بالاشتراك في النشرة البريدية يصلك جديد الموقع بشكل أسبوعي، حيث يتم نشر مقالات في جانب تربية النفس والأسرة وقضايا الأمة والمرأة والتاريخ والدراسات والترجمات ومراجعات الكتب المفيدة، فضلا عن عدد من الاستشارات في كافة المواضيع والقضايا التي تهم المسلمين.
Tomorrow is Arafah: a day for sincere and monotheistic hearts.
You might have stumbled in your efforts! Maybe you were busy, distracted, or unwell, or something else kept you from making the most of the blessed days of Dhul-Hijjah.
But tomorrow is a great and majestic day that no believer should miss.
Prepare for worship with a sincere and humble heart, embracing these profound meanings:
The Day of Arafah is the day when the verse was revealed: “Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”
In Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, it is narrated that Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was approached by a Jewish man who said, ” O the chief of believers! There is a verse in your Holy Book Which is read by all of you (Muslims), and had it been revealed to us, we would have taken that day (on which it was revealed as a day of celebration.” ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab asked, “Which is that verse?” The Jew replied, “This day I have perfected your religion For you, completed My favor upon you, And have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5:3) ‘Umar replied, “No doubt, we know when and where this verse was revealed to the Prophet. It was Friday and the Prophet (peace be upon him) was standing at ‘Arafat (i.e. the Day of Hajj)”.
The Day of Arafah is a day of celebration for those standing at Arafah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The day of Arafat and the day of sacrifice and the day of At-Tashriq are our Id (festival), the people of Islam, and they are days of eating and drinking.
The Day of Arafah is the day Allah swore by to emphasize its greatness, and it is the witnessed day mentioned in His saying, “And the witness and what is witnessed” (Surah Al-Burooj: 3).
On the Day of Arafah, Allah swore by the odd [number], as mentioned in His saying, “And the even and the odd” (Surah Al-Fajr: 3). Ibn Abbas explained that the even refers to the Day of Sacrifice, while the odd refers to the Day of Arafah. This interpretation is also supported by Ikrimah and Ad-Dhahak.
The Day of Arafah is one of the ten days that Allah swore by, emphasizing their great virtue and significance. Allah says, “And the ten nights” (Surah Al-Fajr: 2). Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) explained that this refers to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Ibn Kathir confirmed this interpretation, stating it is the correct one.
Fasting on the Day of Arafah atones for two years. Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafah (the 9th of the month of Dhul Hijjah). He replied, ” Fasting on the day of Arafah is an expiation for the preceding year and the following year.” (narrated by Muslim). This recommendation is for those who are not performing Hajj.
The Day of Arafah is the day when Allah took the covenant from the descendants of Adam. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “God made the covenant from Adam’s back in Na‘man, i.e. ‘Arafa, and brought forth from his loins all his offspring whom He created and scattered before Him like small ants. He then spoke to them face to face saying, “Am I not your Lord?’ They replied, “Yes, we testify this.” [It was] lest you should say on the day of resurrection, “We were neglectful of this,” or should say, “Our fathers were polytheists before us and we were an offspring after them. Wilt Thou destroy us for what the workers of vanity did?” (Al-A’raf: 172-173)” This was narrated by Ahmad and authenticated by Al-Albani. How great is this day and how great is this covenant!
The Day of Arafah is one of the designated days mentioned by Allah in the Quran. Allah says, “So they may obtain the benefits ˹in store˺ for them, and pronounce the Name of Allah on appointed days” (Surah Al-Hajj: 28). Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) explained that these “appointed days” refer to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.
The Day of Arafah is the most important pillar of Hajj. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Hajj is Arafah” (agreed upon).
The Day of Arafah is a day of forgiveness of sins, liberation from the Hellfire, and the celebration of those who stand at Arafah. It is narrated in Sahih Muslim that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying, “There is no day when God sets free more servants from hell than the day of ‘Arafa. He draws near, then praises them (Literally, ‘boasts of them.’) to the angels saying, ‘What do these want ?'” It is also reported by Ibn Umar that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Verily, Allah praises to His angels on the evening of Arafah about the people of Arafah. He says, ‘Look at My servants who have come to Me disheveled and covered in dust.'” This was reported by Ahmad.
The Day of Arafah is known as the day of supplication. It is narrated from Amr ibn Shu’ayb, from his father, from his grandfather, who said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ” The best invocation is that of the Day of Arafat, and the best that anyone can say is what I and the Prophets before me have said:
Lā ‘ilāha ‘illallāhu
waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu,
lahul-mulku wa lahul-ḥamdu
wa huwa `alā kulli shay’in qadīr.
‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah Alone, Who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is Able to do all things.'” (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi)
Ibn Abdul Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “This is evidence of the superiority of the Day of Arafah over other days.”
Labbayk-Allāhumma labbayk,
labbayka lā sharīka laka labbayk,
inna ‘l-ḥamda, wanni`mata, laka wa ‘l-mulk,
lā sharīka lak.
‘I am here at Your service, O Allah, I am here at Your service. I am here at Your service, You have no partner, I am here at Your service.’
This proclamation encapsulates the essence of monotheism.
Hearts cannot attain true peace and strength without monotheism.
Even if our worship during these blessed days focused solely on sincerely affirming the Oneness of Allah, it would suffice as worship.
O Allah, we are Your slaves, and the sons of Your male slaves, and the sons of your female slaves. Our foreheads are in Your Hand (i.e. you have control over us). Your Judgment upon us is assured, and Your Decree concerning us is just. We ask You by every Name that You have named Yourself with, revealed in Your Book, taught any one of Your creation, or kept unto Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen that is with You, to make the Qur’an the spring of our hearts, and the light of our chests, the banisher of our sadnesses, and the reliever of our distresses.
O Allah! we seek refuge in You against the declining of Your Favours, passing of safety, the suddenness of Your punishment and all that which displeases You. O Allah! we seek refuge in You from the difficulties of severe calamities, from having an evil end and a bad fate and from the malicious joy of your enemies, and we seek refuge in You from losing blessings after they have been bestowed, and we seek refuge in You from the trials of harmful afflictions.
O Allah, we ask You for Your great favor.
Original article in Arabic:
غدا عرفة: يوم القلوب الموحدة المخلصة
Translated by:
Arwa Jehad
Arafah a day for sincere and monotheistic hearts – pdf-
بالاشتراك في النشرة البريدية يصلك جديد الموقع بشكل أسبوعي، حيث يتم نشر مقالات في جانب تربية النفس والأسرة وقضايا الأمة والمرأة والتاريخ والدراسات والترجمات ومراجعات الكتب المفيدة، فضلا عن عدد من الاستشارات في كافة المواضيع والقضايا التي تهم المسلمين.
