When the honor of place and time converge, and we feel the spiritual moments where Allah’s mercy is manifested, with the increase of emancipation from the Fire by Allah’s mercy, it must be the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, about which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “There is no day on which Allah frees more servants from the Fire than the Day of Arafah.”
Information About the Day of Arafah
Every year, Muslims welcome the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah with joy due to the great reward and virtue they carry, as they are the best days of the world. This year, the Day of Arafah falls on Saturday, June 15, 2024, as per astronomical calculations.
What is the Day of Arafah and Why is it Named So?
The question that comes to mind these days is, what is the Day of Arafah and why is it named so?
The Day of Arafah, also known as the Day of Standing, is considered the best day of the Hijri year and is the ninth day of the ten days upon which Allah swore in His Book when He said: “By the dawn; And ten nights”
These are the days during which the rituals of Hajj to the Sacred House of Allah are performed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Hajj is Arafah.”
On the Day of Arafah, pilgrims head to Mount Arafat, standing on it from before noon until sunset, asking Allah for His mercy and forgiveness. This is why it is also called the “Day of Standing.”
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said about standing on Arafat, “As for your standing at Arafah, indeed Allah descends to the lowest heaven and boasts about you to the angels, saying, ‘These are My servants; they have come to Me disheveled and dusty from every distant pass, hoping for My mercy and fearing My punishment, though they have not seen Me. How would it have been if they had seen Me! If your sins were as much as the sand of ‘Aalij or as many as the days of the world or the drops of rain, Allah would wash them away.'”
When Does the Day of Arafah Start and End?
The Day of Arafah starts from the dawn of the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah and extends until the true dawn of the Day of Sacrifice, which is the first day of Eid al-Adha.
The Virtue of Sadaqah on the Day of Arafah
The first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah are the best days of the year. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, not even Jihad for the sake of Allah?” He said, “Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, except for a man who went out with his life and wealth and did not return with either.” (Reported by al-Tirmuzih)
The Day of Arafah is the best and greatest among these days. Fasting on it expiates the sins of two years. Therefore, increasing acts of worship on this day is obligatory because of the added virtue it holds over other days.
The virtue of Sadaqah on the Day of Arafah is also great. Sadaqah is a recommended act of worship and a righteous deed that accompanies us throughout the year due to its blessings. On the Day of Arafah, it holds a special merit because of the great virtue and reward associated with this day. It is a means of drawing closer to Allah Almighty.
Donating Sadaqah on the Day of Arafah to Support Students in Syria
These ten days come with their goodness and virtue for our brothers and sisters in northern Syria. Their conditions have remained difficult for many years, with a crisis negatively impacting all aspects of life. This situation has led to about 2.5 million children being out of school, according to UNICEF.
Therefore, Masarat Initiative strives to support these students and invites you to donate Sadaqah on the Day of Arafah to support students in Syria through educational projects that guide them back to the path of learning, which alone can build their future and change their reality. We present to you the educational projects that the initiative works on and the sponsorships it provides for students who have dropped out of school, paving the way for you to invest in these blessed days, especially the Day of Arafah, by directing your Sadaqah to support the students of northern Syria, through whom we can reignite the light of hope for building the future of the community and the nation as a whole.
The Best Deeds on the Day of Arafah
All righteous deeds on the Day of Arafah are recommended and desirable. Many acts of worship were guided by our Prophet (peace be upon him), and among the best deeds on the Day of Arafah are:
- Fasting: Fasting on the Day of Arafah expiates the sins of the previous year and the following year, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Fasting on the Day of Arafah, I hope from Allah, expiates for the year before it and the year after it.” Fasting on this day is recommended for those not performing Hajj, while for the pilgrim, it is not recommended to fast so that they can have the strength to stand and remember Allah.
- Increasing remembrance and supplication: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The best supplication is the supplication on the Day of Arafah, and the best thing I and the prophets before me have said is: ‘There is no god but Allah alone, He has no partners. To Him belongs the sovereignty and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things omnipotent.'” (Reported by the Sunan authors)
- Saying Takbeer, Tahleel, and Tahmeed.
