The Virtues of the Day of Arafat

All praise is due to Allah the Manifest True Sovereign. The Owner of Power, the Most Strong. He guided people to His straight path and right ordainments. And He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy. In these great days, the observant gather to remember him, thank him, and worship him in the best manner. And they honor His sacred ordinances and rituals. His Prophet ﷺ sacrificed and ordained it for his ummah (nation). For it is among his most confirmed sunnahs. So whoever is able to do so should not deny themselves.

So be conscious of Allah and obey Him. And magnify Him in His greatest days. For these days are the best days of this worldly life. Amass in them from righteousness and piety. And avoid sin and following desires.

Al Hajj (22) 30: That [has been commanded], and whoever honors the sacred ordinances of Allah – it is best for him in the sight of his Lord.

There are many virtues of these great days. And some of them have characteristics that others do not have, like the day of Arafat and the day of Sacrifice. And this discussion is about the day of Arafat and what it contains of virtue. So that we know its value and honor its sanctity. And so that we do not waste a moment of it.

And when Arafat is mentioned, the eyes well with tears at the sight of the pilgrims, while they are in Arafat, invoking and supplicating Allah. Rejoicing over them, being happy for them and longing for the sacred sites.

Indeed the day of Arafat is from the days of the sacred months. And it is from the ten favored days. And it is from the known days indicated in the verse:
Al Hajj (22) 28: That they may witness [i.e., attend] benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known [i.e., specific] days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals.

And Allah Almighty took an oath by it in His Noble Book that indicates its virtue and significance.

Al Buruj (85) 3: And [by] the witness and what is witnessed

And it is the day of perfecting the religion and completing the favor. As is in the Hadith of Omar bin Al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that Tariq bin Shihab narrated:
A Jewish man came to ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab and said: ‘O Commander of the Believers! There is a Verse in your Book which you recite; if it had been revealed to us Jews we would have taken that day as a holiday.’ He said: ‘Which Verse is that?’ He said: ‘This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. (Al Maeda (5) 3)’ ‘Umar said: ‘I know the place where it was revealed and the day on which it was revealed. It was revealed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at Arafat, on a Friday.’ [Al Bukhari 45]

And it is also an Eid for the Muslims. As in the Hadith narrated by Uqbah bin Aamer (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“The day of Arafat and the day of sacrifice and the days of At-Tashriq are our Eid, people of Islam, and they are days of eating and drinking.” [Sahih Al Jami Albani 8192]

And it is the day of boasting about the people who are at Arafat as was indicated in the Hadith of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Indeed Allah boasts to the occupants of the heavens about the people of Arafat. He says to them: “Look at my servants who have come to me disheveled, dusty” [Sahih Al Jami Albani 1867]

And it is the day of ransoming from the fire as indicated in the Hadith narrated by Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
There is no day on which Allah ransoms more servants from the Fire than the Day of Arafat. He draws closer and closer, then He boasts about them before the angels and says: ‘What do these people want? [Muslim 1348]

And it is the day of supplicating. And the day of moistening the tongues and hearts with the phrase of tawhid as indicated in the Hadith related by Talhah bin Ubaidulah bin Kareez that Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
The best supplication 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. [At Tirmithi 3585]

The apparent is that the merit of supplication is not restricted to those staying in Arafat only. Acceptance is more hopeful for them than others due to them wearing Ihram and being in the purest of places. At the same time, supplicating with the phrase of Tawhid in the hadith is not specific to the people of Arafat. Rather, people throughout the land should say it a lot on that great day.

And it is as if supplicating plentifully through the phrase of tawhid on the Day of Arafat is to confirm the fulfillment of the covenant that Allah Almighty took from mankind before their existence on earth. And it is mentioned in the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
Allah took the covenant from Adam’s back in Na‘man, that is Arafat, and brought forth from his loins all his offspring whom He created and scattered between His Hands like atoms. He then turned to them saying, (172) “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Yes, we have testified.” [This] – lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, “Indeed, we were of this unaware.” (173) Or [lest] you say, “It was only that our fathers associated [others in worship] with Allah before, and we were but descendants after them. Then would You destroy us for what the falsifiers have done? (Al A’raf (7) 172-173)” [Imam Ahmad 2455]

So it is appropriate for the tongues of believers to recite the phrase of Tawhid on that great day. Also, on Arafat, Muslims wherever they are should make plenty of remembrance and supplication.

So – servants of Allah – strive in remembrance and supplication. Perhaps the Mercy of Allah will touch you on the Day of Arafat. So a person should not deny themselves Allah’s favor and goodness on that great day.

And for those performing Hajj, is the triumph of staying in Arafat – the greatest pillar of Hajj. Nonetheless, for those not performing Hajj is fasting on that great day. And fasting it expiates the sins of two years as the Prophet ﷺ said:
Fasting the day of Arafat, I anticipate, will expiate for the sins of the previous year and the year after it. [Muslim 1162]

Oh Muslims:
The Eid of Adha is the biggest and best Eid of the Muslims. Because it is within the best and most noble days. And it contains the most and greatest devotional rites. And sacrifice is ordained in it and it among the best and most honorable of deeds. And it from the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ as was related in the Hadith of Anes (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:
The Prophet ﷺ sacrificed two black-and-white rams and I saw him putting his foot on their sides and pronouncing the Name of Allah and proclaiming His greatness. He slaughtered them with his own hand. [Al Bukhari 5558, Muslim 1966]

And let us avoid the sacrificial animals that have defects. For it is an offering for the sake of Allah. And let us choose the best and fattest animal as Abu Umaamah bin Sahl said:
We use to fatten the sacrificial animals in Al Madinah, and the Muslims would gain weight.

And whoever decides on the Day of Sacrifice or afterwards to sacrifice can do so. Likewise, someone who initially could not afford to sacrifice but then found enough money to do so can also sacrifice. And one sacrificial animal is sufficient for one household. And it is a worship and a means of getting closer to Allah. And boasting and bragging are not permissible.

And it is not permitted to fast on the days of tashreeq, which are the three days after Eid (the 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul Hijjah) for what the Prophet ﷺ said about them:
The days of tashreeq are days of eating and drinking and remembrance of Allah. [Muslim 1141]

Oh Muslims: The season has come upon you. So be cautious of neglecting. The season has come upon you, so be among the forerunners and not among the laggards. So perhaps Allah will glance at you with mercy. And rectify your wife and children. And perhaps Allah will glance at you with mercy and open for you through one righteous deed doors of righteous deeds that you were not able to perform previously. And perhaps Allah will glance at you with mercy and accept your supplication and rectify your religious affairs, your worldly affairs and your hereafter.

We ask Allah Almighty to accept from the Muslims and us. And to record for us mercy, forgiveness and freedom from the fire. Indeed He is All Hearing, Answering.

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