Tajuddin B. Shu'aib
The ninth day of
Dhul-Hijjah (the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar) is the day of
'Arafah. It is the day when pilgrims stand on the plain of 'Arafah to pray. On
this day, Muslims all over the world who do not witness the annual hajj should
spend the day in fasting, in preparation for the three days festivity following
'Eid ul-Adha (the celebration marking the end of the hajj
commemorating the Prophet Ibr�h�m's willingness of sacrifice).
Ab� Hafsah, may All�h be
pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace,
said:
"Fasting on the day of 'Arafah absolves the sins for two years: the previous
year and the coming year, and fasting on 'ash�ra, (the tenth day of
Muharram) atones for the sins of previous years." [Reported by
all except al-Bukh�r� and Tirmidh�]
In another saying the
Prophet's wife Hafsah, may All�h be pleased with her, said:
"Four things the Messenger of All�h never neglected: Observing fast on the
day of 'ash�ra, 'Arafat, three days every month, and offering fajr
sunnah prayers early in the morning." [Muslim]
These statements are proof
that fasting on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah, the day before 'Eid ul-Adha
was a lifelong practice of the Prophet, peace be upon him, as his wife
reported.
There are some reports that
fasting is prohibited on the day of 'Arafah. However, it must be understood that
this refers to a person performing the hajj. If a person is on the
hajj, there is no fast for him or her on the day of 'Arafah. That is
undoubtedly a blessing for him because of the hardships of the pilgrimage. In a
saying reported by Umm al-Fadl, may All�h be pleased with her, she said:
"The
companions doubted whether the Prophet was fasting on 'Arafah or not. She
decided to prove to them that he was not, so she said, 'I sent to him milk,
which he drank while he was delivering the khutbah (sermon) on 'Arafah.'
" [Recorded by al-Bukh�r�]
Prohibiting the pilgrims from
fasting on these days is a great mercy for them, for fasting will exert undue
hardship on the person performing the hajj, while they are primarily
concerned with their pilgrimage. Above all, the pilgrim would not be fasting
anyway because he is travelling.
Source: SunnahOnline
