Introduction

Hajj has just concluded. Millions of Muslims have gathered this year in Makkah to perform the ancient rites of the pilgrimage, established by the Prophet Abraham and restored and purified by the last messenger of God, the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, for all mankind until the end of time.

The central event of Hajj is standing on the plain of Arafa on the afternoon and until sunset of the 9th day of Dhul Hijjah.

We congratulate the Muslims who have completed their hajj this year and ask for them acceptance and renewal and reward for their efforts and expenditure and good actions.

The Prophet said: "Hajj is Arafa".

We would like remind you of the blessings and importance of the day of Arafa.

The virtue of the day of Arafa

One of the bounties with which Allah has favoured his slaves is that He created times, and made some of these times better others, and also He created seasons for worshipping so Muslims can correct their faults, purify themselves from sins and iniquities. Allah favours His slaves with many gifts. Every sincere and truthful Muslim should take the opportunity to draw nearer to his Lord during these times and seasons by doing good deeds, and purifying his soul from the vices and the whims.

The day of Arafa is one of these gifts that Allah grants His slaves forgiveness of their faults for two years, if they have committed them, if not Allah will elevate their degree in paradise in the day after.

On the authority of Abu Qatada (May Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (May Allah’s peace and blessing be upon him) was asked about fasting on Monday, he said: It is a day in which I was born, received the message, and in which the Qur’an revealed to me.

Also the prophet (May Allah‚s peace and blessing was asked about the day of Arafa, He said: it blots out the iniquities for the passed and the coming year after it. The Muslim should realise the virtue of this great day. In it, the Du’a is answered, the sins are forgiven, and Allah is satisfied with his servants.

Allah praised and exalted the day of Arafa over the other days, It is the day of perfecting the religion of Islam and completing the favour of Allah upon the Muslims. It is the day of forgiveness, and the set free from Fire.

Bukhari and Muslim narrated that a Jewish man approached Amir Al Muminin, Omar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saying:
There is a verse in your Book, had it be revealed to the Jews they would have taken the day in which it was revealed a day of celebration. Omar said: Which is it?. He said: {This day I have perfected your religion and completed may favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion}.

Omar said: "We know the day and the place it revealed; it was on the day of Arafa, on Friday and both days are holidays to us. The day of Arafa is also praised an glorified by Allah because He sworn by it. He called it a witnessed day as in the verse: "and by the witnessing day (Friday) and by the witnessed day "(i.e. the day of Arafa)
.
Imam Thirmidhi narrated the following Hassan Hadeeth : On the authority of Abu Huraira (May Allah be pleased with Him) the Prophet (May Allah‚bless him and grant him peace) said : "The promised day is the day of Resurrection and the witnessed day is the day of Arafa, and the witnessing day is
Friday)".

The day of Arafa is the Witr (odd) in which Allah swears by in his saying:
"By the dawn, by the ten nights (i.e. the first ten days of the month of dhul-Hijja), and by the even and the odd".

The ten days are for Al-Adha, And the witr is the day of Arafa, and the even is the day of Nahir (immolation).

Swearing by the day of Arafa, denotes how great and blessed this day is. It emphasises the great importance given to it, because when Allah swears by something it should be of a great importance such in the way when Allah says in Qur‚an: "I swear by Mawaqi‚ (setting of the mansions) of the stars, and verily, that is indeed a great oath if you but know".

The day of Arafa is also honoured for being the place of the covenant taken by Allah on the children of Adam.

Imam Ahmad narrated the following Hadeeth Saheeh: On the authority of Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "Allah has taken the covenant from Adam’s loin In Na’man (A valley in the mountain of Arafa) then Allah created from Adam’s seeds his offspring, then Allah disseminated them between His hands and said : "Am I not your Lord? They said: "Yes! We testify", lest 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 in the past who took others as partners in worship along with Allah, and we were merely following after them; will you then destroy us because of the deeds of men who practised Al-Batil (worship other than Allah) and committing crimes and sins, invoking and worshipping other besides Allah)?.

The Day of Arafa is the day of forgiveness for the pilgrims, who are present this day, as will as for those who fast the Day of Arafa all over the world.

Imam Muslim narrated in his Sahih: On the authority of Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) she said: the Prophet of Allah (May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him said: "There is no other day on which Allah frees a larger number of his slaves from the Fire of Hell than the Day of Arafa"

Imam Ahmad narrated the following Hadeeth Saheeh: On the authority of Ibn
Omar (May Allah be pleased with him said: the Messenger of Allah (May Allah
be pleased with him) said: "Allah said: Look at my slaves, How dishevelled and dusty they came to me, I do call you as witnesses upon me that I forgive them (their bad deeds).

That forgiveness which is a great grace from Allah is for whosoever stand on
Arafat. Also for those who fast on the day of Arafa Allah will blot out their sins for the passed two years, as the prophet said in the Hadeeth Saheeh: "I guarantee that Allah will erase the wrongdoing of two years for those who fast at that day".
The Day of Arafa is the day in which the human rights were first established.

In other words it preceded the international declaration by 14 centuries. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and give him peace, stated on the day of Arafa that there is no men are equal in all matters except in Taqwa (righteousness). The rank of superiority and inferiority was not to be based on skin colour or sex. In the Day of Arafa also the prophet (May Allah"s peace and blessings be upon him) gave women their rights which were and still are oppressed in the other laws and traditions. And affirmed up the Islamic moral values and cancelled the values of the Jahiliah, such as usury.

Dear brothers: The Muslims should celebrate the day of Arafa by holding themselves from committing sins and iniquities in order that Allah may forgive them.

Imam Ahmad narrated in his Musnad the Hadeeth Sahih: on the authority of Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) said: the Prophet of Allah (May Allah’s peace and blessing be upon him ) said: "in this day (of Arafa) whosoever hold his hearing, seeing, and his tong (from committing sins by them), he will be forgiven by Allah".

The best deed that the Muslim could do is saying the Tahlil (La illaha iIla Allah) and Tasbeeh (Subhanallah) and Takbeer (Allahu Akbar). Also Du‚a (supplication) is recommended we have to say Dua‚s as much as we could in the day of Arafa.

Al-Tirmidhi narrated in Hassan Isnad: The prophet (May Allah‚s peace and blessing be upon him) said: "The best supplication is in the day of Arafa, and the best remembrance that I and the prophets before me is: "There is no god but Allah, the only true God, who has no partner. To Him belongs the kingdom (of the universe) and to Him all praises are due. And He has the power to do every thing"

So the Muslim should prepare himself for this day to keep on remembrance (dhikr) Du‚a and Istighfar. He should pray with Du’a for our Muslim brothers in Palestine and in all over the world.

Hajj Diagram (Arabic)