The Day of Arafah

Bismillah. All praises are due to Allah, and salutations and peace upon Rasulullah.

Alhamdulillah, we are experiencing the blessed days of Dhul Hijjah. These days are significant because Allah takes an oath by them in the Quran:

"By the dawn; and the ten nights." (Quran 89:1-2)

Moreover, regarding the Day of Arafah, Allah Taala says:

"and the witness and what is witnessed!" (Quran 85:3)

What is witnessed refers to the Day of Arafah. This day is a reminder of the blessing of Islam which Allah has chosen for humanity. A Jewish man once approached Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and said, "O Amir al-Mu'minin, there is a verse in your book that if it had been revealed to us, we would have taken it as a day of celebration." Umar asked, "Which verse is that?" The man replied, "The verse: '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, "I know the day and the place where this verse was revealed. It was revealed to the Messenger of Allah on the Day of Arafah, which was a Friday."

The Day of Arafah is significant because the Prophet mentioned that there isnt a day on which Allah Taala frees more people from the Fire of Hell than the Day of Arafah. On this day, all the Hujjaj gather, stand in du'as, and beseech Allah Taala. The seriousness of this day can be witnessed as millions of people cry and beg Allah for hours in the plains of Arafah and elsewhere. To get the maximum blessings of this day, we must engage and devote ourselves to Allah Taala.

1. Devote yourself to worship. As much as possible, dedicate your time to Allah Taala. Pray as many prayers as possible in the masjid, recite the Holy Quran, make dhikr of Allah Taala, and make a lot of du'a. This is one special day in the year. Ask Allah Taala for every need you may have in this world and the hereafter. Value the time Allah SWT has granted us, as we dont know if we will have this opportunity again. The Prophet said, The best of du'as is the du'a of the Day of Arafah. And the best statement that I and the prophets before me have said is: There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah; He is alone; He has no partner. To Him belongs dominion, and for Him is all praise. And He is capable over everything.

2. Fast on the Day of Arafah if possible. The Prophet said, Fasting on the Day of Arafah, I hope from Allah, will expiate for the sins of the previous year and the coming year. So fasting on the Day of Arafah will forgive our minor sins from the past year and the upcoming year.

3. Perform the sacrifice. The most beloved action to Allah on the day of Eid is to sacrifice an animal. This is the sunnah of the Prophet , who would sacrifice an animal out of obedience to Allah. Anas reported that Allah's Messenger sacrificed with his own hands two horned rams which were white with black markings, reciting the name of Allah and glorifying Him (i.e., saying Allah-o-Akbar). Aisha (RA) reports that Rasulullah said: There is nothing dearer to Allah Taala during the days of Qurbaani than the spilling of blood (i.e., the sacrificing of animals). The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of Qiyamah with its horns, hair, and hooves (to be weighed). The sacrifice is accepted by Allah Taala before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore, carry out the Qurbaani in a condition that your heart is pleased and happy to fulfill the command of Allah Taala.

The reality of the sacrifice is as Allah Taala says in the Quran, Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you." If an individual hasnt yet done so, they should make preparations for the sacrifices that are binding on every mature individual who has nisaab (about $6,500) on the Eid day and is not traveling.

4. Recite the Takbir Tashriq from the Fajr of Arafah (Sunday) to the Asr of the 13th Day (Wednesday). The Takbir should be recited once after every obligatory prayer, including the Eid prayer. This is regardless of whether the prayer is in congregation or individually. The brothers should recite it loudly, whereas sisters should recite it softly to themselves. The takbir is:

May Allah grant us the ability to benefit from these blessed days, especially the Day of Arafah, and to fulfill our duties in the best manner. Ameen.

Eid Salah | June 17 2024
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