar of Hajj and one of the best days of the world. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
"There is no day more virtuous in the sight of Allah than the Day of Arafah."
(Narrated by Ibn Hibban)

Mention of Arafah in the Quran

Allah swore by it in the Quran, in Surah Al-Fajr:
"By the dawn. And by the ten nights."
(Surah Al-Fajr: 1-2)

The Day of Arafah is one of these ten nights. Additionally, it is referred to as the “odd” in the verse:
"And [by] the even and the odd."
(Surah Al-Fajr: 3)

Ibn Abbas, Ikrimah, Al-Dahhak, and Ata’ bin Abi Rabah said, "The ‘even’ is the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha), and the ‘odd’ is the Day of Arafah."

It is also referred to as the "witnessed day" in the verse:
"By the sky containing great stars. And [by] the promised Day. And [by] the witness and what is witnessed."
(Surah Al-Buruj: 1-3)

According to scholars, the "promised Day" is the Day of Resurrection, the "witness" is Friday, and the "witnessed" is the Day of Arafah.

Blessings of Arafah

The Day of Arafah is the day on which Allah perfected our religion and completed His favor upon us. As narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a Jew said to him:
"O Commander of the Believers, there is a verse in your Book that you recite; had it been revealed to us Jews, we would have taken that day as a festival."
Umar asked, "Which verse?" He replied:
"This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as your religion."
(Surah Al-Ma’idah: 3)

Umar said, "We know the day and place it was revealed: it was while the Prophet (peace be upon him) was standing in Arafah on a Friday."

The Greatest Pillar of Hajj

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
"Hajj is Arafah."
(Narrated by Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah)
This means that standing in Arafah is the central pillar without which Hajj is incomplete.

Acts of Worship on Arafah

On this day, pilgrims come to Allah in a state of humility, dust-covered and unkempt, proclaiming His oneness, glorifying Him, and engaging in abundant remembrance, takbir, tahlil, and tahmid. They plead for His mercy and forgiveness, seeking deliverance from the Hellfire.

Allah, in turn, boasts of them to the angels, saying:
"Look at My servants, they have come to Me disheveled and dusty, from every distant pass, hoping for My mercy and not having seen My punishment."
(Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban, and Al-Bazzar)

Allah's mercy descends upon them, and He forgives their sins abundantly. As narrated by Ibn Umar:
"If their sins were as much as the sand of Alij, the days of the world, or the drops of rain, Allah would forgive them."
(Reported by Abdur Razzaq)

Deliverance from Hellfire

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"There is no day on which Allah frees more people from Hellfire than the Day of Arafah."
(Narrated by Muslim)

Fasting on Arafah

For those not performing Hajj, fasting on this day is greatly virtuous. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Fasting on the Day of Arafah, I hope from Allah, will expiate for the sins of the previous year and the coming year."
(Narrated by Muslim)

The Day of Supplication

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
"The best supplication is the supplication on the Day of Arafah. The best of what I and the prophets before me have said is: 'There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, alone, without partner. To Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things Competent.' "
(Declared authentic by Tirmidhi)

This statement is both supplication and praise. Sufyan ibn Uyaynah explained, "If one praises Allah, it is as if they have asked Him for all good."

Conclusion

Let us strive to make the most of this blessed day with prayer, supplication, and devotion. May Allah accept from us and include us among those forgiven, freed from Hellfire, and granted eternal happiness.

O Allah, You hear our words, see our position, and know our hidden and open matters. Nothing about us is hidden from You. We are the poor and needy, seeking Your mercy and fearing Your punishment. Forgive our sins and grant us freedom from the Hellfire.
And may Allah's peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and companion