10-03-2014, 08:39 PM
MAKKAH LIVE
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HAJJ 1435 LIVE
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THE RAHBAR’s HAJJ MESSAGE 1435 AH/2014 CE
http://www.crescent-online.net/2014/10/t...icles.html
THE SAD REALITY OF THE HAJJ IN OUR TIME
October, 2014
http://www.crescent-online.net/2014/10/a...icles.html
October, 2014
http://www.crescent-online.net/2014/10/f...icles.html
http://makkahlive.net/makkahlive.aspx
HAJJ 1435 LIVE
http://wwitv.com/tv_channels/b4374.htm
HAJJ: PILGRIMAGE
Arial Black
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictu...68113.html
Arial Black
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictu...68113.html
HAJJ – THE GREATEST SYMBOL OF POLITICAL UNITY
EDITOR As we find ourselves entering the Hajj season, the discussions fall upon the story of Hajj and its origins. The familiarity of the story of Ibrahim, Hajar and Isma’il (AS) seems to be in contrast to the lack of general awareness of the Seerah of the Prophet (SAW) and the context and realities of the single Hajj he (SAW) lead. Only by studying deeply, the political context in which the Prophet (SAW) embarked upon the farewell pilgrimage, can one understand the significance of the farewell sermon (Khutbatul-Wada).
In the 10th year of Hijra, the Prophet (SAW) announced his intention to make Hajj. With this news, people from all over Arabia started to gather for the opportunity to perform Hajj with the Prophet (SAW). Over a hundred thousand Arabs from every deep and distant valley of Arabia convened in the valley of Makkah. Only four years earlier, the Prophet (SAW) and his Sahaba (RA) were turned back from Hudaibiyah not being able to enter the sacred precincts of the Ancient House. However, that was, in the course of events, the great turning point upon which Allah (SWT) transformed the fortunes and fate of the nascent faith and the power of the new Islamic State.
A brief look at some key events that took place after Hudaibiyah gives us a picture of the fierce military and diplomatic struggle that the Prophet (SAW) was conducting across Arabia and far beyond. Late in the sixth year Hijri, on his return from Hudaibiyah, he (SAW) decided to send messages to the kings beyond Arabia. That included messages to the Ceasar, Chosroes, Negus, and Muqawqis to name a few. In Dhul Qa’da of 7 Hijri, he (SAW) set off with 2,000 men to perform the ‘Umra which had been left off the previous year. In Jumada al-Ula of 8 Hijri, the battle of Mu’tah took place, marking the beginning of the conquests of the land of the Christians. Later that year, in the blessed month of Ramadan, with a force of 10,000 strong, Allah (SWT) completed the great opening and conquest of Makkah. No sooner than 19 days after the conquest, the Muslims where again on the march for the battle of Hunain with a force of 12,000 men. In Rajab of 9 Hijri, the Prophet (SAW) assembled his greatest fighting force of 30,000 men to invade the Roman province at the battle of Tabuk. This also would be known as the Year of Delegations (Aam al-Wufud) in which perhaps 70 or more delegations came to embrace Islam or enter under the authority of the Islamic State. The Prophet (SAW) was so busy meeting the delegations, that he (SAW) appointed Abu Bakr (RA) to lead the first Hajj in Islam.
This very cursory look at some of the events that preceded the Farewell Hajj draws a picture of the pace and progress of the political and military struggle of the Prophet (SAW) to consolidate and complete the power and authority of the Islamic State over Arabia. It puts into context the Farewell Sermon (Khutbatul Wada).
The correct way to view the Khutbatul-Wada is to see it as an address of Allah (SWT)’s last Messenger (SAW) and the commander of the Islamic State and Ummah. The Ummah that has been tasked to complete the mission of the Prophet (SAW), by inviting all nations to enter the fold of Islam and unify the whole world under the dominion, peace and justice of Allah (SWT)’s Deen. “Indeed it is He, Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Deen of Truth, that He may cause it to dominate over all others” [TMQ Surah At-Tawba:33]
With the above mentioned thoughts in mind we should look now at the details of the Farewell Khutba, its profound and far reaching message:
“Oh People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today”
“Oh People, just as you regard this month, this day, and this city as sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your lord, and that he will indeed reckon your deeds. Allah has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn ‘Abd’ al-Muttalib (Prophet’s uncle) shall henceforth be waived…”
“Oh People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness.”
“Oh People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.”
“All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim that belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.”
“Do not therefore do injustice to yourselves. Remember one day you will meet Allah and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.”
“Oh People! No Prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore Oh People! And understand words that I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Qur’an and the Hadith and if you follow these you will never go astray.” “All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Oh Allah, be my witness, that I have conveyed your message to your people.”
All these noble precepts mentioned in the Khutbatul Wada were not abstract notions or spiritual ideals for the Prophet (SAW) or the Qur’anic generation. He (SAW) established them in reality and put the seeds of a civilization that would embody, establish and convey those precepts for more than 12 centuries.
Following are some of the words from Seyidina ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA) in a khutba he gave on his last Hajj: “Nothing is dearer to Allah Almighty and of greater benefit to mankind than a ruler’s kindness based on true knowledge and insight. Nothing is more hateful to Allah than a ruler’s ignorance and stupidity.
By Allah, I do not appoint governors and officials in your provinces so that they will beat you up or take away your money. I send them to you to instruct you in your faith and teach you the way the Prophet (SAW) has shown us.
Whoever is treated differently should put their complaints to me. By Allah who holds my soul in His hand, I will ensure that justice is done to them. If I fail to do so, I become a partner in such injustice.
It is much better for me to remove a governor every day than to leave a despot in his position for an hour longer. To replace governors is much easier than to change the people. If setting things right for a community requires replacing their governor, then it is certainly easy.
Therefore, whoever is in a position of authority in any area of the Muslims affairs must fear Allah in the way he treats his people. To all these I say, do not beat people up to humiliate them. Do not deny them their rights, showing them little care, and do not place them in hardships making them feel lost.
My people, when you have completed your Hajj rituals, let the people of different regions meet me together with their governors and officials so that I can look into their situations. I will consider their disputes and give my judgment, making sure that the weak are given their rights and justice is done to all.”
