Day of Arafa

Day of Arafa
Official name	Arabic: يوم عرفة
Also called	The Day of Repentance
Type	Islamic
Significance	Commemoration of Muhammad's final sermon and completion of the message of Islam. Marks the final day of the Pilgrimage or Hajj for the millions of Muslims who make the trip to Mecca each year. A day where many Muslims fast to repent for their sins.
Ends	9 Dhu al-Hijjah
2010 date	November 15
2011 date	November 5
Observances	Prayer, Fasting, Repentance
Related to	Eid ul-Adha, the major Islamic festival, which occurs the day after the Day of Arafa

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The Day of Arafa (Arabic: يوم عرفة) is an Islamic Holy Day, in which it is said that the religion had been perfected. The original day was on a Friday, but now the Day falls on the 9th day of Dhul Hijja (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic Calendar. This happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan. It is the second day of the Hajj pilgrimage and the day after it is the major Islamic Holiday of Eid ul-Adha. At dawn of this day, Muslim pilgrims will make their way from Mina to a nearby hillside and plain called Mount Arafa and the Plain of Arafa. It was from this site that Muhammad gave his famous Farewell Sermon in his final year of life.

It is said that a believer who fasts on this day expiates for the past year's sins and the sins for the year coming. It is thus a day of forgiveness from sins, similar to the Jewish day of Yom Kippur.

Occurrence in Hadith Literature

Abu Qatada al-Ansari reported that Muhammad was asked about his fasting. He was asked about perpetual fasting, whereupon he said: He neither fasted nor did he break it, or he did not fast and he did not break it. He was then asked about fasting for two days and breaking one day. He (the Holy Prophet) said: And who has strength enough to do it? He was asked about fasting for a day and breaking for two days, whereupon he said: May Allah bestow upon us strength to do it. He was then asked about fasting for a day and breaking on the other, whereupon he said: That is the fasting of my brother David. He was then asked about fasting on Monday, whereupon he said: It was the day on which I was born. on which I was commissioned with prophethood or revelation was sent to me, (and he further) said: Three days' fasting every month and of the whole of Ramadan every year is a perpetual fast. He was asked about fasting on the day of 'Arafa (9th of Dhu'I-Hijja), whereupon he said: It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year. He was asked about fasting on the day of 'Ashura (10th of Muharram), whereupon he said: It expiates the sins of the preceding year. The Book of Fasting (Kitab Al-Sawm) Muslim :: Book 6 : Hadith 2603

In Saheeh Muslim it was narrated from Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:^[1]

'There is no day on which Allaah frees more people from the Fire than the Day of Arafaah. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels, saying, 'What do these people want?'

Day of Arafa in the Gregorian calendar

See also: Islamic calendar

While the Day of Arafa is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar. Each year, the Day of Arafa (like other Islamic holidays) falls on one of two different Gregorian dates in different parts of the world because the boundary of crescent visibility is different from the International date line. Furthermore, some countries follow the date in Saudi Arabia rather than the astronomically determined local calendar.

• 2006: December 29
• 2007: December 19
• 2008: December 7
• 2009: November 26
• 2010: November 15
• 2011: November 5

See also

• Hajj
• Eid ul-Fitr
• List of Islamic terms in Arabic
• Muslim Holidays

References

1. ^ http://www.jannah.org/articles/dayofarafat.html

External links

• The Virtues of the Day of Arafa
• About.com explanation