SUPPLICATION IN HAJJ
Allaah The Exalted commands His slaves to supplicate to Him and promises to answer and reward them for their Du‘aa’. Numerous texts of the Islamic Sharee‘ah have underlined the greatness, virtue, significance, and status of Du‘aa’ in Islam. In fact,Du‘aa’ is the essence of worship, and it is one of the effective ways to prevent the trials or misfortunes that had been decreed to befall the servant before they befall him or to remove them after they have befallen him.
Allaah The Exalted commands His slaves to supplicate to Him and promises to answer and reward them for their Du‘aa’. Numerous texts of the Islamic Sharee‘ah have underlined the greatness, virtue, significance, and status of Du‘aa’ in Islam. In fact,Du‘aa’ is the essence of worship, and it is one of the effective ways to prevent the trials or misfortunes that had been decreed to befall the servant before they befall him or to remove them after they have befallen him.
Furthermore, Du‘aa’ is the most important key to open the hearts so that they may find rest and relief of anxiety. It is the refuge for those who are helpless, oppressed and weak. Indeed, the most helpless of people is he who is unable to beseech Allaah in supplication.
If the virtue of Du‘aa‘ in general is as such, then that virtue becomes much greater and more confirmed in Hajj; as Du‘aa’ is more likely to be answered during these blessed times and in these blessed places. The pilgrim is a traveler, and the righteous traveler’s supplication is answered, since the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:“Three supplications are definitely answered, and there is no doubt about them: that of a father, that of a traveler, and that of one who has been wronged.” [Abu Daawood and others]
Moreover, the pilgrim’s Du‘aa’ is accepted; as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The delegation [guests] of Allaah The Exalted are three: one who is performing Jihaad [i.e. fighting in the cause of Allaah], one who is performing ‘Umrah [lesser pilgrimage], and one who is performing Hajj; He called upon them and they responded, and they ask Him and He gives them.” [Ibn Maajah]
In Hajj, the pilgrims’ need for Allaah The Exalted and His help is more intense than at any other time, so they are more sincere in worshipping Allaah The Almighty, and these are among the fundamental reasons for the acceptance of their Du‘aa’. It was narrated in the story of the three men who were trapped in a cave when a big rock blocked its entrance that the men in crisis started beseeching Allaah sincerely and humbly in supplication until the rock was removed and they were freed.
Furthermore, there are various times and places where and when Du‘aa’ is recommended and is most likely to be answered such as:
Furthermore, there are various times and places where and when Du‘aa’ is recommended and is most likely to be answered such as:
1- Du‘aa’ during Tawaaf (circumambulation):
There is no specific Du‘aa’ that should be recited during Tawaaf. The pilgrim may recite whatever supplication that he prefers asking Allaah The Exalted to grant him all that is good in this life and the afterlife. However, a reported supplication that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would recite between the two corners of the Ka‘bah, i.e. while circumambulating between the Yemeni Corner (Ar-Rukn Al-Yamaani) and the Black Stone, reads: “Rabbanaa aatinaa fid-dunyaa hasanah wa fil-aakhirati hasanah, wa qinaa ‘athaab an-naar.” [Abu Daawood] (Which means: “Our Lord, grant us in this world [all that is] good and in the Hereafter [all that is] good, and protect us from the torture of the Fire.”)
