On the second day of Hajj, known as Yawm al-Arafat (the Day of Arafat) or Yawm al-Wuquf (the Day of Standing), pilgrims travel to the plain of Arafat where they combine Dhuhr and Asr prayers and engage in Wuquf, the most solemn rite of the Hajj.
Fajr in Mina
After spending the night in Mina, pilgrims perform the Fajr prayer early in the morning. It is advisable to wake up well before Fajr to use the washing facilities and avoid the crowds.
Fasting
Fasting on the Day of Arafat is highly virtuous for non-pilgrims but is not recommended for pilgrims at Arafat, as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ forbade fasting there to maintain strength for worship.
Takbir al-Tashreeq
From Fajr on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, the Takbir al-Tashreeq is recited after each fardh prayer, continuing until Asr on the 13th of Dhul Hijjah. It is obligatory and goes as follows:
**اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ لَآ إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلّٰهِ الْحَمْد
Ghusl for the Day of Arafat
It is sunnah to perform ghusl before heading to Arafat, enhancing the state of cleanliness as pilgrims stand in worship.
Travelling to Arafat
Pilgrims leave for Arafat after sunrise, following the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. Most will arrive before Dhuhr, often encountering delays due to traffic.
Arrival in Arafat
Upon arrival, pilgrims prepare for a day of profound devotion. The essential part of the Hajj, standing (Wuquf) at Arafat, begins after midday and lasts until sunset. It’s a time for prayer, reflection, and seeking forgiveness.
Dhuhr and Asr salah in Arafat
At Masjid Nimra, pilgrims perform a combined and shortened Dhuhr and Asr prayer. This combines under one Adhan and two Iqamas, a practice specific to this location during Hajj.
After salah until Sunset
This period is dedicated to personal supplication and worship, where pilgrims stand facing the Qibla, making heartfelt prayers and recitations.
Wuquf al-Arafat
The Wuquf, standing at Arafat until sunset, is the pinnacle of Hajj. Pilgrims make intensive dua, a moment epitomizing the spiritual climax of the pilgrimage.
Leaving Arafat
After sunset, pilgrims depart for Muzdalifah, where they spend the night under the open sky, and gather pebbles for the next day’s ritual of throwing stones at the Jamarat.
This day at Arafat stands as the core of the Hajj, a day filled with profound spiritual significance and reflection, embodying the essence of penitence and supplication to Allah.
Walking to Muzdalifah
The walk to Muzdalifah from Arafat typically takes about 2 hours, covering a distance of approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles). You should start heading towards the boundary of Arafat before sunset, but make sure not to cross this boundary until after the sun has set. The limits of Arafat are marked by large yellow signposts.
It is important not to perform the Maghrib prayer at Arafat; this prayer should be observed later in the evening at Muzdalifah. If performed at Arafat, the Maghrib prayer must be repeated at Muzdalifah.
During your walk to Muzdalifah, remain patient and keep reciting the Talbiyah and other prayers.
The Prophet Muhammad at Arafat
The Prophet Muhammad journeyed to Arafat on the morning of the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, which fell on a Friday in the year 10 AH (632 CE).
After having performed Fajr at Mina, he addressed his companions. Jabir ibn Abdullah I narrates:
After the prayer the Prophet ﷺ ordered everyone to remain in their places and proclaimed the majesty of the Allah with the following words: ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illallah, wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahil Hamd’. He uttered these words after each prayer until Asr of the last day of Tashreeq.
Upon arriving at Nimrah, a location just before Arafat, the Prophet Muhammad set up his stay in a tent prepared for him, with his wives’ tents positioned around his. As the sun declined from its zenith, he called for his she-camel, Al-Qaswa, and rode deep into the valley of Uranah. This spacious area allowed his companions to assemble around him. At the valley’s base, still mounted on his camel, he delivered a powerful address to thousands of his companions, now famously known as the Farewell Sermon (Khuṭbatul Wida).
Dhuhr and Asr Prayers
Following the sermon, the Prophet instructed Bilal to call the Adhan and then the Iqama for the Dhuhr prayer. The Prophet and his companions performed the Dhuhr prayer in Qasr mode, shortening it to two rak’ahs. Shortly after, Bilal called the Iqama for the Asr prayer, which the Prophet led immediately following the Dhuhr prayer, also in Qasr mode. The Prophet chose not to perform any supererogatory prayers between the two, opting instead to pray them consecutively at the Dhuhr time, with one Adhan and two Iqamas.
Wuquf at Jabal al-Rahmah
After completing his prayers, the Prophet ﷺ mounted his she-camel and travelled further into the valley of Arafat, towards Jabal al-Rahmah. He stopped at the foot of the mountain and turned towards the Qibla, remaining in a position where the mountain was just ahead of him. Jabir ibn Abdullah I narrates:
He then mounted (his she Camel) al Qaswa and came to the place of standing , making his she Camel Al Qaswa turn its back to the rocks and having the path taken by those who went on foot in front of him and he faced the qibla. He remained standing till sunset when the yellow light had somewhat gone and the disc of the sun had disappeared.
