Central Khutbah: “The Day of Arafah – Day of Allah’s Mercy and Forgiveness”
Allah the Almighty has distinguished certain places over others, as well as certain days over others. Consequently, the reward for performing good deeds varies depending on the time in which these deeds are performed.
Commenting on the verse: “By the dawn and by the ten nights,” the exegetes say that this refers to the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah. Imam Abu Musa al-Madini in his work “At-Targhib,” mentioned the consensus of the exegetes on this matter, except for a (rare) version reported from Ibn Abbas indicating that it refers to the last ten nights of Ramadan. (See: “Fada’il Yawm Arafah,” p. 21, by Ibn Nasir al-Din al-Dimashqi.)
Anas b. Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said that it was said about these ten days: “Each day is worth a thousand days, and the Day of Arafah is worth ten thousand days.” (Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Iman, 3/358/3766)
Abdullah b. Amr reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The best supplication is that of the Day of Arafah.” (Tirmidhi; Ahmad) Ibn Abd al-Barr said: “The mentioned hadith indicates the merits of supplication on the Day of Arafah, which necessarily implies the distinction of the Day of Arafah over other days.” (See: “At-Tamhid,” 6/21)
Imam Muslim reported that Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated the following hadith from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: “Never does Allah free more people from Hellfire than on the Day of Arafah. Allah, the Almighty, boasts about the pilgrims before the angels, saying: ‘What do these people want?!’”
Abu Qatada, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Fasting on the Day of Arafah expiates the sins of the past year and the coming year, and fasting on the Day of Ashura expiates the sins of the past year.” (Muslim)
Muslim scholars have discussed whether the day of Eid al-Adha or the Day of Arafah is more meritorious, which shows the importance of this day, although authentic Sunnah indicates that the day of Eid al-Adha is more meritorious.
However, the Day of Arafah is the only day of the year when Allah, the Exalted, descends to the lowest heaven – during the day!
Imam Al-Awza’i, rahimahullah, said: “I met numerous people who reserved certain supplications for the Day of Arafah, to ask Allah, the Exalted, at that time.”
Some said: “For 50 years, I have not missed making supplications on the Day of Arafah, and each year, what I supplicated for begins to manifest like the morning dawn!” (Lata’if al-Ma’arif, p. 494.)
Takbirs are recited on all occasions during these blessed days, and immediately after the prayers, it is prescribed to recite them from the Fajr prayer on the Day of Arafah for those who are not on pilgrimage, and for the pilgrims from the Dhuhr prayer on the first day of Eid until the Asr prayer on the fourth day of Eid.
Ibn Abi Shaybah reports in al-Musannaf (1/490) from Ibrahim an-Nakha’i, rahimahullah, that he said: “They would recite the Takbir on the Day of Arafah, facing the Qibla after the prayer: ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha illa Allah wa Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbaru wa lillahi-l-hamd.’”
We ask Allah to shower us with His mercy on this day.
(Central khutbah by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on June 14, 2024, at the “Association Islamique de Wiltz/Luxembourg” in Wiltz)