2- Du‘aa’ on Mounts Safa and Marwah:
In the detailed account that Jaabir, may Allah be pleasedwith him) gave of the Hajj of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, he said: “…He first mounted As-Safaa until he saw the House [Al-Masjid Al-Ḥaraam]. Facing the Qiblah, he started his Du‘aa’ by saying: ‘Laa illaah illa Allaah, Allaahu Akbar,’ then he said: ‘Laa ilaaha illa Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulk wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer, laa ilaaha illaa Allaah wahdahu, anjaza wa‘dahu, wa nasara ‘abdahu, wa hazam al-ahzaba wahdah.’”[Muslim] (which means: there is no god but Allaah, He is One and has no partner. His is the sovereignty, to Him praise is due, and He is Powerful over everything. There is no God but Allaah alone, He fulfilled His promise, made victorious His servant and defeated the confederates alone.)Jaabir, may Allah be pleased with him, added, “… The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said these words three times making supplications in between. He then descended and walked towards [Mount] Marwah. When his feet touched the bottom of the valley, he walked with a fast pace; and when he began to ascend, he returned to his normal walking pace until he reached [Mount] Marwah. There he did as he had done at As-Safa….” [Muslim
In the detailed account that Jaabir, may Allah be pleasedwith him) gave of the Hajj of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, he said: “…He first mounted As-Safaa until he saw the House [Al-Masjid Al-Ḥaraam]. Facing the Qiblah, he started his Du‘aa’ by saying: ‘Laa illaah illa Allaah, Allaahu Akbar,’ then he said: ‘Laa ilaaha illa Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulk wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer, laa ilaaha illaa Allaah wahdahu, anjaza wa‘dahu, wa nasara ‘abdahu, wa hazam al-ahzaba wahdah.’”[Muslim] (which means: there is no god but Allaah, He is One and has no partner. His is the sovereignty, to Him praise is due, and He is Powerful over everything. There is no God but Allaah alone, He fulfilled His promise, made victorious His servant and defeated the confederates alone.)
Jaabir, may Allah be pleased with him, added, “… The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said these words three times making supplications in between. He then descended and walked towards [Mount] Marwah. When his feet touched the bottom of the valley, he walked with a fast pace; and when he began to ascend, he returned to his normal walking pace until he reached [Mount] Marwah. There he did as he had done at As-Safa….” [Muslim
3- Du‘aa’ on the Day of ‘Arafah:
It was reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:“The best supplication is what is made on the day of ‘Arafah, and the best thing that I have ever said as well as all the previous prophets is ‘Laa ilaaha illa Allaah wahdahu la shareeka lah, lahul-mulk wa lahul-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer.” [At-Tirmithii] (which means: ‘There is no god but Allaah alone, He has no partners. All sovereignty and praise belong to Him, and He is over all things Omnipotent.’)
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, spent that day of ‘Arafah on top of his camel raising his hands and reciting this supplication from sunrise until sunset.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, spent that day of ‘Arafah on top of his camel raising his hands and reciting this supplication from sunrise until sunset.
4- Du‘aa’ at Al-Mash‘ar Al-Haraam in Muzdalifah:
In the previously cited Hadeeth in which Jaabir, may Allah be upon him, gave a detailed account of the Hajj of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, he said, “…He [the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him] remounted [his camel] Al-Qaswaa’. On arriving at Al-Mash‘ar Al-Haraam, he faced the Qiblah and started his Du‘aa’ by beseeching Allaah The Exalted, declaring the Oneness of Allaah and glorifying Him, and remained standing until daylight was very clear...” [Muslim]
5- Du‘aa’ in the days of Tashreeq (the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Thul-Hijjah) while casting the Sughra Jamrah and the Wusta Jamrah (Small and Medium Pillars):
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would stand and face the Qiblah (direction of prayer) after throwing the pebbles, raising his hands to supplicate Allaah The Exalted for a long time.
6- Du‘aa’ when drinking from Zamzam water:
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The water of Zamzam serves the purpose for which it was drunk.” [Ibn Maajah]The Best Supplication is on the Day of ‘ArafaHajj is ‘Arafa. There is no day when Allah sets free more servants from Hellfire than on the Day of ‘Arafa. He draws near, and then praises them to the angels, saying, “What do these seek?” All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and prayer and peace be on the best of Prophets and the leader of Messengers. Hajj is ‘Arafa. There is no day when Allah sets free more servants from Hellfire than on the Day of ‘Arafa. He draws near, and then praises them to the angels, saying, “What do these seek?” The best supplication is supplication on the Day of ‘Arafa, and the best thing that was said by the Prophet and the Prophets before him was, “There is no God except Allah alone, He has no partners.” [Declared good by Al-Albani] «أفضل الدعاء دعاء يوم عرفة، و أفضل ما قلت أنا و النبيون من قبلي: لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له»حسنه الألباني Transliteration: La Ilah Ila Allah, Wahdahu La Sharieka Lah, Lahu-l- Mulk, Wa Lahu-l-Hamd Wa Huwa ‘Ala Kuli shay`in Qadeer The Day of ‘Arafa is the main day of Hajj. It witnesses the greatest congregation in the world on annual basis. There, tears are pouring down, the ones who have stumbled are raised, hopes are cherished and sins are forgiven. By Allah, it is such a magnificent scene; tongues fall short of describing it. They are truly fortunate those who witness this graceful occurrence. The burdensome weight of their sins is granted forgiveness, and their good deeds are raised up to be shown to Allah. That being said, the Muslim must not let go of these priceless moments and should utilize them for striving hard in worship, showing keenness in acts of obedience, much supplication, remembrance of Allah’s name, asking for Allah’s forgiveness, wholehearted imploration, repeating Talbiya “The supplication recited on hajj days: Here I am at your service, oh Lord, here I am . Here I am; there is no partner do you have, here I am. Truly, praise and favor are yours, and dominion. No partner do you have”, «لبيك اللهم لبيك، لبيك لا شريك لك لبيك، إن الحمد والنعمة لك والملك، لا شريك لك» Transliteration: Labayk Allâhuma Labayk, Labayk Lâ shareeka Laka Labyk, Ina Alhamda Wani’mata Laka wal Mulk La shareeka Lak Reading the Qur’an and invoking Allah’s Prayer and peace upon the Prophet, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, as this is the task of the day, which occupies most of ritual of Hajj, as Hajj is ‘Arafa. It is essential for the pilgrim to guard himself from slackening in worship on that great day. It only lasts for a few hours. If he succeeds in benefiting from it, he has surely prospered. How many a slave will be set free from hellfire on that splendid event! What would a servant have left to worry about after this? All good has come to him and all evil is warded off from him. The oblivious ones will suffer a huge loss if they leave this day unheeded. The Muslim should remember Allah much on the Day of ‘Arafa so that he wins precedence over others. The Prophet, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, said that “the Mufarradun have truly gone ahead.” [Reported by Muslim] «سبق المفردون» رواه مسلم The Mufarradun are, {the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues (while sitting, standing, lying, etc. for more than 300 times extra over the remembrance of Allah during the five compulsory congregational prayers, or praying extra additional nawafil prayers of night in the last part of night, etc.)} [Surat al-Ahzâb 33:35]
{وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيراً وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ} الأحزاب: 35 Transliteration: Wa Adh-Dhākirīna Al-Laha Kathīrāan Wa Adh-Dhākirāti And let him repeat much, “Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is no God except Allah, Allah is Great, and there is no power and no strength except in Allah, the Exalted, the Almighty.” «سبحان الله، والحمد لله، ولا إله إلا الله، والله أكبر»
Transliteration: Subhana Allah, Wal-Hamdu Lilah, Wa La Ilaha Ila Allah, Wa Allahu Akbar These lauds are better than all that upon which the sun rises. They shake off sins as a tree shakes off its withered leaves. These lauds are the seedlings of Jannah; for every utterance of them the Muslim is rewarded with a tree planted for him in Paradise. They bring salvation. They are al-baqueyat ul-salehat “the good righteous deeds that remain.” Let the Muslim be on his guard against unlawful food, drink, clothing and mounts, etc. Let him keep away from quarrels, swearing, discord, and foul language.
The prophet, peace be upon him, said, “I guarantee a house in the surroundings of Jannah for a man who avoids quarreling even if he were right, a house in the middle of Jannah for a man who avoids lying even if he were joking, and a house in the upper part of Jannah for a man who refined his manners.” [Declared good by Al-Albani] ..
«أنا زعيم ببيت في ربض الجنة لمن ترك المراء وإن كان محقا، وببيت في وسط الجنة لمن ترك الكذب وإن كان مازحا، وببيت في أعلى الجنة لمن حسن خلقه» حسنه الألباني
The Muslim must be careful not to look scornfully upon those whom he finds slackening in doing their duties or shabby in appearance. Many a people are dusty with disheveled hair and clad in a couple of rags, who if they swear an oath to Allah, He will fulfill it. In addition, the Muslim should refrain from chiding the ones who asks from people. He should supplicate to Allah with every effort, remember Allah’s Name much whether standing or lying, sensing in his heart reverence of Allah, the Glorious, the Exalted. He will devotedly do dhikr, exert himself in it and peruse it steadily.