From these speeches, we can clearly see that whilst performing Hajj and fulfilling all of its rites, venerating the House of Allah (SWT) hoping for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness, the hajj is a time to think of the situation of the Ummah and a time to think whether we have fulfilled our mission as an Ummah in conveying the message to mankind. “And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj).” [TMQ Surah Al-Hajj 22:27]
A UNIQUE TIME OF YEAR
Muslims from every near and far flung corner of the world, of every race and language, rich and poor, young and old, journey and converge to perform a unique event. Almost every Muslim in every part of the world knows someone who will be amongst the hujjaj – in this way the whole Ummah is connected to this one event in this one place. This makes Hajj a natural time to discuss the vital issues of this Ummah, its need for unity, liberation and leadership – and the resumption of the message and da’wa to mankind.
Allah (SWT) blessed this Ummah with the greatest symbol of unity to mankind. Anyone, Muslim or Non-Muslim who has watched the hujjaj perform the hajj and the salah at the Ka’ba in their millions, can’t help but be impressed and moved at the sense of complete unison, harmony, brotherhood and energy that radiates from such sights. The Hajj proves the power of Islam to transcend all the false barriers created to divide this Ummah. It gives proof to that fundamental concept we are indeed ‘One Ummah’
THE RAHBAR’s HAJJ MESSAGE 1435 AH/2014 CE
http://www.crescent-online.net/2014/10/t...icles.html
Every year the Rahbar, Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei, as leader of the Islamic Ummah, delivers his message to those assembled in Arafat for Hajj. In following the Sunnah of the noble Messenger (pbuh), his message also touches on the burning issues facing the Ummah. Here is the full text of this year's message. Tehran
“In the Name of Allah, the Mercy-giving, the Merciful
“Allah praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and sincere greetings and salutations upon Mohammad (pbuh) and His holy Progeny
“A salutation and greeting arising from enthusiasm and reverence to you, the fortunate people who have accepted the call of the Qur’an and have hastened to be the guests at the House of Allah.
“The first word of advice is to know the value of this great blessing and endeavor to get close to its goals by reflecting on personal, social and spiritual and international dimensions of this unique obligation and ask the Merciful and Powerful Lord to help you do this.
“I, accompanying you both with my heart and my words, ask the forgiving and gracious Lord to complete His blessings on you and since He has bestowed upon you the honor of undertaking this journey, [He will] also help you to fulfill the Hajj rituals in their entirety and then through His generous acceptance, return you safe to your destinations with full hands and complete health.
“In the good opportunity that has been provided by this rich and unparalleled ritual, apart from spiritual purification and rehabilitation, which is the most sublime and the most basic achievement of Hajj, due attention to various issues of the Islamic world as well as a comprehensive and broad-based approach to the most important and highest-priority issues related to the Islamic Ummah, should top the list of duties and rites of the Hajj pilgrims.
“The issue of unity among Muslims and cutting the knots that have created distance among various parts of the Islamic Ummah is among these important issues, which are of high priority today.
“Hajj is the manifestation of unity and integrity and the bedrock of brotherhood and cooperation. In Hajj, everybody should learn a lesson about focusing on commonalities and doing away with differences. Sowing discord to meet their nefarious desires has been high on the agenda of the colonialist powers for a long time.
“However, now in the light of the Islamic Awakening, Muslims worldwide have correctly found out about the animosity of the imperialist and Zionist front and have taken a firm stand against it, policies that aim to divide Muslims are being pursued with even greater vigor.
“The deceitful enemy is bent on fanning the flames of civil war among Muslims in order to undermine the determination and motivation for resistance and struggle. This is aimed at protecting the Zionist regime and other agents of imperialism that are the real enemies of Islam and committed Muslims. Launching Takfiri terrorist groups and their ilk in countries of the West Asia region is a consequence of this treacherous policy.
“This is a warning for all of us to put the issue of unity among Muslims on top of our national and international duties.
“Another important topic is the issue of Palestine. For 69 years from the creation of the usurping Zionist regime and through ups and down of this important and sensitive issue, and especially as a result of the bloody developments of recent years, two realities have been revealed to all people. Firstly, the Zionist regime and its criminal backers know no boundary and limit for cruelty and brutality and trampling upon all human and ethical norms.
“They consider themselves free to commit any crime, genocide, destruction, massacre of children and women and defenseless people, and any other act of aggression and oppression that they can perpetrate, and they do so with pride. Woeful scenes of the recent 50-day war on Gaza were the latest example of such horrible crimes, which have of course been repeated frequently during the past half a century.
“The second fact is that all these brutalities and catastrophes have not been able to help the leaders and supporters of the Zionist regime to achieve their goal. On the contrary, the foolish reliance on brute force and power, which evil politicians wished for the Zionist regime in their minds, this regime is getting closer to collapse and annihilation with every passing day.
“The 50-day resistance of the besieged and defenseless people of Gaza against all the power that the Zionist regime could muster, and finally, the failure and retreat of this regime and its submission to conditions set by the Resistance, were clear manifestations of its weakness, inability and impotence.
“This means that the Palestinian people should be more hopeful than ever. The fighters of [Islamic] Jihad and Hamas should reinvigorate their endeavor, determination and resolve; and the West Bank should continue on its regular proud path with more vigor and strength. The Muslim masses must pressure their governments to lend genuine and tangible support to Palestine, and Muslim governments should embark on this path with honesty.
“The third important and high-priority issue is the intelligent and sophisticated approach that sympathetic activists in the Muslim world should adopt to the discrepancy between pure Mohammedan Islam and the American Islam. While avoiding confusing and mixing these two, they should also prevent others from doing so. Our late great Imam was the first person to try to differentiate between these two categories and entered [that difference] into the political lexicon of the Muslim world. The purified Islam is the Islam of serenity and spirituality, of piety and freedom, and Islam that is tough on the deniers of Allah’s Power-presence but lenient and compassionate towards the faithful.
“The American Islam is the result of putting on the garb of Islam on subservience to foreign powers and enemies of the Islamic Ummah. An Islam that fans the flames of division among Muslims instead of trusting in the Divine Promise, puts its trust in the enemies of Allah; instead of fighting Zionism and imperialism, it fights its Muslim brethren [and] becomes united with American imperialism against its own people as well as other people is not [true] Islam. It is rather a dangerous and pernicious hypocrisy against which every true Muslim should fight.
