Arafat, when is it?
The day of Arafat corresponds to the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah. It is the day of perfection of religion.This year, it should fall near November 06th, 2011.
Hajj is an immense and blessed gathering attend by millions of pilgrims. Muslims come
from worldwide and gathe in one place to answer the call of the Almighty by reciting Talbiyah , performing common rituals and begging the Meciful for forgiveness . They implore Him for mercy and forgiveness. Hajj is a reminder of the the day of the Resurrection.
Extracts from: el Hajj wa Tahdhîb e-Nufûs of Sheïkh ' Abd e-Razzâq el ' Abbâd ( 168-176 ).
The presence of the pilgrims to Arafatt is a central rite, without which the pilgrimage is invalid. All the pilgrims converge in this place during this day (the 9th day of the month of Dhul-Hijjah), as made the Prophet Mohamed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), during his unique pilgrimage when He was accompanied by some hundred and twenty thousand pilgrims and companions.
When the Prophet Mohamed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), was questioned by one of his companions about the importance of this day, he answered:
" There’s no other day during which God saves the largest number of people of the Hell, as that of Arafat ". And he recommended to those who were not performing Hajj to fast the Day of Arafat where they were.
The day of Arafat is a blessed day and it looks like the day when all human beings will be reincarnated and waiting for Allah's sentence.
During Hajj , the pilgrims abandon their families and their close relations, their possessions and their businesses, and they gather wearing the same dress, all imploring Allah the Unique.
They dedicate their time to read the holy Quran , to evoke Allah ( dhikr ) and to supplicate (du' aa). Ecerone want to profit from this opportunity and get closer to the Merciful. They came, by millions, not as tourists seeking for rest or fun. They did not come for business too. They came with a unique and ultimate objective: obey the Almighyt, supplicatehim, recognize His Uniqueness, His Power, and ask for His Mercy and for forgiveness.
While redoing the acts of our beloved prophet , It is preferable for Muslims who are not in the holy places, to fast this day, and increase their prayers, and their supplications.
As the sun sets announcing the end of the day of Arafat, the pilgrims' efforts multiply by evoking the Almighty and imploring Him. These efforts multiply and increase, the pilgrims want to profit as much as possible from the blessings of this day for they will leave Arafat a few moments after the sunset and proceed to Mina and Muzdalifa.
Millions of Muslims coming from diferent nationalities, men, women, blacks, whites, young people, old man, on foot, on vehicles, wearing the same garments recite the same sentence:
" Labbeyk Allahumma labbeyk ", I answer Your call, My God, yes I answer. I answer it to You the Unique, without partner. Certainly praise, benefactions, all result from You, as well as the reign, You which has no partner ".
Those who feel these moments of intense faith are only those who went and answered to the appeal of the Almighty
For all these reasons, it is incomprehensible and inconceivable that we spend our money and time in touristic trips while we have not filled this obligation yet.
Hajj has to be peroformed from the first occasion if we are finacially capable and he who will be lucky to do so and visit the holy places where our beloved prophet walked and was born will enjoy the intense moments of faith .
The holy sites are the places which still give evidence of the divine revelation and there is no other place more beautiful than them. They are revivifying and illuminated . The prophet's Mosque, the plain of Arafat, the region of Mina, and last but not least the grave of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) are the earth's holiest places.
Source: Brahami Mostafa
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