At all times he will keep his tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. Nothing is more capable of salvaging a human from the torment of the hereafter more than remembrance of Allah. It is of the best acts which raise the grades to the highest. It is better than spending gold and silver, and better than meeting the enemies in the battlefield where the righteous strike at their necks and they at theirs. A Muslim will repeat as much as he can, “There is no God except Allah alone, He has no partners. Dominion and praise belong to Him, and He is, over everything, Omnipotent.”
It is the good word. It is the steadfast word. It is the word that lasts, the urwah wuthkah “firmest handhold”, the word that will remain, the word of taqwa. It is the best of acts, the best thing that was said by the Prophets and the best word of dhikr “remembrance.” The pilgrim must humble himself to his Lord in submission, while being fully aware of his weakness and need. The pilgrim has to cleanse his interior self and exterior limbs from blemish, think of the flaws of his soul, its ignorance and injustice. Let him ponder on the abounding favors of Allah, the abundant mercies and the benevolence He bestowed upon His servants.
This is the situation where the awe of the Lord should be at its climax, the tears rolling down the face, the soul trembling in fear of the Most High. The pilgrim will stand in meekness and submission before His Lord as if he has been shattered into pieces. He is sincere in his need for mercy and forgiveness from Allah; sincere in his fear of His punishment and wrath. He takes himself fully into account for his past sins and then renews his repentance toward Allah. The shed tears will be evidence of its truthfulness, and an inner shiver proof. His lowered gaze and sobbing heart are indicative of his deep shame over his previous transgressions. He is coming back to Allah.
On that day, as a helpless servant the pilgrim stands before his Lord, broke and poverty-stricken at soul. A rift has found its way across his being due to this state. He discloses his needs to Allah, expresses his insufficiency, admits his worthlessness, concedes his dependence on his Lord, the Gracious, the Exalted. He conveys to his Lord his awareness of that if He abandons him; he will be at ruin, at unrecompensed loss. He will only have one way out: that Allah turns back to him with His mercy.
Now that the heart is rid of its deficiencies, the limbs are purified of their wrong actions, determination is strengthened; now that hearts are coming together, expectations are becoming greater and the crowd is massive in number, repentance is apt to be accepted. All these are causes which if met, good and mercy will surely ensue. The tears one exerts himself to shed are a sign of acceptance and of a heard supplication. Rigidity of tears, on the other hand, is a sign of ill-being. If the tears do not fall voluntarily, the Muslim should provoke them through humbly imploring Allah. Allah, the Exalted, says, {And whosoever honors the symbols of Allah, then it is truly from the piety of the heart.} [Surat Al-Hajj 22:32]
{وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ} الحج: 32
Transliteration: Wa Man Yu`ažžim Sha`ā’ira Al-Lahi Fa’innahā Min Taqwa; Al-Qulūbi Ubay ibn Kaa’b, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Adhere to the path and the Sunnah. If one who adheres to the path and the Sunnah remembers Allah so that his skin trembles in fear of Him, his sins will fall like dead dry leaves drop off a tree.” If one who adheres to the path and the Sunnah remembers Allah while alone then his tears flow in fear of Allah, the Hellfire will never touch him. Commitment to the proved heritage of the path of the Sunnah is better than endeavoring to encompass issues which do not pertain to them.”
The Day of ‘Arafa is a day when supplications are heard. That is why the Muslim should not slacken in supplication. He should secretly and humbly supplicate to his Lord. Secrecy is more courteous when asking of Allah, more becoming to the glory of Allah, closer to sincerity and more encouraging of attaining a state of humble submission. This is the day when remembrance and supplication should be of highest precedence. Iblis has never been smaller, more despicable, more infuriated and more driven away in a day than he becomes on the afternoon of the Day of ‘Arafa. He becomes so due to the huge extent of mercies and forgiveness of sins which Allah bestows on His servants.
They are enormous to such an extent that has never before been on another day except on the Day of Badr. It is incumbent on the Muslim to bring out the best person he could be to Allah, degrade his enemy by doing much remembrance and supplication and by asking for Allah’s forgiveness of all his wrong doings. The next step is to think well of Allah and grow more confident of Allah’s acceptance and forgiveness. Why not? For the Most Merciful of all those who have mercy, the Most Generous of all those who can show generosity, the Most Rich, the Absolver Who loves to absolve is Allah the Exalted. Boredom might creep into one’s heart if he sticks to one fashion of worship only. That is why he should diversify the acts of worship he performs and move from one state to another.