“An approach combined with insight and deep thinking will clearly reveal these important facts and issues in the reality of the Islamic world for any person who seeks truth and also determines the duty and obligation of the day without any ambiguity.
“Hajj and its rituals and rites provide a golden opportunity to acquire such insight and I hope you, the fortunate Hajj pilgrims, would be able to take full advantage of this divine blessing.
“I leave all of you under the protection of Almighty Allah and ask the Merciful Lord to accept your endeavor.
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah
Seyyed Ali Khamenei
Dhul Hijjah 1435 AH/October 2014 CE”
THE SAD REALITY OF THE HAJJ IN OUR TIME
The Jama’ah
The Hajj is an action of collective Ibadah and expression of the Jama’ah, but today it has been atomized and stripped to a purely individual dimension.
Brotherhood
Hujjaj feel very strongly the bonds and emotions of brotherhood and the uniting power of the Deen yet no avenue is allowed for the expression of these sentiments today.
Leadership of the Hajj
The very first Hajj of Islam was not led by the Messenger of Allah (SAW), but was delegated to Abu Bakr (RA) since it was the year of delegations. The affairs of state, the foreign policy of Islam, the meeting of the foreign ambassadors and spreading Islam beyond the frontiers of Arabia was too important to be delayed or neglected even for the first Hajj in Islam. This fact of the Seerah of the Messenger of Allah (SWT) is totally neglected today.
The Lessons of Sacrifice, Sabr and Tawakkal The story of Ibrahim, Isma’il & Hajjar (AS) is not just a story, it needs to be connected to our lives and the situation of the Ummah today. The whole message of the story is about making Allah (SWT) and the Deen of Islam the centre and pivot of our lives as individuals and as an Ummah. If the millions who visit the Ancient House year upon year actually took that message and idea onboard when they returned home, the situation of the Ummah and indeed the world could be transformed very swiftly. Yet most of the Hujjaj have been trained to have only the thought of forgiveness as a goal and not much more.
One Cause
Hajj is a symbol of our Unity as an Ummah. Less than 100 years ago, pilgrims were united under one leader – the Ameer ul-Mumineen (the leader of the Believers) – the Khaleefah of the Muslims – and not divided by artificial nationalities, passports and flags.
Yet still today, millions of men and women – young and old, of different colours, languages and means – still face the same Qibla in orderly lines, wearing the same ihram, all of which symbolises the way that only Islam can unite and bring order in the Muslim world.
Indeed, it was at the time of Hajj, Allah (SWT) told us that this Deen -combining beliefs, worships and values, as well as political, economic, social and judicial systems for society – was the perfect way for humanity to live together in order and harmony, when He (SWT) said: “Today the Unbelievers have despaired of overcoming your Deen. So do not fear them, fear Me. This day, I have perfected your Deen for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your Deen” [TMQ Surah Maida 5:3]
Let us reflect on the situation of the Ummah this Hajj. Where is the Amir ul Mu’mineeen of the Hajj today? Where is the leader of the Ummah today who would give the annual Khutbah of the Hajj addressing the various problems we are facing as an Ummah?
Surely it is time for us to change our whole perception of the Hajj to not only a time for individual forgiveness but a time to address the vital issues of the Ummah.
A JAHILI HAJJ
Abu DharrOctober, 2014
http://www.crescent-online.net/2014/10/a...icles.html
“FIVE STAR HAJJ ”
Zafar BangashOctober, 2014
http://www.crescent-online.net/2014/10/f...icles.html
BANU SAUD IMPEDE MUSLIMS’ ACCESS TO HAJJ
A ritual devoid of meaning courtesy of the royals of Arabia
https://crescent.icit-digital.org/authors/zafar-bangash
The ministry of Hajj and ‘Umrah will impose on pilgrims the wearing of e-bracelets that store personal information like nationality, port of entry, visa and passport number, address, phone number, etc. In order to forge an affinity for the device, Saudi PR personnel (that is, propagandists) have been extolling its indispensable qualities such as emergency medical responsiveness, translation assistance, location recognition, etc. What their PR campaign is keeping close to the vest is the true utility of the device for the Saudi/Israeli “security” apparatus: that it is a surveillance device to keep tabs on exactly what the bearer is doing and where he is going.
For the two billion Muslims, it is becoming increasingly difficult to perform Hajj, one of the fundamental pillars of Islam. This is due to both exorbitant prices the Najdi Bedouins charge pilgrims to perform Hajj when it should be completely free, and the arbitrary quota system they have imposed. The occupiers of the Haramayn (the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah) have imposed an arbitrary quota of 1% on each country. Given that there are approximately two billion Muslims, this means a person must live to an age of 1,000 years to get a chance to perform Hajj!
Let us consider the Qur’anic basis of Hajj. Allah (swt) says in the noble Qur’an that “…pilgrimage to the Bayt [al-Haram] is a duty owed to Allah by all people” (3:97).There is also a condition stipulated in this ayah: a Muslim must have the “means” to perform Hajj (3:97). In another ayah, the Qur’an clarifies that mushriks are prohibited from coming close to the Haram — the sacred House — because they are najis (impure) and the avowed enemies of Allah (9:17).
The “means” relate to financial as well as physical. The performance of this ‘ibadah requires undertaking a long journey away from one’s home, and spending several weeks or even months in the process. If a Muslim does not have the financial wherewithal to perform Hajj, he or she is exempt from it. Obviously, there are expenses along the way. In today’s terms, it would be the cost of airfare (or cost of land transportation including accommodation and food during the journey for those traveling by road). In the early days of Islam including during the period of al-khilafah al-rashidah, Makkah’s residents provided food, water, and accommodation to pilgrims. The latter were not required to pay for anything since they were the guests of Allah (swt). Unfortunately, Bani Saud have turned Hajj into a money-making racket, despite the billions they have appropriated in stolen oil revenue.
Price gouging is the norm. Further, the Najdi Bedouins have created different classes of Hajj: five or even seven-star Hajj. Those with money can have the most luxurious accommodation in hotels and even pray there. Sound from the Haram is piped into the hotel where they can join in the five daily prayers without mixing with the masses on the Haram floor. Saudi court preachers have issued fatwas declaring such hotels as part of the Haram!
This defeats the very purpose of Hajj where Muslims from all over the world congregate in one of the biggest gatherings of humanity to get to know each other. Hajj is also a great leveler obliterating distinctions of class, wealth, or position. Ihram, the two pieces of unstitched cloth that pilgrims don is designed to eliminate distinction between the rich and poor.
