Origin of the day of Arafah

QUESTION:-

Please provide the basis of the origin/historical significance of the actions carried out during the second day of Hajj, as well as the reward for the actions performed on the second day of Hajj?

ANSWER:-

The origin of the actions of the second day of Hajj, are practices that reached us from the time of Hadhrat Adam Alaihis Salaam. The Ambiya that followed after Hadrat Adam Alaihis Salaam mimicked him and carried out these actions on the plains of Arafah on 9^th of Dhul Hijjah. This has been recorded in the commentary of Hujjatullahil Baaligah, entitled “6Rahmatullahil Waasi’ah”.

Re:- Rahmatullahil Waasi’ah Vol.4 Pg.199

It is also recorded in a narration of Majma’uz’Zawaa’id that Hadrat Jibraeel Alaihis Salaam carried out all the actions of Hajj which includes the combining of the Zuhr and Asr Salaah in Arafah, as well as the Wuqoof of Arafah. These were all learnt from Jibraeel Alaihis Salaam.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ: أَفَاضَ جِبْرِيلُ بِإِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ إِلَى مِنًى فَصَلَّى بِهِ الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ وَالْمَغْرِبَ وَالْعِشَاءَ وَالصُّبْحَ. ثُمَّ غَدَا مِنْ مِنًى إِلَى عَرَفَاتٍ فَصَلَّى بِهِ الصَّلَاتَيْنِ ثُمَّ وَقَفَ حَتَّى غَابَتِ الشَّمْسُ،ثُمَّ أَتَى بِهِ الْمُزْدَلِفَةَ فَنَزَلَ بِهَا فَبَاتَ بِهَا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: فَصَلَّى كَأَعْجَلِ مَا يُصَلِّي أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، ثُمَّ دَفَعَ بِهِ إِلَى مِنًى فَرَمَى وَذَبَحَ وَحَلَقَ. ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَنِ اتَّبِعْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ.(مجمع الزوائد # 5539)

 Virtues of the actions carried out on the day of Arafah

ما من يوم أفضل عند الله من يوم عرفة ينزل الله إلى السماء الدنيا فيباهي بأهل الأرض أهل السماء، فيقول: انظروا إلى عبادي شعثا غبرا ضاجين جاؤوا من كل فج عميق يرجون رحمتي، ولم يروا عذابي، فلم ير يوم أكثر عتقا من النار من يوم عرفة.(صحيح ابن حبان # 3853)

There is no better day in the sight of Allah Ta’ala than the Day of Arafah. Allah (i.e. His mercy) descends to the lowest heaven and He boasts to the inhabitants of the heavens about the inhabitants of the earth, saying: “Look at my servants, with disheveled hair, full of dust, calling out. They came from every distant place hoping for My mercy, yet they haven’t seen my punishment. There isn’t a day witnessed wherein more people are granted emancipation from Jahannam than the day of Arafah.”

عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ أنه قَال: سُئِل رَسُول اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ فَقَال: يُكَفِّرُ السَّنَةَ الْمَاضِيَةَ وَالْبَاقِيَةَ )مسلم( 1162  #

Abu Qatadah Radhiallahu Anhu narrates that Rasullullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam 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.”

 ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:-

Maulana Abdul Kader Fazlani

Date:- 27 Dhul Hijjah 1444 / 17 July 2023

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:-

Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb