Remembering the sacrifice and devotion we must all make towards God, and to be thankful for His infinite mercy and love lies as the foundation of this holy day.
Remembering the sacrifice and devotion we must all make towards God, and to be thankful for His infinite mercy and love lies as the foundation of this holy day.
Marking the second day of Hajj and the day before Eid Al-Adha, the holy day of Arafat is the day of repentance, when those on the pilgrimage of Hajj travel to Mount Arafat as the last leg of their journey to have their sins forgiven. Muslims who are not on the pilgrimage of Hajj can also fast instead on this day.
Standing on Mount Arafat is often symbolized with Hajj itself, and is considered to be the holy place where the Prophet Mohammed gave his final farewell sermon. Those able to perform the pilgrimage of Hajj make the climb on Mount Arafat and wait until maghrib prayers, while praying for forgiveness and devoting themselves to the remembrance of Allah. Many Muslims able to make the pilgrimage of Hajj remember Mount Arafat as one of the most profound and powerful experiences of their lives.
The Noble Messenger (blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) has said, ‘The greatest sin of a person who goes to ‘Arafat and then leaves is to think that he has not been forgiven of his sins.’”
[Biharul Anwar, Volume 96, Page 248]
With the day of Arafat leading into Eid Al-Adha, which celebrates and commemorates when the Prophet Ibrahim made the ultimate sacrifice for Allah, Muslims around the world spend this time in deep contemplation. Sacrifice, faith, and devotion towards God are all an integral part of the religion of Islam, but on this day in particular, many Muslims are reminded of the importance in living their daily lives full of love and remembrance for God.
One du’a many recite on this day is Du’a Arafat, first made by Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. In this beautiful du’a, Hussein ibn Ali bears witness that there is no God but God alone, and continues to praise Allah and offers gratitude towards everything we receive from Him. One part of the du’a reads as such:
As You perfected for me all the graces
and warded off all misfortunes,
my ignorance of You and challenge have not stopped You
from showing me that which takes me near to You,
and from leading me to that which grants me proximity to You.
O my God: You ordered me, but I disobeyed You.
You warned me, but I violated Your warning.
So, I am now lacking neither justification to apologize
nor power to support myself.
By which thing can I now meet You, O my Master?
Is it by my hearing, my sight,
my tongue, my hand, or my foot?
Are all these not Your bounties on me
and with all of them I have disobeyed You, O my Master?
You have absolute argument and claim against me.
You are the Just Judge Who never wrongs,
Your justice will ruin me,
and from Your all justice I flee.
If You, O my God, chastise me,
then it is because of my sins after Your claim against me;
and if You pardon me,
then it is on account of Your forbearance, magnanimity, and generosity.
There is no god save You. All glory be to You.
I have been of the wrongdoers.
There is no god save You. All glory be to You.
I have been of those seeking forgiveness.
There is no god save You. All glory be to You.
The Day of Arafat is a holy day for all Muslims, whether they be on the spiritual pilgrimage of Hajj or not. Remembering the sacrifice and devotion we must all make towards God, and to be thankful for His infinite mercy and love lies as the foundation of this holy day. May we all be blessed with the strength to live our lives in full devotion to God inshallah.
