Virtues of the Day of Arafaah

Virtues of the Day of Arafaah

It was narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah  that the Prophet  said: “There is no day when Allah sets free more slaves from Hell than the Day of ‘Arafah. He draws near, then boasts of them to the angels, Saying, ‘What do these [slaves] want [that I may give them]?’” [Muslim]

It was narrated by Abu Hurayrah  that the Prophet  said: “Allah boasts about the people of ‘Arafah to the dwellers of heaven, saying, ‘Just look at My slaves! They have come to Me with disheveled hair and covered in dust.’” [Ahmad in his Musnad, Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh and Al-Haakim in Al-Mustadrak]

It was narrated by Jaabir  that the Prophet  said: “There is no better day in the Sight of Allah than the Day of ‘Arafah. Allah The Almighty descends [on that day] to the lowest heaven, and boasts about the people of the earth to the dwellers of heaven, saying: ‘Just look at My slaves! They have come to Me with disheveled hair and covered in dust, standing in the forenoon. They have come from every distant pass. They seek My Mercy although they have not seen My punishment.’ There is no day when Allah sets free more slaves from Hell than the Day of ‘Arafah.’” [Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibbaan, Al-Bazzaar, Abu Ya‘la and Al-Bayhaqi]

Ibn ‘Umar  said that two men went to the Prophet  to ask him about matters of religion and the Prophet  said to them: “As for the standing at ‘Arafah, Allah The Almighty descends to the lowest heaven and boasts of the people there to the angels saying, ‘Here are My slaves! They have come to Me with disheveled hair and covered with dust, from every distant pass. They seek My Mercy and fear My Punishment, although they have not seen Me. And what [would be their state] if they had seen Me!’ [Even] if you have sins like [the number of grains of] sand, the [number of] days of the worldly life or the [number of] drops of rain, Allah will [nevertheless] erase them for you.” [Musannaf ‘Abdur-Razzaaq]

Anas  said,

I was with the Prophet  at Al-Khayf mosque and a man from the Ansaar [helpers] and another one from the Thaqeef tribe came to him. The Prophet  said a long statement and part of what he said was: “As for the standing at ‘Arafah: Allah The Almighty descends to the lowest heaven [on that day], and boasts about you to the angels, saying: ‘Here are My slaves! They have come to Me with disheveled hair and with pale faces seeking My Mercy and Forgiveness. If your sins are as many as the grains of sand or the drops of rain or [as much as] the foam on the sea, I would forgive you. Go My slaves after being forgiven, and after the ones whom you asked forgiveness for have been forgiven.” [Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr]         

It was narrated on the authority of Anas  that he said,

The Prophet  stood at ‘Arafah and the sun was about to set, so he said: “O Bilaal, call the people.” Bilaal stood up and asked the people to listen to the Prophet  so they listened. The Prophet  said: “O people, Jibreel [Gabriel] came a while ago, delivered the greetings of Allah to me and said, ‘Allah has forgiven the people of ‘Arafah and the people of the Mash‘ar [a place in Muzdalifah].’” ‘Umar got up and asked the Prophet  “Is this specific to us?” The Prophet  said: “This is for you and all the people who come after you until the Day of Judgment.” ‘Umar, replied, “The goodness of Allah is plentiful and wonderful.” [Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr]

The Significance of these Ahadeeth:

In his explanation of Saheeh Muslim, Imam An-Nawawi  said, “This Hadeeth explicitly indicates the virtue of the Day of ‘Arafah.” An-Nawawi  combined the understanding of the Ahadeeth that deal with the virtue of the Day of ‘Arafah and the Ahadeeth that deal with the virtue of Friday such as the Hadeeth that says: “The best day that the sun rises upon is Friday.” [Muslim] He said that the Ahadeeth that deal with the virtue of the Day of ‘Arafah show that ‘Arafah is the best day of the year, while the Ahadeeth that deal with the virtue of Friday show that it is the best day of the week.

It was narrated on the authority of Saalim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar  that he saw someone begging on the Day of ‘Arafah, so he said to him, “What a strange thing! On this day you are asking someone other than Allah?”

‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez  delivered a Khutbah (sermon) at ‘Arafah and said, “O people, you have come from near and far distances, exhausted your camels, and worn out your clothes. The winner today is not the one whose camel is ahead, but rather it is the one whose sins are forgiven. Praise be to Allah - the Lord of the worlds.”

1.  It is the day on which the religion was perfected and Allaah’s Favour was completed.  In Al-Saheehayn it was reported from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a Jewish man said to him, “O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, there is an Aayah in your Book which you recite; if it had come to us Jews, we would have taken that day as an ‘Eid (festival).” ‘Umar said, “Which aayah?”

 He said:

 {اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم وأتممت عليكم نعمتي ورضيت لكم الإسلام دينا}

 (Interpretation of Meaning): “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [al-Maa’idah 5:3]. ‘Umar said, “We know on which day and in which place that was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It was when he was standing in ‘Arafaah on a Friday.”  2. It is a day of Eid for the people who are in that place.  The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

 «يوم عرفة ويوم النحر وأيام التشريق عيدنا أهل الإسلام ، وهي أيام أكل وشرب» 

(Interpretation of Meaning): “Yawm ‘Arafaah (the day of ‘Arafaah), Yawm al-Nahr (the Day of Sacrifice) and Ayyaam al-Tashreeq (the 3 days following Yawm al-Nahr) are Eid (festival) for us, the people of Islam. These are days of eating and drinking.” This was narrated by the authors of al-Sunan. It was reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab said: “It – i.e., the aayah ‘This day I have perfected…’ was revealed on a Friday, the Day of ‘Arafaah, both of which – praise be to Allaah – are Eids for us.”  3. 

It is a day by which Allaah swore an oath.  The Almighty cannot swear by anything except that which is mighty. Allah the Almighty said: {وشاهد ومشهود} Yawm ‘Arafaah is the “witnessed day” mentioned in the aayah; (Interpretation of the Meaning): “By the witnessing day [Friday] and by the witnessed day [the Day of ‘Arafaah].” [al-Burooj 85:3]. It was reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 

«اليوم الموعود يوم القيامة ، واليوم المشهود يوم عرفة ، والشاهد يوم الجمعة» 

(Interpretation of Meaning):“The promised day is the Day of Resurrection, the witnessed day is the Day of ‘Arafaah, and the witnessing day is Friday.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.  It is the “odd” [i.e., odd-numbered, Witr] by which Allaah swore in the aayah: {والشفع والوتر} (Interpretation of the meaning): “And by the even and the odd” [al-Fajr 89:3]. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “The even is the Day of al-Adhaa [i.e., 10th Dhoo’l-Hijjah] and the odd is the Day of ‘Arafaah [i.e., 9th Dhoo’l-Hijjah] This is also the view of ‘Ikrimah and al-Dahhaak.  

4. Fasting on this day is an expiation for two years.  It was reported from Abu Qutaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the Day of ‘Arafaah. He said:

 {يكفر السنة الماضية والسنة القابلة} 

(Interpretation of the meaning):“It expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year.” Narrated by Muslim.  This (fasting) is mustahabb for those who are not on Hajj. In the case of the one who is on Hajj, it is not Sunnah for him to fast on the Day of ‘Arafaah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not fast on this day in ‘Arafaah. It was narrated that he forbade fasting on the Day of ‘Arafaah in ‘Arafaah.  5. It is the day on which Allaah took the covenant from the progeny of Adam.  It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

 إن الله أخذ الميثاق من ظهر آدم بنعمان - يعني عرفة - وأخرج من صلبه كل ذرية ذرأها ، فنثرهم بين يديه كالذر ، ثم كلمهم قبلا ، قال: {ألست بربكم قالوا بلى شهدنا أن تقولوا يوم القيامة إنا كنا عن هذا غافلين. أو تقولوا إنما أشرك آباؤنا من قبل وكنا ذرية من يعدهم أفتهلكنا بما فعل المبطلون}

 (Interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah took the covenant from the loins of Adam in Na’maan, i.e., ‘Arafaah. He brought forth from his loins all his offspring and spread them before Him, then He addressed them, and said: ‘Am I not your Lord? They said, ‘Yes, we testify,’ let you should say on the Day of Resurrection: ‘Verily, we have been unaware of this.’ Or lest you should say: ‘It was only our fathers aforetime who took others as partners in worship along with Allaah, and we were (merely their) descendents after them; will You then destroy us because of the deeds of men who practised Al-Baatil (i.e., ploytheism and committing crimes and sins, invoking and worshipping others besides Allaah)?’ [al-A’raaf 7:172-173 – interpretation of the meaning].” 

Narrated by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. And there is no greater day than this and no greater covenant than this.   6. It is the day of forgiveness of sins, freedom from the Fire and pride in the people who are there:  In Saheeh Muslim it was narrated from Mother of believers;‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 

«ما من يوم أكثر من أن يعتق الله فيه عبدا من النار من يوم عرفة ، وإنه ليدنو ثم يباهي بهم الملائكة فيقول : ما أراد هؤلاء» 

(Interpretaion of Meaning): “There is no day on which Allaah frees more people from the Fire than the Day of ‘Arafaah. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels, saying, ‘What do these people want?’”  It was reported from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: «إن الله تعالى يباهي ملائكته عشية عرفة بأهل عرفة ، فيقول : انظروا إلى عبادي أتوني شعثا غبرا» “Allaah expresses His pride to His Angels at the time of ‘Ishaa’ on the Day of ‘Arafaah, about the people of ‘Arafaah. He says, ‘Look at My slaves who have come unkempt and dusty.’” Narrated by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.  And Allaah knows best.