While the Saudis and their court preachers have not been able to issue a fatwa to discard ihram for Hajj, they have introduced other deviations such as high-priced hotels and lavish meals. People with money would hardly feel the difference between performing Hajj and going on a holiday in Las Vegas or the French Riviera (nastaghfir-allah). Is this what the purpose of Hajj is or is this how the noble Messenger (pbuh) performed Hajj?
The Saudis have introduced other innovations (bid‘ahs) as well. Hajj is now restricted to 10–15 days and then the pilgrims are told to leave. The Qur’an declares, “Hajj is in the well-known months” (2:197). Bani Saud have not only restricted Hajj to a few days, contrary to the teachings of the noble Qur’an, they have also reduced it to a set of rituals prohibiting Muslims from realizing or fulfilling the higher purpose of Hajj. The gathering of Muslims from all over the world is meant to enable them to discuss the serious issues confronting the Ummah and find solutions to these problems. Instead, pilgrims are prohibited from getting to know their brethren from other parts of the world.
They are parcelled out according to nationality. Interaction is restricted lest Muslims become aware of the plight of fellow Muslims and start to think of solutions for their problems.
Discussion of such burning issues as the occupation of Muslims lands by the imperialists and Zionists, for instance, is expressly forbidden. Bringing up the continued occupation of Palestine, Kashmir, and Afghanistan or the Saudi war on Yemen are forbidden topics. Perish the thought if anyone were to dare raise the issue of the Najdi Bedouins’ illegal occupation of the Haramayn or their opulent lifestyle.
They would soon find themselves at the chopping bloc and without a head. So how did Muslims arrive at this sorry state and what can be done to rectify this intolerable situation? To understand the problem we must go to its root. Bani Saud were installed by British colonialists nearly 100 years ago; they had their own agenda. Today, the Americans and Zionists have supplanted the British. Their agenda remains the same: to divest Hajj of its Qur’anic content. Bani Saud are happy to oblige, for their own survival as well as to serve their foreign masters’ designs to be allowed to stay in power! In his crude way, Donald Trump told French President Emmanuel Macron, “They [Saudi rulers] wouldn’t be there except for the United States. They wouldn’t last a week. We are protecting them…” Can it get any more blatant than that?
What does the noble Qur’an say about Hajj? “Hence, [O Prophet,] proclaim to all the people the [duty of] pilgrimage: they will come to you on foot and on every [kind of] fast mount, coming from every faraway point [on earth], so that they might experience much that shall be of benefit to them, and that they might extol the name of Allah on the days appointed [for sacrifice]…” (22:27).
Allah (swt) has extended an open invitation to all mankind to come to the House of Allah for Hajj. There is no requirement of visa or other man-made impediments. How can there be when the issue is the performance of one’s obligations required by Islam?
Yet surrendering to this un-Islamic practice of obtaining a visa to perform Hajj, Muslims have accepted the supremacy of the nation-state structure and occupation of the Arabian Peninsula by Bani Saud, and set aside the commands of Allah, even if inadvertently. This is not only a mega-bid‘ah that amounts to shirk — associating partners with Allah in power and authority — it is also the gravest of sins a person can commit (31:13).
Little or no attention is paid to the fact that the holy land and in particular the Hijaz, is not the private property of a family or clan. The Haramayn are the common heritage of the entire Muslim Ummah, hence the responsibility to protect them (Makkah and Madinah) also falls on the Muslims. This includes administration of the two holy cities that cannot be left in the hands of an incompetent, extremely arrogant, and morally bankrupt family that has illegally occupied the holy land. Saudi occupation of the Haramayn actually means its annexation by the imperialists and Zionists. After all, Bani Saud are their agents. They no longer even try to hide this fact. This explains why there is little peace or security in a place that Allah (swt) has designated as a sanctuary (2:125–126).
Muslims must seriously consider how they can rectify this situation by bringing the Hajj back to its original divine purpose that is open to all people as commanded by Allah (swt). Muslims, especially those endowed with knowledge and understanding, must seriously reflect on how Islamic practices have been emptied out of their true meaning and turned into meaningless rituals. If the Muslim world is suffering so much today, it is primarily because Muslims have abandoned their responsibility toward Allah (swt) and His Messenger (pbuh) and have neglected the true spirit of Hajj. It is time the committed Muslims take this responsibility seriously and bring an end to Bani Saud’s illegal occupation of the Haramayn and the Arabian Peninsula. So long as this immoral, greedy, and cruel family is in control of the most sacred places of Islam, Muslims are unlikely to see an end to their misery and suffering.
THE DAY OF ARAFAT: FORGIVENESS AND LEADERSHIP
http://www.hizb.org.uk/islamic-culture/t...leadership
When we imagine the millions of white specks scattered around the vast mountainous landscapes of Arafat we seek Allah’s (?) forgiveness thinking of the renewal of ourselves as Muslims and the pledges we make to Allah (?) to not harm ourselves with disobedience to Him (?) again. Indeed this is symbolic of what was narrated about Adam (as) and the souls of every Ummah when Allah took our covenant to worship Allah as our Lord and Sustainer.
And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed and made them testify as to themselves (saying): “Am I not your Lord” They said: “Yes! We testify,“(Surah A’raf:172)
Similarly mankind will again be brought back together on the Last Day reminiscent to the scenes we witness in Arafat. However on the Last Day there will be no opportunity for seeking forgiveness rather mankind will be accounted for all their deeds. Hence what is better than to stand in this world on the day of Arafat in order to gain forgiveness before death approaches us?
And even for those who cannot witness Hajj this year the day of Arafat still has great blessings, the Prophet (saw) said on the authority of Abu Saa’eed al-Khudri (radiallaahu ‘anhu), “Whoever fasts the day of ‘Arafat, he is forgiven for the following year and the previous year. And whoever fasts ‘Ashoorah, then he is forgiven the year.” (Tabaranee)
This year the blessed day of Arafat also falls upon the blessed day of Jumm’ah. Aws ibn Aws reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, the best of your days is Friday. Adam was created on it, and on it he died, and on it the trumpet will be blown and the shout will be made, so send blessings upon me for your blessings are presented to me.”
The day of Arafat is also marked by the completion of the revelation of Allah (swt).
