The Best Day of The Year: The Day of ‘Arafah’ -By Olayinka Abdurrazzaq

For a practicing Muslim, nothing seems more spiritually fulfilling in this month than traversing the streets of Madina, following the footsteps of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, reliving the story of Prophet Ibrahim, holding on to the cloth of the Kaba and weeping for Allah to forgive all our sins.

The day of Arafah, the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah. It is tomorrow. Thursday is crucial to the completion of Hajj. So much that the Prophet said, “Hajj is Arafah” (Tirmidhi). Without completing this step, Hajj is not valid. It is on this vast plain that all of mankind will be gathered on the Day of Judgement.

But for those of us that Allah has destined not to perform Hajj this year, how can we reap the benefits of this blessed day, the Day of Arafah? Allah has blessed mankind out of His magnanimity with ways of getting His pleasure and the best house, Jannah. He created everything in pairs and grant us understanding to know and choose which way to follow.

To err is unavoidable for mankind,that is what makes us human. Due to this, Allah has provided various ways for us to seek forgiveness and exculpate from His punishment. He is the only one who blesses mankind after seeking forgiveness.

Amongst ways of getting the visa of forgiveness is the day of Arafah. This is once in a year. It is a day  with two different feathers of protection and blessings. It is a day that expiates ones’s sins of the previous year and the year to come.

On this blessed day, any act of worship you do will result in more good deeds and reward. So step up your remembrance of Allah which you can do at any time of the day, even during any constant activity. Giving alms, reading of the Qur’an and enjoin people to do good and refrain them from bad acts.

Most especially fasting on the day of Arafah. Fasting is highly recommended by the prophet because of  the great rewards that is embedded in it. According to a prophetic Hadith, the Prophet, peace be upon him said: “one who fasts sincerely on the day of Arafah will receive forgiveness of his/her sins for the previous and following year.”

Make dua for yourselves, seek forgiveness and ask for anything that is lawful. Verily, any prayer made on this day will be acceptable. After forgiveness blessing follows. This is a day where millions of sins are forgiven by Allah. The Prophet (saw) said: ‘′There is no day on which Allah (swt) frees people from the Fire more so than on the day of ‘Arafah’. (Muslim).

Tomorrow is the day, try to fast if you are able. If you can’t, earn the same reward by reminding people of the day. Verily, reminder benefits the believers. Indeed, the reward of the good doers is nothing but good. Please, don’t miss out this day.

May Allah make it easy for us to fast on this blessed day and accept it as an act of worship. May He bless us with all His blessings encapsulated in this day and make it a visa to fly us to Jannatul Firdaos.