POBNEWS24, Dhaka July 8, 2022 : Arafat is a desert plain on the way to Taif, 15 miles east of Mecca. Jabale Rahmat is located in the north-east corner of the Maidan. The word Arafah means acquaintance. Adam (peace be upon him) and Eve (peace be upon them) came out of heaven at the command of Allah and came together on the plain of Arafat to look for each other on earth.
That is why the place is called Arafat.
The day of ‘Arafah is one of the days that Allah has bestowed on His servants to be free from sin. The 9th day of the month of Jilhaj is called the day of Arafat or Arafat in Yaum. Arafat Day is a day of great glory and dignity. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): (Surah: Buruj, Ayat: 3)
In that verse this day is called ‘Mashhud’ and it is sworn. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) identified Mashhud as the day of Arafat. (Tirmizi)
Arafat Maidan is also known as the Maidan of Forgiveness. The cries of millions of God-lovers dressed in seamless garments with empty heads echoed in the air on this day.
God-lovers Labbaika, Labbaika Allahumma Labbaika —’O Allah! The servants who had come to the house of Allah saying ‘Banda hajir, banda hajir’ gathered on the plain of Arafat on this day and wept in the court of Allah Almighty with tears in their eyes. In the tenth year of Hijri, the beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) gave his last speech on the occasion of Holy Hajj. Which in the history of Islam has come to be known as the Farewell Hajj Speech.
Hajj is one of the main pillars of Islam. The Hajj is to stay on the ground of Arafat. And the day of Arafat is basically the day of Hajj. Narrated Urwa Ibn Mudaris (may Allah be pleased with him): He said: I came to Muzdalifah in the service of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! I came from two hills of the Tai tribe. And I did not exclude the position on any hill; In this situation, I have performed Hajj? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever prays this prayer with us and stays in ‘Arafah before that day or night, his Hajj is complete and he has completed his Ihram. (Nasai, Hadith: 3044)
The day of ‘Arafah is very dignified: The day of’ Arafah is so dignified in Islam that the Prophet (peace be upon him) referred to it as the day of Eid. Narrated Uqbah bin Amer: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The days of Arafat, the Day of Sacrifice and the days of Tashreeq are the days of our Eid in Islam. These are the days of eating and drinking. (Abu Dawood, Hadith: 2421)
The day of proclamation of the superiority of Islam: Allah has bestowed this day with special honor. Deen-Islam has declared its perfection on this day. On this day, the last verse of the Qur’an was revealed: ‘Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My favor upon you, and Islam has chosen your religion. (Surah: Maeda, verse: 3)
Day of Forgiveness: On the day of Arafat, the tide of God’s mercy flows towards the servant. He forgives innumerable servants on this day. Narrated Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Never on a day like the day of ‘Arafah are so many people released from Hell. On this day Allah draws near to the world and boasts to His servants to the angels. God said, what do they want? (Muslim, Hadith: 1348)
According to another narration from Jabir, Allah came to the nearest heaven and took pride in the inhabitants of the heavens, that is, the angels. He said, “Look, my servants have gathered here from far and wide with dry hair, dirty faces in the dust and burning in the sun.” They are waiting for my mercy. But they did not see my ajab. As a result, no other day is as free from hell as the day of Arafa. (Ibn Hibban, Hadith: 3653)
Two years of sins are forgiven in one fast: In one fast of this day, the sins of a servant are forgiven for two years. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Regarding the fast on the day of ‘Arafah (9th of Jilhaj), I hope that Allaah will forgive the sins of the previous year and the next year. (Muslim, Hadith: 1162)
The best prayer of the day of Arafat: The best prayer of the day of Arafat has been called in the hadith. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The best prayer is the prayer of Arafat. The best prayer is the one that I and my previous prophets did. They are: ‘La-ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul mulak wa lahul hamdu, wa hua ala qulli shain qadir. ‘
Meaning: There is no god but Allah, He is the One, He has no partner, the kingdom belongs to Him alone, all praise is for Him alone, and He has power over all things. (Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3585)
Author: Senior Teacher (Islam Education)
Chittagong Collegiate School and College