“Today, I have completed your Deen, and have completed my favour upon you and accepted for you Islam as your Deen.”
Ibn Kathir in his tafsir narrates a tradition recorded by Al-Bukhari from Tariq ibn Shihab who said: A Jew said to Umar ibn Al-Khattab, “O leader of the believers, there is a verse in your book that you recite and had it been revealed to us we would have taken that day as a day of celebration.” Umar said, “Which verse is it?” The Jew said:
“This day I have completed your religion for you, perfect my favor upon you, and have chosen Islam has your religion.”
Umar said, “I know the day and place in which this verse was revealed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. It was while he was standing on the day of Arafat on Friday.”
Indeed if Lailatul Qadr marked the beginning of the revelation to the Prophet Muhammad (?) to demonstrate the solutions from the Deen of Allah (?) to different realities and therefore to deal with all of life’s affairs. Then what was revealed on the Day of Arafat signifies the completion of that Deen and that no other source should be or is required to be used as a reference point that resolves issues in all aspects of our lives. If we were to ask ourselves why does Allah say in Surah Baqarah verse 208:
“Oh you who believe enter into Islam completely. ”
So what is Deen and what is Islam? Are they not the same thing? Allah (swt) also says in Surah Ale-Imran,
“Whosoever seeks a Deen, other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him and he, in the Hereafter, is among the losers.”
This means that the ‘way of life’ Allah (swt) has chosen for us to live by is comprehensive and the source for all actions in life i.e. the Qur’an and Sunnah addresses from Salah and Hajj to social system, economics and ruling in fact they have always been intertwined. This is the meaning of Deen and the meaning of entering into it completely. Thus we take the ahkam of salah like we take the ahkam of trade or politics, that is to say we take them and implement them completely following no other legislation for any of our actions. Indeed we will find in any classical Fiqh book on Hajj the inextricable link with the Khilafah and Salah, Zakah or Hajj. In the case of Hajj it is expected that the Khalifah or his delegate will give four Khutba’s to address the Hujjaj that are an integral part of our Hajj mentioned in classical works such as Imam Nawawi’s book Manasik Al-Hajj wal Umrah. It is therefore a remarkable feat of Islamic political and historical amnesia that the West has implanted within us, that we can have a luxury ‘all inclusive’ Hajj package that does not include the Khalifah and it is not at all strange to us!
The Prophet said: The best dua is dua on the day of Arafat. Let us make sincere dua not only for ourselves but for the ties that bind us to this noble Ummah that weigh heavily on each and every one of our scales. Let us all ask Allah (?) to give us a renewed resolve to work to establish Islam completely, to unite this Ummah, to grant this Ummah the victory soon so we can in our lives witness the completeness and perfection of Islam when it is implemented in life’s affairs.
THE SUBLIME DAY OF ARAFAT AND ITS MERITS
http://www.hizb.org.uk/islamic-culture/t...its-merits
On the 2nd day of Hajj, the 9th Dhul Hijjah, The Day of Arafat, millions of pilgrims set out for the plains of Arafat after sunrise to attend the Khutba of Arafat and prayer their Zuhr & Asr salat combined as was the Sunnah of Rasool Allah (saw). Thereafter they engage in supplication to Allah (swt) from Zuhr to Magrib, seeking forgiveness of their Lord before setting off for Muzdhalifah
And what is the day of Arafat?
The first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah have been classified as the best 10 days of the year, and the Day of `Arafat, on which Allah perfected His religion has been classified as the best day of the year according to some scholars
Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728H) said: “The most excellent day of the week is the day of Jumuah (Friday), by the agreement of the Scholars. And the most excellent day of the year is the day of an-Nahr. Some of them said that it is the day of Arafat. However, the first opinion is the correct one, since it is related in the Sunan collections that the Prophet (saw) said: “The most excellent days with Allah is the day of an-Nahr, then the day of al-Qarr (the day that the Muslims reside in Mina).” [(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in Irwa al-Ghaleel (no: 2018). Related by Abu Dawood no: 1765].” [Majmoo al-Fatawa vol: 25, pp. 288]
Nevertheless, the month of Dhul-Hijjah is a season of worship, and seasons of worship bring along blessings, benefits and opportunities to correct one’s faith and make up for shortcoming. Every one of these special opportunities involves some kind of worship, which brings the slave closer to his Lord. And Allah bestows His blessings and Favours on whom He wills. The fortunate person is he who makes good use of these special months, days, and hours, while worshiping Allah. He is most likely to be touched by the blessings of Allah. Rewards of good deeds are multiplied in these days [Ibn Rajab, al-Lataa'if pp. 8]
Supplication to Allah (swt) & Forgiveness of Sins
The Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) 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.“
Arafat is a day of Forgiveness from sins, freedom from the Hell-Fire for the people who are present in the plain of Arafat. Aa’ishah (ra) narrated the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying: “There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the day of Arafat. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels saying, ‘What do these people (the Hajis) want?’” [Saheeh Muslim]
Not only should you fast this day, but make sure to ask Allah for all of your prayers. The Prophet said: “The best dua is the dua of Arafat.” (Tirmidhi)
The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “The best invocation on the day of Arafat, and the best of all the invocations I ever offered or other holy Prophets before me ever offered is: “There is no god but Allah: He is Unique ; He hath no partner, the whole universe is for Him and for Him is the praise, and He hath power over all things.“
It is a brief invocation, but powerful and the Sunnah of all the Prophets. It should be repeated again and again.Fasting on Day of Arafat
“Fasting the day of `Arafat expiates the sins of two years: a past one and a coming one. And, fasting the day of `Aashura’ (the tenth of the lunar month of Muharram) expiates the sins of the past year.” (Reported by Muslim.)
This fasting is Mustahabb only for the non-pilgrims and not for the Hajis (the pilgrims) because it was not the practice of Allah’s Messenger (saw) to fast on the day of Arafat during pilgrimage and in a narration he also forbade doing so. Imaam at-Tirmidhee (ra) (d. 275H) said: “The People of Knowledge consider it recommended (Mustahabb) to fast on the day of Arafat, except for those at Arafat.” [Jaami’ut-Tirmidhee (3/377)
Perfection of Islam
The day of Arafat holds great importance in Islam since this is the Day when Allah completed his revelation on His Messenger (saw). It is reported in the Saheehayn (i.e. Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim), from Umar Ibn al-Khattab (ra) that a Jewish man said to him: “O Ameer al-Mumineen (O head of the Muslims)! There is a verse in the Qur’aan, which if it was revealed on us, the Jews, we would have taken that day as an Eid (festival).” Umar asked: “Which verse?” He said: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [Soorah al-Maidah (5): 3] Umar (ra) said: “We know on which day and in which place was this verse revealed to Allah’s Messenger (saw). It was when he was standing in Arafat on a Friday.”
