Arafat Day is an important occasion during the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah or Hajj
The 9th day of the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah marks a significant day for Muslims, yet it is a day not so well known or talked about in the rest of the world. The day is called the Day of Arafat.
Arafat Day and it’s Significance
On the first day of the Hajj Pilgrimage, Muslims sweep out of Mecca toward Mina, a small uninhabited village east of the city. As their throngs spread through Mina, the pilgrims generally spend their time meditating and praying, as the Prophet did on his pilgrimage. During the second day, the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, pilgrims leave Mina for the plain of Arafat. The Prophet is reported to have asked Allah to pardon the sins of pilgrims who stood at Arafat, and was granted his wish. Thus, the hopeful pilgrims prepare to leave this plain joyfully, feeling reborn without sin and intending to turn over a new leaf.
Just after sunset, the mass of pilgrims proceed to Muzdalifah, an open plain halfway between Arafat and Mina. There they first pray and then collect pebbles to use on the following days. The next day begins the Eid holiday or Eid al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice.
Why Arafat Day?
The Day of Arafat is the only day when Muslims gather together at Arafat Mountain in an act of unity to pray and fast for their religion and to offer sacrifices as they remember that Abraham offered Ishmael, not Isaac. It is called the Day of Repentance. It was from this site that Muhammad gave his famous Farewell Sermon in his final year of life.
The Day of Arafat is doubtless the most unified day of any Muslim event. Imagine Muslims gathered together at Arafat Mountain in unity, praying and fasting and stoning the devil whom they say tried to stop their father Abraham from offering Ishmael and offer Isaac instead. You see, Muslims declare that Ishmael is the son of the promise, not Isaac. Muslims offer sacrifices in remembrance that Abraham offered Ishmael as a sacrifice for sins, not Isaac! (Those who complete the Hajj are told all the sins before the journey are forgiven.)
Arafat Day comes 70 days after the start of Ramadan each year.
Prayer guide for Arafat Day:
1- Pray and fast through the day that the Holy Spirit will break spiritual deceiving and blindness over the eyes of the Muslims, declaring Isaac as the seed, not Ishmael.
2 – Gather as many groups as possible – either three to five believers or, in small meetings or overnight prayer events to offer the True God our sacrifices of praise.
3- Declare that the True God is known only through Jesus Christ the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, not Ishmael, according to the Scriptures. Pray for truth to be revealed, that is, the truth of the real promise through Isaac in Jesus Christ to be known. Pray for Muslims to become the sons of Abraham and to know their rights to the promises which were through Isaac.
I didn’t understand your explanation about the “son” which is God but is God in person… so you mean, the god in person, which is the “son”, who is Jesus, is praying for his other self which is in heaven?(when he said “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”)? Why should he? Think again. Why would he do that? Another question. Did Jesus(personally) ever said that he is the God, and that he is the god in person, and that you should pray to him? Did he? Or is it just the simple explanation of you(christians) when you didn’t understand the situation. It is clear that before Jesus was crucified, he even prayed to God to save him. So if he is what you believe he is, the he doesn’t even know what will happen to him? Astagfirullah. Turn to Allah before you Return to Him.
There seems to be a huge misunderstanding here. Muslims believe both isaac and ismael are sons of Abraham. We commemorate this day because Abraham and his wife Hajra had ismael after a very long time and lots of prayers and yet he was willing to sacrifice him for the sake of Allah. Ismael is the direct descendant of of the last prophet Muhammad pbuh, while Isaac is the other son of Abraham and the brother of ismael. Jesus foretold the coming of Muhammad as the last prophet because he was also a messenger of Allah and brought the message of peace. Its in all of the old scriptures of the Bible.’ There is only one God, Allah. Allah, the Eternal. He begets not, nor is he begotten. And there is no one like Him’ ( surah ikhlas, last surah of the Holy Quran.
Dear Omer, well i really do feel extremely sorry that you had to convert to Christianity, however, i am disappointed that you did that without studying the ethics and reality of Islam, hence the above forementioned does not make any sense at all, let me get this straight – Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world and has seen an increase after the attacks due to people further studying the beauty of Islam, it is purely diabolical that you had to sway from the fastest growing and join the slowest and least fertile, no one has ever challenged the Quran and its authenticity, yet there are hundreds of books published in retaliation to the Bible, the most notorious is the books of Ahmed Dedat, and if you have Peace TV or the internet, please look up Dr Zakir Naik, he has challenged all the major Christians bishops and lecturers of faith, Islam does not portray to spread lies, it only upholds the truth, there is beauty of wisdom behind every acts of Islamic command, give me a challenge and i shall answer it, i bring this challenge to you….
I don’t quite understand what all the fuss is about—these people are obviously observing a Muslim holiday. They might as well be Muslims themselves with all their talk of fasting and prayer! The very definition of a Muslim! Indeed, you could have fooled me!
Happy day of Arafat, my dear Christian-Muslims!
God bless all of us, ameen.
u wrote mistakes in placing isaac.iinstead of ismail.please correct it..u r wrong..if ur correct please give the references of Quran and hadith with page numbers. Thank Q
Answering-islam.org is run by a “missionary” who uses foul language when he loses debates. Check out the end of Sam Shamoun’s debate with Sami Zaatari. Furthermore, one of their writers, David Wood, supports the anti-Islamic organization SIOA, which has been deemed a hate group by the SPLC (other’s on the SPLC’s list include the KKK and the neo-Nazis). Lastly, none of the writers on the site has a degree in Islamic studies. Why should I trust them since they have no credentials?
Ok, thanks