At times he is seen reading the Qur’an, at other times reciting the shahadah “Islamic testimony of faith”, some other times glorifying Allah, praising Him, asking Him for forgiveness, supplicating to Him, studying the Qur’an or any other pertinent branch of knowledge with his mates, or discussing the ahadith which concern mercy, hope, resurrection and reckoning. In short, he should be doing the various acts which soften the heart. Meanwhile, he can have his share of sleep or other forms of relaxation. This is especially sought after if it will energize him.
Every individual will be able to judge how to achieve this better. All the same, he should spend the end of day in supplication, giving it his undivided attention. ‘Atâ’ ibn abi-Muslim al-Khurasani said, “If you can isolate yourself that day, so do it.” O Lord, Accept our deeds, You are the Hearing, the Knowing, and accept our repentance, You are the Acceptor of repentance, the Merciful. May Allah send His prayer and peace upon Prophet Muhammad, and upon all of his family and companions.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The water of Zamzam serves the purpose for which it was drunk.” [Ibn Maajah]
The Best Supplication is on the Day of ‘Arafa
Hajj is ‘Arafa. There is no day when Allah sets free more servants from Hellfire than on the Day of ‘Arafa. He draws near, and then praises them to the angels, saying, “What do these seek?” All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and prayer and peace be on the best of Prophets and the leader of Messengers. Hajj is ‘Arafa. There is no day when Allah sets free more servants from Hellfire than on the Day of ‘Arafa. He draws near, and then praises them to the angels, saying, “What do these seek?” The best supplication is supplication on the Day of ‘Arafa, and the best thing that was said by the Prophet and the Prophets before him was, “There is no God except Allah alone, He has no partners.” [Declared good by Al-Albani]
«أفضل الدعاء دعاء يوم عرفة، و أفضل ما قلت أنا و النبيون من قبلي: لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له»حسنه الألباني
Transliteration: La Ilah Ila Allah, Wahdahu La Sharieka Lah, Lahu-l- Mulk, Wa Lahu-l-Hamd Wa Huwa ‘Ala Kuli shay`in Qadeer The Day of ‘Arafa is the main day of Hajj. It witnesses the greatest congregation in the world on annual basis. There, tears are pouring down, the ones who have stumbled are raised, hopes are cherished and sins are forgiven. By Allah, it is such a magnificent scene; tongues fall short of describing it. They are truly fortunate those who witness this graceful occurrence. The burdensome weight of their sins is granted forgiveness, and their good deeds are raised up to be shown to Allah.
That being said, the Muslim must not let go of these priceless moments and should utilize them for striving hard in worship, showing keenness in acts of obedience, much supplication, remembrance of Allah’s name, asking for Allah’s forgiveness, wholehearted imploration, repeating Talbiya “The supplication recited on hajj days: Here I am at your service, oh Lord, here I am . Here I am; there is no partner do you have, here I am. Truly, praise and favor are yours, and dominion. No partner do you have”,
«لبيك اللهم لبيك، لبيك لا شريك لك لبيك، إن الحمد والنعمة لك والملك، لا شريك لك»
Transliteration: Labayk Allâhuma Labayk, Labayk Lâ shareeka Laka Labyk, Ina Alhamda Wani’mata Laka wal Mulk La shareeka Lak Reading the Qur’an and invoking Allah’s Prayer and peace upon the Prophet, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, as this is the task of the day, which occupies most of ritual of Hajj, as Hajj is ‘Arafa. It is essential for the pilgrim to guard himself from slackening in worship on that great day. It only lasts for a few hours. If he succeeds in benefiting from it, he has surely prospered.
How many a slave will be set free from hellfire on that splendid event! What would a servant have left to worry about after this? All good has come to him and all evil is warded off from him. The oblivious ones will suffer a huge loss if they leave this day unheeded. The Muslim should remember Allah much on the Day of ‘Arafa so that he wins precedence over others. The Prophet, prayer and peace of Allah be upon him, said that “the Mufarradun have truly gone ahead.” [Reported by Muslim] «سبق المفردون» رواه مسلم
The Mufarradun are, {the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues (while sitting, standing, lying, etc. for more than 300 times extra over the remembrance of Allah during the five compulsory congregational prayers, or praying extra additional nawafil prayers of night in the last part of night, etc.)} [Surat al-Ahzâb 33:35]
{وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيراً وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ} الأحزاب: 35
Transliteration: Wa Adh-Dhākirīna Al-Laha Kathīrāan Wa Adh-Dhākirāti And let him repeat much, “Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is no God except Allah, Allah is Great, and there is no power and no strength except in Allah, the Exalted, the Almighty.”