- Supplication: Standing on Arafah is a moment that should be utilized to its fullest. Supplication should be made earnestly and sincerely, using both the supplications taught by the Prophet (peace be upon him) and others, whether one is a pilgrim or not.
Deeds on the Day of Arafah for Hujaj
Hujaj perform many rites and rituals during the Hajj season, but the deeds on the Day of Arafah for the pilgrim include:
- Spending the night in Mina on the night of Arafah: Spending the night in Mina is a Sunnah of Hajj, not an obligatory duty.
- Standing on Arafah: Standing on Arafah is the fundamental pillar of Hajj. If one misses standing on Arafah, they miss the Hajj.
- Talbiyah: The pilgrim continues to recite the Talbiyah from the time of Ihram and throughout the Hajj rites.
- Spending the night in Muzdalifah: After standing on Arafah, the pilgrim should spend the night in Muzdalifah and perform the Maghrib and Isha prayers together.
Deeds on the Day of Arafah for Non-Pilgrims
Non-pilgrims should also take advantage of the virtue of this day. Some of the deeds for non-pilgrims on the Day of Arafah include:
- Fasting on the Day of Arafah
- Praying, one of the best deeds on the Day of Arafah
- Guarding the senses against prohibitions
- Increasing Takbeer, Tahleel, and Tahmeed
- Abundant supplication for forgiveness and emancipation from the Fire
- Revering the Day of Arafah in the heart by remembering its virtue with Allah Almighty
- Reflecting on the state of the Prophet (peace be upon him) on that day, when he stood, prayed, and addressed the people
- Remembering Allah’s blessing upon His servants by completing the religion and perfecting it for them on that day
Virtues of the Day of Arafah
The first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah are the best days of the year, as previously mentioned, and among them is the great Day of Arafah. We can highlight some of its virtues:
- It is the day of the completion of the religion and the fulfillment of blessings: Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man from the Jews said, “O Commander of the Believers, there is a verse in your Book which you recite; if it had come to us Jews, we would have taken that day as a festival.” Umar asked, “Which verse?” The man replied, “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.” Umar said, “We know the day and the place in which it was revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him); it was while he was standing on Arafah on a Friday.”
- It is a day of Eid for the people standing on Arafah: For the pilgrims, it is a day of great reward and merit, and it is the ritual that completes their Hajj.
- The Day of Arafah, the day by which Allah swore: The mighty swears only by what is great. Allah said: “By the dawn; And ten nights”
- Fasting on the Day of Arafah expiates 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, and he said, “It expiates for the past year and the coming year.” (Reported by Muslim).
- It is a day of forgiveness of sins and emancipation from the Fire: In Sahih Muslim, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “There is no day on which Allah frees more servants from the Fire than the Day of Arafah.”
The Virtue of the Day of Arafah for Non-Pilgrims
The virtue of the Day of Arafah is not limited to the pilgrims standing on Arafah; it extends to every Muslim who believes in Allah. There are many great virtues, including:
- Supplication on the Day of Arafah is answered: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The best supplication is the supplication on the Day of Arafah.”
- Fasting on the Day of Arafah expiates for two years: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “It expiates for the past year and the coming year.” (Reported by Muslim).
- Abundant emancipation from the Fire on the Day of Arafah: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “There is no day on which Allah frees more servants from the Fire than the Day of Arafah.” (Reported by Muslim).
The Virtue of Fasting on the Day of Arafah
The virtue of fasting on the Day of Arafah is confirmed by the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said that Allah expiates the sins of the past year and the coming year by fasting on this day. This is with the condition of avoiding major sins as clarified by other Hadiths.
The Best Supplication on the Day of Arafah
The best supplication on the Day of Arafah is what was reported from Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The best supplication is the supplication on the Day of Arafah, and the best thing I and the prophets before me have said is: ‘There is no god but Allah alone, He has no partners. To Him belongs the sovereignty and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things omnipotent.'” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi and graded as good by al-Albani)
