Cii Radio| Ayesha Ismail| 07 September 2016|05 Zhul Hijjah 1437
The month of Zhul-Hijjah is a season of worship, and seasons of worship bring along blessings, benefits and opportunities to correct one’s faith and make up for shortcoming. Every one of these special opportunities involves some kind of worship, which brings the slave closer to his Lord. And Allah bestows His blessings and favours on whom He wills.
The fortunate person is he who makes good use of these special months, days, and hours, while worshiping Allah.
He is most likely to be touched by the blessings of Allah. Rewards of good deeds are multiplied in these days [Ibn Rajab, al-Lataa’if pp. 8]
On the 2nd day of Hajj, the 9th Zhul Hijjah, The Day of Arafat, millions of pilgrims set out for the plains of Arafat after sunrise to attend the Khutbah of Arafat and prayer their Zuhr & Asr salaah combined as was the Sunnah of Rasool Allah (saw) Thereafter they engage in supplication to Allah (saw) from Zuhr to Magrib, seeking forgiveness of their Lord before setting off for Muzdhalifah.
What is the day of Arafat?
The first ten days of Zhul-Hijjah have been classified as the best 10 days of the year, and the Day of ‘Arafat, on which Allah perfected His religion has been classified as the best day of the year according to some scholars. The 9th day of Zhul-Hijja (the Month of Hajj) is called the Day of Arafah. It is the day during which Hajj pilgrims gather at the mount of Arafat praying and supplicating to the Almighty.
The Prophet (saw) said, ‘There is no day on which Allah frees people from the Fire more so than on the day of Arafah. He comes close to those (people standing on ’Arafah), and then He revels before His Angels saying, ‘What are these people seeking.” (Tirmidhee)
Arafat is a day of Forgiveness from sins, freedom from the Hell-Fire for the people who are present in the plain of Arafat.
Aa’ishah (ra) narrated the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying: “There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the day of Arafat. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels saying, ‘What do these people (the Hajis) want?’” [Muslim]
Not only should you fast this day, but make sure to make lots of Dua on this day as well..
The Prophet (saw) said: “The best dua is the dua of Arafat.” (Tirmidhi)
It is highly recommended (mustahabb) for non-pilgrims to fast during this day for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the day of Arafah, so he said, “It expiates the sins (Minor) of the past year and the coming year.”(Muslim)
However, it is Mustahabb only for the non-pilgrims and not for the Hajis (the pilgrims) because it was not the practice of Allah’s Messenger (saw) to fast on the day of Arafat during pilgrimage.
Source -Khilafah.com|Makkah.com
