Bismihi Ta`ala
DAY OF ARAFAH V/S THE DAY HAJIS BE IN ARAFAH.
Every year people argue that they should fast for the 9th Zul Hijjah- the day called as day of Arafah-when Hajis are in Arafah.
The advocates of this theory bring forward the ahadiths that Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam always quoted the fasting of 9th Zul Hijjah-one day before Eid ul Adhaa- as fasting of ‘’the day of Arafah’’. For instance the following hadith:
صحيح مسلم – (6 / 56)
قَالَ وَسُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ فَقَالَ يُكَفِّرُ السَّنَةَ الْمَاضِيَةَ وَالْبَاقِيَةَ
Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam was asked about the virtue of fasting of the day of Arafah. He answered: ‘’The fast of Arafah erase the sins of this year and those sins of next year.’’(Sahih Muslim)
So two years of forgiveness or if sinless, then 2 years of rewards Insha Allah.
The fast of Arafah is more virtuous than the fast of Ashoura.
One should note that ‘’Day of Arafah’’ refers to the 9th Zul Hijjah wherever you are. One day before Eid Ul Adhaa. Because Eid ul Adhaa is 10th of Zul Hijjah. The days of Tashreeq are 11th, 12th and 13th of Zul Hijjah. Fasting prohibited on the day of Eid Ul Adhaa and the days of Tashreeq. And compulsory takbeers after farzs salaahs starts on the day of Arafah-9th Zul Hijjah- and finishes on Assr of the 13th or ends when days of Tashreeq end.
Since Hajj is an important ibaadah in these days, then the naming of these days has been influenced by the rites of Hajj.
The 8th Zul Hijjah is known as day of Tarwiyah because it was the day that Ibrahim as saw the dream about slaughtering his son Isma`eel as. On this day in Makkah Hajis start their rites and go to Mina.
The 9th of Zul Hijjah is known as day of Arafah because it was the day that Ibrahim as recognized that he had to slaughter his son because he dreamt again. Hajis gather on the plain of Arafah on this date in Saudi.
The 10th of Zul Hijjah is known as day of Nahr(Slaughter) because on this day Ibrahim as put down his son Ismaeel as in Mina, face down and passed knife over his neck. The rites of Hajj gather in Mina pelting, slaughtering , shaving and tawaaf.
11th, 12th and 13th of Zul Hijjah are known as days of Tashreeq or days that meat are dried up. In the past there were no fridges. So they needed to salt the meat and dry it in the sun to keep it for future use.
So when Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam is referring to these dates, he would mention only the names of these days. And hence the 9th of Zul Hijjah is termed as ‘’The Day of Arafah’’.
Now where is the proof that the day of Arafah does not actually mean the date or day when Hajis are in the plain of Arafah in Saudi?
Well the proof is that Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam prohibited the fast of ‘’THE DAY OF ARAFAH’’ on ‘’the plain of Arafah’’.
Had ‘’THE DAY OF ARAFAH’’ means the day that Hajis are in Arafah in Saudi, then we needed no adjective of adding ‘’in the plain of Arafah’’ to ‘’the fast of the day of Arafah.’’
So reported in Abu Dawood on the authority of Abu Hureirah ra that ‘’Rasoulouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam prohibited the fast of THE DAY OF ARAFAH in the plain of Arafah.’’(Abu Dawood)
سنن أبى داود – (6 / 423)
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ حَدَّثَنَا حَوْشَبُ بْنُ عُقَيْلٍ عَنْ مَهْدِيٍّ الْهَجَرِيِّ حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ قَالَ
كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ فِي بَيْتِهِ فَحَدَّثَنَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَهَى عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ بِعَرَفَةَ
Furthermore when Ibn Umar ra was asked about Fasting of the day of Arafah in the plain of Arafah, then he prohibited to do so.
السنن الكبرى – النسائي – (2 / 154)
أنبأ إسحاق بن منصور الكوسج مروزي قال أنبأ عبد الرحمن عن شعبة عن عمرو بن دينار عن أبي السوائي قال سألت بن عمر عن صوم يوم عرفة فنهاني
So this is clear that ‘’The day of Arafah’’ means a date- 9th Zul Hijjah. And it differentiates that 9th Zul Hijjah or the day of Arafah does not mean when hajis are in Arafah.
