THE WITNESSED DAY
? The day of Arafat is the essence & pinnacle of Hajj. On this great & momentous day, millions of worshippers gather on one plain, from every corner of the world, with only one purpose in mind – to respond to the call of their Creator. The virtues include:
1⃣ IT IS THE DAY ON WHICH THE RELIGION WAS PERFECTED & ALLAH’S FAVOUR WAS COMPLETED: Umar ibn al-Khattaab (radiallahu anihu): a Jewish man said to him, “O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, there is an ayah 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 ayah?” He said: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [5:3]. ‘Umar said, “We know on which day & in which place that was revealed to the Prophet (saw). It was when he was standing in Arafah on a Friday.”
2⃣ IT IS A DAY OF EID FOR THE PEOPLE:The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhiwasallam) said: “Yawm ‘Arafah (the day of ‘Arafah), Yawm al-Nahr (the Day of Sacrifice)& Ayyaam al-Tashreeq (3 days following Yawm al-Nahr) are Eid (festival) for us, the people of Islam. These are days of eating and drinking.” (authors of al-Sunan).
3⃣ IT IS A DAY BY WHICH ALLAH SWORE AN OATH: “By the witnessing day (Friday) & by the witnessed day (Day of ‘Arafaah).” [burooj 85:3]. Abu Hurayrah (ra):Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhiwasallam) said: “The promised day is the Day of Resurrection, the witnessed day is the Day of ‘Arafaah, and the witnessing day is Friday.” (Tirmidhi). It is the “odd” (Witr) by which Allah swore [al-Fajr 89:3]. “And by the even and the odd” Ibn ‘Abbaas, ikrimah & al-dahhaak said: “The even is the Day of al-Adhaa [10thDhu’l-Hijjah] & the odd is the Day of ‘Arafah [9th Dhu’l-Hijjah].
4⃣ FASTING ON THIS DAY IS AN EXPIATION FOR 2-YEARS. Abu Qutaadah (radiallahu anihu): Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhiwasallam) was asked about fasting on the Day of ‘Arafaah. He said, “It expiates the sins of the previous & the coming year.”(Muslim). This fast is mustahabb (highly encouraged) for those who are not on Hajj.Those who are on Hajj should not fast on the Day of ‘Arafah, because the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhiwasallam) was on Arafah & did not fast on this day.
5⃣ IT IS THE DAY ON WHICH ALLAH TOOK THE COVENANT FROM THE PROGENY OF ADAM. Ibn ‘Abbaas (radiallahu anihu):the Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhiwasallam) said: “Allah took the covenant from the loins of Adam in Na’maan, i.e. Arafah. He brought forth from his loins all his offspring and spread them before Him, then He addressed them as in Q7:172-173. And there is no greater day than this & no greater covenant than this.”(Ahmad)
6⃣ IT IS THE DAY OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS, FREEDOM FROM THE FIRE AND PRIDE IN THE PEOPLE IN ARAFAH.Aisha (radiallahu aniha):Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhiwasallam) said: “There is no day on which Allah 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?”. Ibn ‘Umar: the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhiwasallam) said: “Allah expresses His pride to His angels at the time of ‘Ishaa’ on the Day of ‘Arafaah, He says, ‘Look at My slaves who have come unkempt and dusty (Ahmad). Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhiwasallam) said: ‘The best supplication is the supplication on the day of Arafat’.(Tirmidhi)
Credit: IMADAWAH
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