Virtues of the Day of 'Arafah 🤲 📿

قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ :‏‏ مَا مِنْ يَوْمٍ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنْ يُعْتِقَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ عَبْدًا مِنَ النَّارِ مِنْ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ وَإِنَّهُ لَيَدْنُو ثُمَّ يُبَاهِي بِهِمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ فَيَقُولُ مَا أَرَادَ هَؤُلاَءِ‏

Umm al-Mu’minīn ʿĀisha (Raḍiyallāhu ʿAnhā) reports that Rasūlullāh ﷺ said: There is no day in which Allah sets free more servants from Hell than on the day of ʿArafah. He draws near, and then by way of exhibiting His pride, he remarks to the angels:

‘What do these people want?” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1348)

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Ḥaḍrat Shaykh al-Ḥadīth Zakarīyyā (Raḥmatullāhi ʿAlayh) explains that: ‘As for the statements that “Allah draws near” or “descends” to the lowest heaven and other such similar phrases in the Ḥadīth literature, it should be borne in mind that Allah alone knows best what is meant by these words. Allah is near at all times. He is not in need of literal descending and ascending. Some have suggested that such statements could be referring to the special mercy of Allah Taʿālā which draws near to the deserving recipients.’

There are other aḥādīth which mention the virtues of this day. For example, one ḥadīth states that: ‘When the Day of ʿArafah dawns, Allah descends to the lowest heaven and proudly remarks to the angels, “Look at my servants who have come to me dishevelled, covered in dust, and crying out from every deep valley. I call you to witness that I have forgiven them.” Then the angels say, “My Lord, so and so was being suspected of sin, also so and so and such and such a woman.” Allah the Great and Glorious replies, “I have forgiven them.”’ (Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ: 2601)

In another ḥadīth, we read that when evening falls on the Day of ʿArafah, Allah honourably addresses the angels saying: ‘Look at my servants. I sent them My Messenger (ﷺ) to them and they believed in him. I sent down My Book to them and they believed in it. Be witnesses that I have forgiven their sins.” (Kanz al-Ummāl: 121,010)

A point to note here is that this forgiveness is for all minor sins. As with major sins, one has to make sincere repentance, as this is the general rule. Therefore, a Ḥājī should feel extremely blessed and repent from all sins, major and minor. If he used to drink, fornicate, gamble, sell alcohol, miss prayers or fasts, not pay Zakāh, disobey parents, cut off ties with relatives, backbite, tell lies, watch indecent movies, or any such sin, then he should repent from this life of vice and make a firm intention to never to go back to old habits after returning from Ḥajj. May Allah grant us all the ability to turn to Allah with a faithful repentance (al-Taubah al-Naṣūḥah), Āmīn.

Another ḥadīth explains the vastness of Allah’s Mercy. Rasūlullāh ﷺ says, ‘Except for what was seen on the day of Badr, on no day is the Shayṭān seen more insignificant, more violently repelled, more humiliated, or more infuriated than on the day of ‘Arafah, due to no other reason than the mercy he sees being sent down and Allah’s forgiveness of great sins.’ (Muwatta Imam Mālik: 950)

Shayṭān had worked so hard in misleading people. However, they arrived at the Merciful Master’s courtyard, who readily forgave them. This is what disgraces Shayṭān, seeing all his efforts go down the drain.

One ḥadīth states that ‘The Ḥajj is ʿArafah’ (Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ: 2714). In other words, the main part of Ḥajj is in spending the day of ʿArafah in a proper manner.

Rasūlullāh’s ﷺ condition on the day of ʿArafah was amazing. He was at the lower part of Jabal al-Raḥmah, the Mount of Mercy, in utmost humility before his Lord. His hands were raised up to his chest and he was pleading to Allah like an extremely poor person begging someone for help. (Ibn Abbas, Fatḥ al-Qadīr).

The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘The best supplication [duʿā] is supplication on the day of ʿArafah, and the best thing which I and the prophets before me have said is: “There is no god but Allah alone, Who has no partner. To Him belongs the dominion, to Him is praise due, and He is Omnipotent.”’ (Muwatta Imām Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhi: 3585)

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

The Prophet ﷺ also said, ‘Supplication is the essence of worship.’ (Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī: 3371).

The Ḥujjāj-e-kirām should keep themselves busy throughout the day, especially in making duʿā.

While the Ḥujjāj are on the plain of ʿArafah, those at home should remember them, pray for ease and smoothness in their performing the rites of Ḥajj and that Allah accepts their worship.

Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī (Raḥmatullāhi ʿAlayh) writes in Laṭāif al-Maʿārif: ‘On the day of ʿArafah, Allah frees even those who are not physically at ‘Arafah. Therefore the next day is ‘Eid for us all.’

May Allah accept the worship of all Ḥujjāj-e-kirām and their duʿās. May Allah make their Ḥajj beneficial for the whole world. May Allah remove suffering from around the whole world and grant relief and ease to all the Muslims who are facing hardships.

Āmīn.