This implies also that whenever Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam would talk of virtue of fasting of ‘’the day of Arafah’’, he was meaning the 9th of Zul Hijjah. Not when Hajis gather in Arafah. Because fasting in the plain of Arafah is discouraged due to weakness that it will do in standing in du`as there.
شرح السنة – البغوي – (6 / 346)
واستحب أكثر أهل العلم الإفطار
فيه ، ليتقوى على الدعاء ، وإليه ذهب مالك وسفيان والشافعي ، روي عن
أبي هريرة أن النبي ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) نهى عن صوم يوم عرفة بعرفة
وهذا نهي استحباب لا نهي تحريم.
Another place where we can discern and distinguish between Hajis in the plain of Arafah and Non Hajis on 9th Zul Hijjah is the virtue of du`as. I saw lots of messages coming that even non Hajis should do du`as on the day of Arafah. This is not correct. Because reported in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah that Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said: ‘’The du`as that I did most IN THE PLAIN OF ARAFAH and also what the prophets did: ‘’Laa ilaa illallahou Wahdahou Laa shareeka lahou lahoul Moulk wa lahoul Hamd Youhyi wa youmitou wa houwa alaa koulli shai-in Qadir.’’
مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – (10 / 374)
حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ ، عَن نَضْرِ بْنِ عَرَبِيٍّ ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي حُسَيْنٍ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم : أَكْثَرُ دُعَائِي وَدُعَاءِ الأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي بِعَرَفَةَ : لاَ إلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ.
مصنف ابن أبي شيبة – (10 / 373)
حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ ، عَن مُوسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدَةَ ، عَنْ أَخِيهِ ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم : أَكْثَرُ دُعَائِي وَدُعَاءِ الأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي بِعَرَفَةَ لاَ إلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ، اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا وَفِي سَمْعِي نُورًا وَفِي بَصَرِي نُورًا ، اللَّهُمَّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي , وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَسْوَاسِ الصَّدْرِ , وَشَتَاتِ الأَمْرِ , وَفِتْنَةِ الْقَبْرِ ، اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَلِجُ فِي اللَّيْلِ , وَشَرِّ مَا يَلِجُ فِي النَّهَارِ ، وَشَرِّ مَا تَهُبُّ بِهِ الرِّيَاحُ.
So the virtue of du`as is for Hajis in the plain of Arafah. Not for non hajis.
The prescription for Hajis on the 9th Zul Hijjah is to eat and take energy to do du`as in standing or sitting in the plain of Arafah. While non hajis are requested to fast on their 9th Zul Hijjah. This shows the disparity and great difference between the two.
So tomorrow Friday 9th July 2022 will be 9th Zul Hijjah 1443 in Saudi and Hajis will not fast and will gather in the plain of Arafah for du`as there. Remember us in your du`as.
And for those celebrating Eid ul Adhaa on Sunday 10th July, then their fast of 9th Zul Hijjah/ Day of Arafah will be Saturday 9th July. Not tomorrow.
Permissible to fast only Saturday for fast of Arafah. On other occasions it is makrooh to fix only Saturday as nafil fast. Either accompany it with one day before or after.
حاشية رد المحتار على الدر المختار (حاشية ابن عابدين) وتكملته – (7 / 323)
وَالْمَكْرُوهُ تَحْرِيمًا كَالْعِيدَيْنِ .
وَتَنْزِيهًا كَعَاشُورَاءَ وَحْدَهُ وَسَبْتٍ وَحْدَهُ وَنَيْرُوزَ وَمِهْرَجَانٍ إنْ تَعَمَّدْهُ وَصَوْمِ دَهْرِهِ وَصَوْمِ صَمْتٍ
قَوْلُهُ : وَسَبْتٍ وَحْدَهُ ) لِلتَّشَبُّهِ بِالْيَهُودِ
Mufti Mackoojee
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