The great scholar Imam Nawawi V writes:
All of Arafat is a place of Wuquf although its best place is the Prophet’s ﷺ place of Wuquf, which is near the large stones laid out at the bottom of Jabal al-Rahmah in the heart of Arafat.
The Prophet ﷺ sent word to the people to take their positions at the places appointed for the ritual. He instructed one of his Ansari companions, Ibn Mirba I, to tell the people within Arafat: “Stay where you are, for you are following the legacy of your father Ibrahim S.” The Prophet ﷺ informed them that Wuquf on the 9th Dhul Hijjah can be carried out anywhere within the confines of Arafat. He said: “I have stood here and all of Arafat is a place of standing.”
Dua of the Prophet ﷺ
He then raised his hands in supplication and began to implore and beseech Allah from midday until the sun had set, all the while seated on his camel. When the Prophet ﷺ supplicated, he would raise his hands to the level of his chest in a similar manner to a needy person pleading for provision. At one point, his camel became unsettled and the rein fell off. He picked it up with one hand while his other hand was raised in supplication.
The Prophet ﷺ supplicated for himself and his Ummah and declared that Dua made on the Day of Arafat is the best of supplications. Amr ibn Shu’aib narrates from his grandfather that the Prophet ﷺ said:
The best of supplication is the supplication of the Day of Arafat. And the best of what I and the Prophets before me have said is:
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ ❁ اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ ❁ لَآ إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ ❁ اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ ❁ وَلِلّٰهِ الْحَمْدِ ❁
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, lā ilaha illa Llāhu wa Llāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, wa li Llāhi l-ḥamd.
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no deity besides Allah and Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest and all praises are for Allah only.
Describing the supplication the Prophet ﷺ made for his Ummah, al-Abbas ibn Mirdas al-Sulami I narrates:
The Prophet ﷺ, during the latter part of the day of Arafat, supplicated abundantly for the forgiveness of the Ummah. Allah informed the Prophet ﷺ: ‘I have accepted your supplication but I will not forgive the oppressors.’ The Prophet ﷺ pleaded ‘O my Lord, You have the ability to give the oppressed greater reward for their suffering at the hands of the oppressor, so forgive the oppressor.’ However, that part of the supplication wasn’t accepted that evening but was accepted after the Prophet ﷺ repeated the supplication at Muzdalifah.’
As well as du’a, the Prophet ﷺ continued to recite Talbiyah during his Wuquf on the Day of Arafat.
The Prophet ﷺ spent the rest of the day in fervent prayer and supplication. Such was his devotion that there was a dispute among the companions about whether he was fasting or not. Lubaba bint al-Harith (Umm al-Fadl) J, the wife of al-Abbas ibn Abdul Mutallib I, sent him a cup of milk to determine if he was fasting or not. The Prophet ﷺ drank the milk while he was riding his camel, confirming that he was not, in fact, fasting.
Ready for Departure
As the Prophet ﷺ was ready to depart from Arafat, he summoned Usama ibn Zayd I to ride with him on his camel.This may have come to a surprise to many, particularly those new to Islam, since Usama was a young man of Abyssinian heritage. The Prophet ﷺ, however, wanted to emphasise the egalitarian nature of the pilgrimage and the Muslim community as a whole. He thus declared that “no Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor a white man over a black one, except by being more God-fearing.”
Virtues of Arafat
The Prophet ﷺ said in a famous Hadith:
Hajj is Arafat.
[Narrated in Sunan al-Tirmidhi]
This saying of the Prophet ﷺ indicates that standing on the plains of Arafat during Yawm al-Arafat is of such immense importance that without it, the entire Hajj is invalid.
The Prophet ﷺ also said the following about this day:
There is no day on which Allah ransoms more slaves from the Fire than the Day of Arafat. He draws closer and closer, then He boasts about them before the angels and says: ‘What do these people want?’
[Narrated in Sunan Ibn Majah]
Facilities
Accommodation
While the plain of Arafat isn’t expansive, it typically accommodates pilgrims efficiently. Similar to Mina, pilgrims in Arafat are organized into groups with pre-assigned accommodation based on their country of origin. Camps and streets are numbered for ease of navigation, so it’s advisable to memorize or note down your camp number.
The tents in Arafat are generally spacious, with some equipped with air coolers and fans, using water evaporation for cooling. Others may lack such amenities, making it wise to bring a portable cooling device, especially since temperatures can soar on the day of Arafat.
For any questions or concerns about your accommodations, your Hajj agent is your primary point of contact, as they determine where you’ll be staying.
Food
Check with your Hajj agent regarding meal arrangements. Food might be provided in pre-packed boxes or served freshly cooked. Meal times may vary, so be prepared for an irregular eating schedule.
Unlike in Mina, there are no food shops in Arafat. It’s advisable to bring snacks like biscuits, dates, fruits, and plenty of water from Mina to stay nourished and hydrated in the heat. Keeping some sweets on hand is also a good idea for a quick energy boost when needed.
Sleeping
For sleeping, you can use an inflatable mattress or a sleeping bag if you have one. Alternatively, straw Hajji mats are available for purchase and can be used for sleeping. Some tents in Arafat are carpeted, which provides an additional option for sleeping.