This is the day on which Allah completed His Religion and perfected His Favour. It was on this very day that the Prophet (saw) performed his pilgrimage and while he (saw) was standing on Arafat Mountain, Allah (swt) revealed to Him the verse:
“This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5:3)
The Covenant
Arafat is the day on which Allah (swt) took the covenant from the progeny of Adam (as), it was reported that Ibn Abbas (ra) narrated: The Messenger of Allâh (saw) related: “When Allah (swt) created Adam (as) Allah (swt) took covenant from him in a place Naman on the day of Arafat, then He extracted from him all the descendants who would be born until the end of the world, generation after generation, and spread them out in front of Him in order to take a covenant from them also. He spoke to them face to face saying:
“Am I not your Lord?”
and they all replied: ‘Yes, we testify to it’. Allah then explained why He had all of mankind bear witness that He was their Creator and only true God worthy of worship. He said:
“That was in case you (mankind) should say on the Day of Resurrection, ‘Surely, we were unaware of this. We had no idea that You, Allah, were our Lord. No one told us that we were only supposed to worship You.” (Sahîh by Shaikh al-Albanî in Silsilah al-Ahâdîth as-Sahîhah vol: 4, no: 1623]
Indeed, the day of Arafat is a blessed day and there is no other covenant greater than this covenant!
The ministry of Hajj and ‘Umrah will impose on pilgrims the wearing of e-bracelets that store personal information like nationality, port of entry, visa and passport number, address, phone number, etc. In order to forge an affinity for the device, Saudi PR personnel (that is, propagandists) have been extolling its indispensable qualities such as emergency medical responsiveness, translation assistance, location recognition, etc. What their PR campaign is keeping close to the vest is the true utility of the device for the Saudi/Israeli “security” apparatus: that it is a surveillance device to keep tabs on exactly what the bearer is doing and where he is going.
For the two billion Muslims, it is becoming increasingly difficult to perform Hajj, one of the fundamental pillars of Islam. This is due to both exorbitant prices the Najdi Bedouins charge pilgrims to perform Hajj when it should be completely free, and the arbitrary quota system they have imposed. The occupiers of the Haramayn (the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah) have imposed an arbitrary quota of 1% on each country. Given that there are approximately two billion Muslims, this means a person must live to an age of 1,000 years to get a chance to perform Hajj!
Let us consider the Qur’anic basis of Hajj. Allah (swt) says in the noble Qur’an that “…pilgrimage to the Bayt [al-Haram] is a duty owed to Allah by all people” (3:97).There is also a condition stipulated in this ayah: a Muslim must have the “means” to perform Hajj (3:97). In another ayah, the Qur’an clarifies that mushriks are prohibited from coming close to the Haram — the sacred House — because they are najis (impure) and the avowed enemies of Allah (9:17).
The “means” relate to financial as well as physical. The performance of this ‘ibadah requires undertaking a long journey away from one’s home, and spending several weeks or even months in the process. If a Muslim does not have the financial wherewithal to perform Hajj, he or she is exempt from it. Obviously, there are expenses along the way. In today’s terms, it would be the cost of airfare (or cost of land transportation including accommodation and food during the journey for those traveling by road). In the early days of Islam including during the period of al-khilafah al-rashidah, Makkah’s residents provided food, water, and accommodation to pilgrims. The latter were not required to pay for anything since they were the guests of Allah (swt). Unfortunately, Bani Saud have turned Hajj into a money-making racket, despite the billions they have appropriated in stolen oil revenue.
Price gouging is the norm. Further, the Najdi Bedouins have created different classes of Hajj: five or even seven-star Hajj. Those with money can have the most luxurious accommodation in hotels and even pray there. Sound from the Haram is piped into the hotel where they can join in the five daily prayers without mixing with the masses on the Haram floor. Saudi court preachers have issued fatwas declaring such hotels as part of the Haram!
This defeats the very purpose of Hajj where Muslims from all over the world congregate in one of the biggest gatherings of humanity to get to know each other. Hajj is also a great leveler obliterating distinctions of class, wealth, or position. Ihram, the two pieces of unstitched cloth that pilgrims don is designed to eliminate distinction between the rich and poor.
While the Saudis and their court preachers have not been able to issue a fatwa to discard ihram for Hajj, they have introduced other deviations such as high-priced hotels and lavish meals. People with money would hardly feel the difference between performing Hajj and going on a holiday in Las Vegas or the French Riviera (nastaghfir-allah). Is this what the purpose of Hajj is or is this how the noble Messenger (pbuh) performed Hajj?
The Saudis have introduced other innovations (bid‘ahs) as well. Hajj is now restricted to 10–15 days and then the pilgrims are told to leave. The Qur’an declares, “Hajj is in the well-known months” (2:197). Bani Saud have not only restricted Hajj to a few days, contrary to the teachings of the noble Qur’an, they have also reduced it to a set of rituals prohibiting Muslims from realizing or fulfilling the higher purpose of Hajj. The gathering of Muslims from all over the world is meant to enable them to discuss the serious issues confronting the Ummah and find solutions to these problems. Instead, pilgrims are prohibited from getting to know their brethren from other parts of the world.
They are parcelled out according to nationality. Interaction is restricted lest Muslims become aware of the plight of fellow Muslims and start to think of solutions for their problems.
Discussion of such burning issues as the occupation of Muslims lands by the imperialists and Zionists, for instance, is expressly forbidden. Bringing up the continued occupation of Palestine, Kashmir, and Afghanistan or the Saudi war on Yemen are forbidden topics. Perish the thought if anyone were to dare raise the issue of the Najdi Bedouins’ illegal occupation of the Haramayn or their opulent lifestyle.
