• Sheikh Abbas Al-Rayes

An atmosphere that inspires awe, and a land surrounded by mountains on all four sides, or nearly so. There are gaps a viewer can see between one mountain and another; its Creator prepared it so His servants could gather there in a single unified state to perform the greatest of religious rites on its day, embracing that day more tightly than the black of the eye embraces its white.

​Towering mountains and a flat land wherein you see no depression or elevation. The heart of the ascetic finds peace when it embraces him, just as a mother embraces her newborn. On that day, he hopes from his Lord for various requests, just as a child asks his mother and hopes from her.

​In that atmosphere, permeated from all sides, a wave takes hold of a person, drawing him toward the Highest Realm. He parts with the earth and the foul waste of materialism for a more sublime realm, by virtue of his melting into obedience with utter sincerity.

​That is the land of Arafat—as named by the Quran, the Sunnah, and people alike—where pilgrims gather on the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah every year, from noon until sunset.

​It is, as many have observed, a flat land demarcated by well-known legal and geographical boundaries.

​Abu al-Walid al-Azraqi said in Akhbar Makkah (Reports of Mecca): Ibn Abbas said the boundary of Arafah is from the mountain overlooking the valley of 'Uranah, which is between the two markers indicating the boundary of Arafah, and the two markers indicating the boundary of the Sacred Precinct (Haram) up to the mountains of Arafah, to Al-Wasiq (a place whose upper part belongs to Kinanah and lower part to Hudhayl), to the junction of Al-Wasiq with the valley of Arafah. He said: The standing place of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, on the eve of Arafah was between the mountains of Al-Naba'ah, Al-Nabi'ah, and Al-Nabit (Al-Naba'ah, Al-Nabi'ah, and Dhat Al-Nabit—as mentioned by Yaqut in Al-Mu'jam), and this standing place is called Al-Aal, which is known today as Jabal al-Rahmah (The Mount of Mercy). It is a jagged, protruding mountain among projecting rocks there in the mountain known by this name in Arafah, on the left of the road for one traveling to Ta'if (the well-known city).

​Yaqut al-Hamawi said in Mu'jam al-Buldan (Dictionary of Countries): "Arafat," with a vowelled 'R', is singular in a plural form. Al-Akhfash said: It is fully declinable only because the 'Ta' functions like the 'Ya' and 'Waw' in 'Muslimin'; because of its masculine reference, the Nunation (Tanwin) functions like the 'Nun', so when used as a proper name, it was left in its original state.

​Al-Farra' said: "Arafat" has no singular form strictly speaking, and people saying today "the Day of Arafah" is a neologism and not pure Arabic. What indicates the truth of Al-Farra's statement is that Arafah and Arafat are names for one place, and if it were a plural, it would not refer to a single entity. It is more appropriate to say: Every spot within it is called Arafah, then it was pluralized and not made indefinite because, as we stated, they are proximate and combined, as if they are one entity despite the pluralization.

​The boundary of Arafah extends from the mountain overlooking the valley of 'Uranah to the mountains of Arafah, and the village of Arafah connects the palm trees between them over a distance of two miles.

​Regarding the reason for its naming, it is said that Gabriel, peace be upon him, taught (Arrafa) Abraham, peace be upon him, the rituals. When he made him stand at Arafah, he asked him: "Have you known (Arafta)?" He replied: "Yes." Thus, it was named Arafah.

​It is also said it was named so because Adam and Eve recognized each other (Ta'arafa) there after their descent from Paradise. It is also said: That people confess (Ya'tarifun) their sins in that standing place. And it was said: Rather, it was named for patience regarding the hardships endured to reach it, because 'Al-Urf' means patience.

​Ibn Abbas said: The boundary of Arafah is from the mountain rising over the valley of 'Uranah to its mountains, to the palace of the family of Malik, and the valley of Arafah; and the standing place therein is at the gorge near an overlapping mountain.

​As for what was transmitted from the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, the boundary of Arafah extends from 'Uranah, Thuwayyah, and Namirah to Dhu al-Majaz. In the authentic narration from Mu'awiyah bin Ammar, from Abu Abdullah [Al-Sadiq], peace be upon him, he said: "The boundary of Arafah is from the valley of 'Uranah, Thuwayyah, and Namirah, to Dhu al-Majaz, and behind the mountain is a standing place." It was reported from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, that he said: "The people of Al-Arak have no pilgrimage," and the implication of this is that the boundaries of Arafah are four, and from another perspective, they are five, by including Namirah to Arafah. It could be said: Arafah is a name for the time, so we say "the Day of Arafah," and Arafat is a name for the place, so we say "the land of Arafat." However, the narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, did not differentiate between the two, such as the preceding narration and others regarding the demarcation of the land of Arafat.

​Standing at Arafat is the first obligation of the Hajj; therefore, this standing is considered the beginning of the pilgrim’s rites, if he has not performed the 'Umrah of Tamattu'. Then the subsequent rites follow in a sequential order. The Creator has granted this opportunity to the servant, making the obligatory minimum of the standing to be physical presence in the location, but He forbade leaving Arafat until the sun sets on the Eve of Sacrifice. This is solely out of His consideration, glory be to Him, for the benefit of the servant, so that he may catch up on what he missed and seek forgiveness for the sins he committed. Thereby, he departs from the standing place of Arafah in a state of psychological readiness to receive the remaining rites.

​Furthermore, if we consider Hajj as an Islamic festival, Muslims benefit from their gatherings, getting to know one another, and attempting to utilize this great Islamic congregation to recognize current problems and whatever newly arises on the stage of rapidly developing life. This is sufficient to touch upon the general benefits for Islam and the specific ones for Muslims. This clarifies what Al-Zahra, peace be upon her, stated in her famous sermon: "And Hajj is a reinforcement for the religion." Thus, the Sacred Lawgiver focused heavily on this standing place through an abundance of supplications and remembrances from the very first night of Arafah until the end of its day, and even after departing from it.

​It is reported that if a pilgrim departs from Arafat after sunset has been realized, heading to Al-Mash'ar, he should supplicate with transmitted prayers, ask Allah for salvation from the Fire, and multiply his seeking of forgiveness, following the verses and traditions. He must maintain tranquility and dignity. When he reaches the Red Dune on the right side of the road, he should say what Mu'awiyah bin Ammar authentically narrated from Al-Sadiq: ("O Allah, have mercy on my standing, increase my good deeds, keep my religion safe for me, and accept my rites"). He should also add: ("O Allah, do not make this my last time at this standing place, and provide it for me always as long as You keep me alive. Return me today successful, triumphant, with my prayers answered, having received mercy and forgiveness, with the best of what any of Your delegation and the pilgrims to Your Sacred House return with. Make me today among the most honored of Your delegation to You, and grant me the best of what You have granted any of them in terms of goodness, blessing, mercy, pleasure, and forgiveness. And bless me in what I return to, be it family or wealth, little or much, and bless them in me").

​And this Red Dune is located on the right side of the road for one departing from Arafat.

​This is sufficient to indicate the importance of that standing place from its beginning to its end, and sufficient also to indicate the sanctity of its times, and even what follows it. For Allah intended for humanity to be strongly drawn to Him during these precious periods, in order to welcome the rest of the deeds.

​I ask Allah to guide us to what pleases Him, for He is the Hearer of supplication, and may Allah bless Muhammad and his family.

​Abbas Ahmed Al-Rayes Al-Durazi

Bahrain - Duraz