Day of Arafah A day of mercy, forgiveness, and freedom from the Fire. The best day to fast and seek Allah’s blessings.
1. IT IS THE DAY ON WHICH THE RELIGION WAS PERFECTED AND ALLAH’S FAVOUR WAS COMPLETED
In Al-Sahihayn, it is reported from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that a Jewish man said to him, “O Amir al-Mu’minin, there is a verse 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 verse?”
He replied:
{This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.}
— [Al-Ma’idah 5:3]
‘Umar said, “We know on which day and in which place that was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). It was when he was standing in ‘Arafah on a Friday.”
2. IT IS A DAY OF ‘EID FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THAT PLACE
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Yawm ‘Arafah (the Day of ‘Arafah), Yawm al-Nahr (the Day of Sacrifice), and Ayyam al-Tashriq (the three days following Yawm al-Nahr) are ‘Eid (festival) for us, the people of Islam. These are days of eating and drinking.”
— Narrated by the authors of al-Sunan
‘Umar ibn al-Khattab also said:
“It – i.e., the verse ‘This day I have perfected…’ – was revealed on a Friday, the Day of ‘Arafah, both of which – praise be to Allah – are ‘Eids for us.”
3. IT IS A DAY BY WHICH ALLAH SWORE AN OATH
Allah only swears by things of great importance. Yawm ‘Arafah is the “witnessed day” mentioned in the verse:
“By the witnessing day [Friday] and by the witnessed day [the Day of ‘Arafah].”
— [Al-Buruj 85:3]
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“The promised day is the Day of Resurrection, the witnessed day is the Day of ‘Arafah, and the witnessing day is Friday.”
— Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and classed as sahih by al-Albani
4. IT IS THE “ODD” DAY BY WHICH ALLAH SWORE
Allah says:
“And by the even and the odd.”
— [Al-Fajr 89:3]
Ibn ‘Abbas said:
“The even is the Day of al-Adha (10th Dhul-Hijjah) and the odd is the Day of ‘Arafah (9th Dhul-Hijjah).”
This was also the view of ‘Ikrimah and al-Dahhak.
5. FASTING ON THIS DAY IS AN EXPIATION FOR TWO YEARS
Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah. He said:
“It expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year.”
Narrated by Muslim
This fasting is mustahabb (recommended) for those who are not performing Hajj. For those who are in Hajj, it is not Sunnah to fast, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not fast while in ‘Arafah and even forbade it.
6. IT IS THE DAY ON WHICH ALLAH TOOK THE COVENANT FROM THE PROGENY OF ADAM
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Allah took the covenant from the loins of Adam in Na’man (i.e., ‘Arafah). 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,’ lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: ‘Verily, we were unaware of this’…”
— [Al-A’raf 7:172–173], narrated by Ahmad and classed as sahih by al-Albani
There is no greater day or greater covenant than this.
7. IT IS THE DAY OF FORGIVENESS, FREEDOM FROM THE FIRE, AND PRIDE IN THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT
In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the Day of ‘Arafah. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels, saying, ‘What do these people want?’”
Ibn ‘Umar also narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Allah expresses His pride to His angels at the last part of the day on the Day of ‘Arafah, about the people of ‘Arafah. He says, ‘Look at My slaves who have come unkempt and dusty.’”
Narrated by Ahmad and classed as sahih by al-Albani
AND ALLAH KNOWS BEST.
