Arafah

Allah (swt) created this world and decorated it with seas, mountains, fields, greenery so that man may enjoy His bounties. Allah created humans however He made a few excel over the others.

He practiced the same rule for the earth as well and gave excellence to a few places over others. There are places on this earth where he showered His special blessings and rewarded people for being attached to these places.

One such revered place is the plain of Arafaat which is located in Saudi Arabia and is one of the important stations in the entire ritual of Hajj. In this article we shall see the importance and excellence of this place as well the day which is associated i.e. 9th Zilhajj known as Day of Arafaat.

To begin with let us look at its etymology in the light of Holy traditions

In a lengthy tradition in Hayaat al Quloob, it is mentioned that J. Jibraeel (a) now took J. Adam to Arafaat and asked him to wait till sunset and confess his sins seven times. Adam (a) did as taught by Jibraeel and due to this the place was named 'Mo'taraf' or Ma'raf. This practice was established for Adam's progeny. Jibraeel (a) asked him to return from Arafaat.

Muaviyah bin Ammar says that I asked Imam Jafar Sadiq (a) concerning Arafaat, “Why is it called Arafaat” He (a) said: SurelyJibraeel (a) took Hazrat Ibrahim (a) on the day of Arafaat (i.e. 9th Zilhaj) and when the sun was set he said to him. O Ibrahim (a)! Confess your sins and recognize your place of sacrifice, then it was called Arafaat on the saying of Jibraeel (s); you confess and he confessed

(Ref: Mustadrakul Wasael Vol 10 Pg 29)

The mount of Arafaat is a place which the Prophets and Messengers have honored with their presence.

It is mentioned in Hayaat al Quloob by Allamah Majlisi that Imam Sadiq (a) said: Adam (a) was in Sajdah for 40 days on Mount Safaa and was lamenting the separation from Divine Mercy and heaven. Jibraeel (a) came to him and inquired why he was weeping. He said, "Why should not I cry? Allah has separated me from the vicinity of His Mercy and sent me down to Earth." Jibraeel (a) said, "O Adam! Ask forgiveness from Allah." "How should I repent," he asked. Allah sent for him a dome of light at the site of Ka'ba. Its glow illuminated the mountains of Makkah as high as the sanctuary. Allah ordered Jibraeel to mark the precincts of the sanctuary. On 8th of Zilhajj Jibraeel came to Adam and told him to arise. He took him out of the sanctuary and instructed him to perform Ghusl and wear the Ehraam. Then he took him to the Mina and camped there overnight. Next morning they went to the plains of Arafaat. On the day of Arafaat at the time of Zuhr prayers Adam (a) was told to recite the Talbiya and perform Ghusl. After he completed the prayers Jibraeel (a) told him to stand on the plains of Arafaat and taught him the words that he had learnt from his Lord:

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَ بِحَمْدِكَ عَمِلْتُ سُوءاً وَ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي وَ أَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَ بِحَمْدِكَ عَمِلْتُ سُوءاً وَ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي وَ ارْحَمْنِي وَ أَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَ بِحَمْدِكَ عَمِلْتُ سُوءاً وَ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيم‏

Adam (a.s.) kept standing and prayed to Allah with sincerely and wept. At sunset Jibraeel took Adam to Mashar and they stayed there for the night. In the morning Adam (a.s) stood on Mountain of Mashar-il-Haraam and prayed to Allah with the words that were taught to him. Allah forgave his sins. Then Jibraeel (a..r.) brought him to Mina and asked him shave his head and again brought him to Makkah.

Since then Allah has made it a place for forgiveness of believers. Any believer who visits Arafah and seeks forgiveness from his Lord, Allah forgives his sins. To support this claim, we would like to quote another tradition from the same book

When Adam (a.s.) was doing Tawaaf of Ka'ba and his Dua was about to be accepted and Jibraeel (a.r.) told him to confess his sins at that place. Adam (a.s.) said, "O Allah every action carries a reward. What is the reward of my action?" Allah revealed to him, "O Adam! I will forgive all those from your progeny who visit this place and confess their sins.

History also relates this place to another great Prophet who has been associated to this revered land and till today Muslims associate them together. Whenever believers go for Hajj or light a flame of going for Hajj in their hearts their imaginations take them to Arafaat and the sacrifices of Hazrat Ibrahim (a). When J. Ibrahim (a) constructed the Holy Kaaba, the Almighty commanded Ibrahim and Ismail (a) to dig a well.

On the 8th of Zilhajj, Jibraeel (a) descended and asked Ibrahim (a) to arise and arrange for water because in those days there was no water in the plains of Arafaat and Mina. The eighth day is known as Yaum-e-Tarwiyah (Day of Tarwiyah) because 'Tarwiyah' means offering of water. Then Jibraeel (a) escorted Ibrahim (a) to Mina and they camped for the night. Jibraeel (a) also instructed him in the rituals of Hajj, like Adam (a) had been taught.

Lastly, let’s see how Arafaat is a place of companion of Imam Mahdi (Atfs) :

An authentic tradition from Imam Reza (a) says that Khizr (a) drank elixir of life and will remain alive till the time of the blowing of Bugle and that those who are dying are coming to us and they salute (say salaam) us; then we hear the voice of Khizr (a) but do not see him. He reaches wherever his name is mentioned. So it is necessary that anyone who remembers him should also say Salaam to him. He comes to Makkah in every Hajj, performs Hajj and stands in Arafaat and says 'Amen' to the prayers of the faithful; that very soon Almighty Allah will make Khizr (a) confidante of Qaem-e-Aale Muhammad (a); that when he (Qaem) will be hidden from the public eye he (Khizr) will be his companion in solitude.

Thus the companion of Imam Zamana (a) i.e. J. Khizr (a) also visits the land of Arafaah and intercedes for his lovers.



We seek Taufeeq from Allah to grant us the fortune of visiting the land of Arafah