They would soon find themselves at the chopping bloc and without a head. So how did Muslims arrive at this sorry state and what can be done to rectify this intolerable situation? To understand the problem we must go to its root. Bani Saud were installed by British colonialists nearly 100 years ago; they had their own agenda. Today, the Americans and Zionists have supplanted the British. Their agenda remains the same: to divest Hajj of its Qur’anic content. Bani Saud are happy to oblige, for their own survival as well as to serve their foreign masters’ designs to be allowed to stay in power! In his crude way, Donald Trump told French President Emmanuel Macron, “They [Saudi rulers] wouldn’t be there except for the United States. They wouldn’t last a week. We are protecting them…” Can it get any more blatant than that?
What does the noble Qur’an say about Hajj? “Hence, [O Prophet,] proclaim to all the people the [duty of] pilgrimage: they will come to you on foot and on every [kind of] fast mount, coming from every faraway point [on earth], so that they might experience much that shall be of benefit to them, and that they might extol the name of Allah on the days appointed [for sacrifice]…” (22:27).
Allah (swt) has extended an open invitation to all mankind to come to the House of Allah for Hajj. There is no requirement of visa or other man-made impediments. How can there be when the issue is the performance of one’s obligations required by Islam?
Yet surrendering to this un-Islamic practice of obtaining a visa to perform Hajj, Muslims have accepted the supremacy of the nation-state structure and occupation of the Arabian Peninsula by Bani Saud, and set aside the commands of Allah, even if inadvertently. This is not only a mega-bid‘ah that amounts to shirk — associating partners with Allah in power and authority — it is also the gravest of sins a person can commit (31:13).
Little or no attention is paid to the fact that the holy land and in particular the Hijaz, is not the private property of a family or clan. The Haramayn are the common heritage of the entire Muslim Ummah, hence the responsibility to protect them (Makkah and Madinah) also falls on the Muslims. This includes administration of the two holy cities that cannot be left in the hands of an incompetent, extremely arrogant, and morally bankrupt family that has illegally occupied the holy land. Saudi occupation of the Haramayn actually means its annexation by the imperialists and Zionists. After all, Bani Saud are their agents. They no longer even try to hide this fact. This explains why there is little peace or security in a place that Allah (swt) has designated as a sanctuary (2:125–126).
Muslims must seriously consider how they can rectify this situation by bringing the Hajj back to its original divine purpose that is open to all people as commanded by Allah (swt). Muslims, especially those endowed with knowledge and understanding, must seriously reflect on how Islamic practices have been emptied out of their true meaning and turned into meaningless rituals. If the Muslim world is suffering so much today, it is primarily because Muslims have abandoned their responsibility toward Allah (swt) and His Messenger (pbuh) and have neglected the true spirit of Hajj. It is time the committed Muslims take this responsibility seriously and bring an end to Bani Saud’s illegal occupation of the Haramayn and the Arabian Peninsula. So long as this immoral, greedy, and cruel family is in control of the most sacred places of Islam, Muslims are unlikely to see an end to their misery and suffering.
THE DAY OF ARAFAT: FORGIVENESS AND LEADERSHIP
http://www.hizb.org.uk/islamic-culture/t...leadership
When we imagine the millions of white specks scattered around the vast mountainous landscapes of Arafat we seek Allah’s (?) forgiveness thinking of the renewal of ourselves as Muslims and the pledges we make to Allah (?) to not harm ourselves with disobedience to Him (?) again. Indeed this is symbolic of what was narrated about Adam (as) and the souls of every Ummah when Allah took our covenant to worship Allah as our Lord and Sustainer.
And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed and made them testify as to themselves (saying): “Am I not your Lord” They said: “Yes! We testify,“(Surah A’raf:172)
Similarly mankind will again be brought back together on the Last Day reminiscent to the scenes we witness in Arafat. However on the Last Day there will be no opportunity for seeking forgiveness rather mankind will be accounted for all their deeds. Hence what is better than to stand in this world on the day of Arafat in order to gain forgiveness before death approaches us?
And even for those who cannot witness Hajj this year the day of Arafat still has great blessings, the Prophet (saw) said on the authority of Abu Saa’eed al-Khudri (radiallaahu ‘anhu), “Whoever fasts the day of ‘Arafat, he is forgiven for the following year and the previous year. And whoever fasts ‘Ashoorah, then he is forgiven the year.” (Tabaranee)
This year the blessed day of Arafat also falls upon the blessed day of Jumm’ah. Aws ibn Aws reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, the best of your days is Friday. Adam was created on it, and on it he died, and on it the trumpet will be blown and the shout will be made, so send blessings upon me for your blessings are presented to me.”
The day of Arafat is also marked by the completion of the revelation of Allah (swt).
“Today, I have completed your Deen, and have completed my favour upon you and accepted for you Islam as your Deen.”
Ibn Kathir in his tafsir narrates a tradition recorded by Al-Bukhari from Tariq ibn Shihab who said: A Jew said to Umar ibn Al-Khattab, “O leader of the believers, there is a verse in your book that you recite and had it been revealed to us we would have taken that day as a day of celebration.” Umar said, “Which verse is it?” The Jew said:
“This day I have completed your religion for you, perfect my favor upon you, and have chosen Islam has your religion.”
Umar said, “I know the day and place in which this verse was revealed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. It was while he was standing on the day of Arafat on Friday.”
Indeed if Lailatul Qadr marked the beginning of the revelation to the Prophet Muhammad (?) to demonstrate the solutions from the Deen of Allah (?) to different realities and therefore to deal with all of life’s affairs. Then what was revealed on the Day of Arafat signifies the completion of that Deen and that no other source should be or is required to be used as a reference point that resolves issues in all aspects of our lives. If we were to ask ourselves why does Allah say in Surah Baqarah verse 208:
“Oh you who believe enter into Islam completely. ”
So what is Deen and what is Islam? Are they not the same thing? Allah (swt) also says in Surah Ale-Imran,
“Whosoever seeks a Deen, other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him and he, in the Hereafter, is among the losers.”
