THE MERITS OF THE DAY OF ‘ARAFAH
1. This verse was revealed with regard to this day: “Today I have perfected for you your religion, and completed upon you My favour, and I have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Maa’idah verse 3)
The perfection of Islam on that day was through several ways
A.) The pillars of Islam were completed by the performance of the fardh Hajj.
B.) Allaah Ta’ala returned the Hajj to the foundations laid down by Ibrahim (Alayhis Salaam), and expelled polytheism and the polytheists. As for the completion of the favour, this was acquired through forgiveness. No favour can be complete without this.
Rasulullaah (SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) heard a person making this supplication, “O Allaah! I ask You for a perfect bounty.”
So he said to him, “The perfect bounty is salvation from the Hellfire and admission into Paradise.” (Tirmidhi no. 3527)
This verse testifies in favour of the narration which states that the day of ‘Arafah is a day of forgiveness and salvation from the Hellfire.
A Jew said to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (RadhiAllaahu Anhu), “O Leader of the Believers! There is a verse in your Book which, had it been revealed to us Jews, we would have celebrated that day as a day of Id.”
He asked him, “Which verse are you referring to?”
He said: “Today I have perfected for you your religion, and completed upon you My favour, and I have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Maa’idah verse 3)
‘Umar (RadhiAllaahu Anhu) said to him, “I know fully well the day on which it was revealed and the place at which it was revealed. It was revealed on a Friday when Rasulullaah (SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) was standing at ‘Arafah.” (Bukhaari no. 45, Muslim no. 3017)
2. It is a day of Id for the Muslims as stated by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab and Ibn ‘Abbaas (RadhiAllaahu anhuma).
However, it is a day of Id specifically for those who are present at ‘Arafah. Fasting on this day is prescribed for the rest of the people [those not performing hajj] according to the majority of the ulama.
3. It is said that it is the odd day on which Allaah Ta’ala took an oath in the Qur’aan, and that the even day is the day of sacrifice. (Musnad Ahmad no. 14511 and Sunanul-Kubra of Nasai no. 4086)
4. It is related that it is the most superior of all days. It is the day of forgiveness of sins, pardon, salvation from the Hellfire, and the day when Allaah Ta’ala boasts about the people who are present at Arafaat.
Jaabir (RadhiAllaahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullaah H said, “The most superior of days is the day of ‘Arafah. Allaah Ta’ala descends to the lowest heaven and boasts to the inhabitants of the heavens regarding the inhabitants on earth. He says, “Look at My servants who are in a dishevelled and dusty condition. They are sacrificing and coming from every deep valley. They hope for My mercy, even though they have not seen My punishment.” There is no day in which people are freed from the Fire more than the Day of Arafah.” (Ibn Hibbaan no. 3853)
Anas ibn Maalik said that people used to say, “The day of ‘Arafah is 10 000 times more superior.”
Ataa (Rahimahullaah) said, “The person who fasts on the day of ‘Arafah shall receive the reward of fasting for 2 000 days.”
Farqad narrated, “The doors of the heavens are opened three times every night, seven times on Friday night, and nine times on the night of ‘Arafah.”
Ibn ‘Umar (RadhiAllaahu Anhu) narrated, “When it is the evening of the day of ‘Arafah, every single person who has even an atom’s weight of imaan is forgiven.” He was asked, “Is this specifically for the person who does good or for people in general?” He replied, “For the people in general.”
Rasulullaah (SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Satan is never seen smaller, more defeated, more humiliated and more angry than on the day of Arafah. The only reason for this is because he sees the descent of mercy, and Allaah’s pardoning major sins.” (Muwatta Maalik no. 245)
5. Fasting on this day is an atonement for sins of two years.
THE CAUSES OF SALVATION AND FORGIVENESS ON THE DAY OF ‘ARAFAH
1. Fasting on that day. Rasulullaah (SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “With regard to fasting on the day of Arafah, I have the hope that it will atone for the sins of the past year and the following year.” (Muslim no. 1162)
2. Safeguarding one’s limbs from the unlawful on that day. Rasulullaah (SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “The day of Arafah: the one who restrains his ears, eyes and tongue on this day is forgiven.” (Musnad Ahmad no. 3041)
3. Excessive supplication for forgiveness and emancipation from the Hellfire because there is hope that the supplication will be accepted on this day. Ali (RadhiAllaahu Anhu) said, “Allaah most certainly frees people from the Hellfire on every single day. But there is no day in which He frees as many as He does on the day of Arafah. You should therefore make this supplication in abundance,
اللهم أعتق رقبتى من النار وأوسع لى فى الرزق الحلال واصرف عنى فسقة الجن والإنس
O Allaah! Free me from the Hellfire. Give me lawful sustenance in abundance. Divert the wicked jinn and humans away from me.
This is the supplication which I generally make on this day.” (Kanzul-Ummal no. 12565 quoting from Ibn Abid-Dunya in Adaahi)
4. Excessive repetition of the shahaadah (testifying that none is worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah) with sincerity and devotion. This is the basis and foundation of Islam which Allaah Ta’ala completed on that day.
‘Abdullaah ibn Amr (RadhiAllaahu Anhu) said, “Rasulullaah (SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) made the following supplication the most on the day of ‘Arafah:
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ، وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ، وَهُوَ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ.
There is none worthy of worship except Allaah. He is one and He has no partner. His is the kingdom, and to Him belongs all praise. All good is in His control, and He has power over everything.”
(Musnad Ahmad no. 6961)
Another narration states,
“The best supplication is the one which is made on the day of Arafah. The best which I and the Ambiyaa before me said was:
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ، وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ.
“There is none worthy of worship except Allâh. He is one and He has no partner. His is the kingdom, and to Him belongs all praise. He has power over everything.”
(Tirmidhi no. 3585)
Zubayr ibn al-‘Awaam (RadhiAllaahu Anhu) said, “I heard Rasulullaah (SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) reciting this verse at ‘Arafah,
شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ وَالْمَلائِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
Allaah bears witness that there is no worship for anyone other than Him – and the angels and people of knowledge [bear witness] as well.
And he [Rasulullaah (SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) was saying],
وَأَنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ يَا رَبِّ
And I also bear witness, O Lord of the worlds!
(Musnad Ahmad no. 1421)