This means that the ‘way of life’ Allah (swt) has chosen for us to live by is comprehensive and the source for all actions in life i.e. the Qur’an and Sunnah addresses from Salah and Hajj to social system, economics and ruling in fact they have always been intertwined. This is the meaning of Deen and the meaning of entering into it completely. Thus we take the ahkam of salah like we take the ahkam of trade or politics, that is to say we take them and implement them completely following no other legislation for any of our actions. Indeed we will find in any classical Fiqh book on Hajj the inextricable link with the Khilafah and Salah, Zakah or Hajj. In the case of Hajj it is expected that the Khalifah or his delegate will give four Khutba’s to address the Hujjaj that are an integral part of our Hajj mentioned in classical works such as Imam Nawawi’s book Manasik Al-Hajj wal Umrah. It is therefore a remarkable feat of Islamic political and historical amnesia that the West has implanted within us, that we can have a luxury ‘all inclusive’ Hajj package that does not include the Khalifah and it is not at all strange to us!
The Prophet said: The best dua is dua on the day of Arafat. Let us make sincere dua not only for ourselves but for the ties that bind us to this noble Ummah that weigh heavily on each and every one of our scales. Let us all ask Allah (?) to give us a renewed resolve to work to establish Islam completely, to unite this Ummah, to grant this Ummah the victory soon so we can in our lives witness the completeness and perfection of Islam when it is implemented in life’s affairs.
THE SUBLIME DAY OF ARAFAT AND ITS MERITS
http://www.hizb.org.uk/islamic-culture/t...its-merits
On the 2nd day of Hajj, the 9th Dhul Hijjah, The Day of Arafat, millions of pilgrims set out for the plains of Arafat after sunrise to attend the Khutba of Arafat and prayer their Zuhr & Asr salat combined as was the Sunnah of Rasool Allah (saw). Thereafter they engage in supplication to Allah (swt) from Zuhr to Magrib, seeking forgiveness of their Lord before setting off for Muzdhalifah
And what is the day of Arafat?
The first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah have been classified as the best 10 days of the year, and the Day of `Arafat, on which Allah perfected His religion has been classified as the best day of the year according to some scholars
Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728H) said: “The most excellent day of the week is the day of Jumuah (Friday), by the agreement of the Scholars. And the most excellent day of the year is the day of an-Nahr. Some of them said that it is the day of Arafat. However, the first opinion is the correct one, since it is related in the Sunan collections that the Prophet (saw) said: “The most excellent days with Allah is the day of an-Nahr, then the day of al-Qarr (the day that the Muslims reside in Mina).” [(Saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee in Irwa al-Ghaleel (no: 2018). Related by Abu Dawood no: 1765].” [Majmoo al-Fatawa vol: 25, pp. 288]
Nevertheless, the month of Dhul-Hijjah is a season of worship, and seasons of worship bring along blessings, benefits and opportunities to correct one’s faith and make up for shortcoming. Every one of these special opportunities involves some kind of worship, which brings the slave closer to his Lord. And Allah bestows His blessings and Favours on whom He wills. The fortunate person is he who makes good use of these special months, days, and hours, while worshiping Allah. He is most likely to be touched by the blessings of Allah. Rewards of good deeds are multiplied in these days [Ibn Rajab, al-Lataa'if pp. 8]
Supplication to Allah (swt) & Forgiveness of Sins
The Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) 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.“
Arafat is a day of Forgiveness from sins, freedom from the Hell-Fire for the people who are present in the plain of Arafat. Aa’ishah (ra) narrated the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying: “There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the day of Arafat. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels saying, ‘What do these people (the Hajis) want?’” [Saheeh Muslim]
Not only should you fast this day, but make sure to ask Allah for all of your prayers. The Prophet said: “The best dua is the dua of Arafat.” (Tirmidhi)
The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “The best invocation on the day of Arafat, and the best of all the invocations I ever offered or other holy Prophets before me ever offered is: “There is no god but Allah: He is Unique ; He hath no partner, the whole universe is for Him and for Him is the praise, and He hath power over all things.“
It is a brief invocation, but powerful and the Sunnah of all the Prophets. It should be repeated again and again.Fasting on Day of Arafat
“Fasting the day of `Arafat expiates the sins of two years: a past one and a coming one. And, fasting the day of `Aashura’ (the tenth of the lunar month of Muharram) expiates the sins of the past year.” (Reported by Muslim.)
This fasting is Mustahabb only for the non-pilgrims and not for the Hajis (the pilgrims) because it was not the practice of Allah’s Messenger (saw) to fast on the day of Arafat during pilgrimage and in a narration he also forbade doing so. Imaam at-Tirmidhee (ra) (d. 275H) said: “The People of Knowledge consider it recommended (Mustahabb) to fast on the day of Arafat, except for those at Arafat.” [Jaami’ut-Tirmidhee (3/377)
Perfection of Islam
The day of Arafat holds great importance in Islam since this is the Day when Allah completed his revelation on His Messenger (saw). It is reported in the Saheehayn (i.e. Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim), from Umar Ibn al-Khattab (ra) that a Jewish man said to him: “O Ameer al-Mumineen (O head of the Muslims)! There is a verse in the Qur’aan, which if it was revealed on us, the Jews, we would have taken that day as an Eid (festival).” Umar asked: “Which verse?” He said: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [Soorah al-Maidah (5): 3] Umar (ra) said: “We know on which day and in which place was this verse revealed to Allah’s Messenger (saw). It was when he was standing in Arafat on a Friday.”
This is the day on which Allah completed His Religion and perfected His Favour. It was on this very day that the Prophet (saw) performed his pilgrimage and while he (saw) was standing on Arafat Mountain, Allah (swt) revealed to Him the verse:
“This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5:3)
The Covenant
Arafat is the day on which Allah (swt) took the covenant from the progeny of Adam (as), it was reported that Ibn Abbas (ra) narrated: The Messenger of Allâh (saw) related: “When Allah (swt) created Adam (as) Allah (swt) took covenant from him in a place Naman on the day of Arafat, then He extracted from him all the descendants who would be born until the end of the world, generation after generation, and spread them out in front of Him in order to take a covenant from them also. He spoke to them face to face saying:
“Am I not your Lord?”
and they all replied: ‘Yes, we testify to it’. Allah then explained why He had all of mankind bear witness that He was their Creator and only true God worthy of worship. He said:
“That was in case you (mankind) should say on the Day of Resurrection, ‘Surely, we were unaware of this. We had no idea that You, Allah, were our Lord. No one told us that we were only supposed to worship You.” (Sahîh by Shaikh al-Albanî in Silsilah al-Ahâdîth as-Sahîhah vol: 4, no: 1623]
Indeed, the day of Arafat is a blessed day and there is no other covenant greater than this covenant!