«سبحان الله، والحمد لله، ولا إله إلا الله، والله أكبر»
Transliteration: Subhana Allah, Wal-Hamdu Lilah, Wa La Ilaha Ila Allah, Wa Allahu Akbar These lauds are better than all that upon which the sun rises. They shake off sins as a tree shakes off its withered leaves. These lauds are the seedlings of Jannah; for every utterance of them the Muslim is rewarded with a tree planted for him in Paradise. They bring salvation. They are al-baqueyat ul-salehat “the good righteous deeds that remain.” Let the Muslim be on his guard against unlawful food, drink, clothing and mounts, etc. Let him keep away from quarrels, swearing, discord, and foul language.
The prophet, peace be upon him, said, “I guarantee a house in the surroundings of Jannah for a man who avoids quarreling even if he were right, a house in the middle of Jannah for a man who avoids lying even if he were joking, and a house in the upper part of Jannah for a man who refined his manners.” [Declared good by Al-Albani] ..
«أنا زعيم ببيت في ربض الجنة لمن ترك المراء وإن كان محقا، وببيت في وسط الجنة لمن ترك الكذب وإن كان مازحا، وببيت في أعلى الجنة لمن حسن خلقه» حسنه الألباني
The Muslim must be careful not to look scornfully upon those whom he finds slackening in doing their duties or shabby in appearance. Many a people are dusty with disheveled hair and clad in a couple of rags, who if they swear an oath to Allah, He will fulfill it. In addition, the Muslim should refrain from chiding the ones who asks from people. He should supplicate to Allah with every effort, remember Allah’s Name much whether standing or lying, sensing in his heart reverence of Allah, the Glorious, the Exalted. He will devotedly do dhikr, exert himself in it and peruse it steadily.
At all times he will keep his tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. Nothing is more capable of salvaging a human from the torment of the hereafter more than remembrance of Allah. It is of the best acts which raise the grades to the highest. It is better than spending gold and silver, and better than meeting the enemies in the battlefield where the righteous strike at their necks and they at theirs. A Muslim will repeat as much as he can, “There is no God except Allah alone, He has no partners. Dominion and praise belong to Him, and He is, over everything, Omnipotent.”
It is the good word. It is the steadfast word. It is the word that lasts, the urwah wuthkah “firmest handhold”, the word that will remain, the word of taqwa. It is the best of acts, the best thing that was said by the Prophets and the best word of dhikr “remembrance.” The pilgrim must humble himself to his Lord in submission, while being fully aware of his weakness and need. The pilgrim has to cleanse his interior self and exterior limbs from blemish, think of the flaws of his soul, its ignorance and injustice. Let him ponder on the abounding favors of Allah, the abundant mercies and the benevolence He bestowed upon His servants.
This is the situation where the awe of the Lord should be at its climax, the tears rolling down the face, the soul trembling in fear of the Most High. The pilgrim will stand in meekness and submission before His Lord as if he has been shattered into pieces. He is sincere in his need for mercy and forgiveness from Allah; sincere in his fear of His punishment and wrath. He takes himself fully into account for his past sins and then renews his repentance toward Allah. The shed tears will be evidence of its truthfulness, and an inner shiver proof. His lowered gaze and sobbing heart are indicative of his deep shame over his previous transgressions. He is coming back to Allah.
On that day, as a helpless servant the pilgrim stands before his Lord, broke and poverty-stricken at soul. A rift has found its way across his being due to this state. He discloses his needs to Allah, expresses his insufficiency, admits his worthlessness, concedes his dependence on his Lord, the Gracious, the Exalted. He conveys to his Lord his awareness of that if He abandons him; he will be at ruin, at unrecompensed loss. He will only have one way out: that Allah turns back to him with His mercy.
Now that the heart is rid of its deficiencies, the limbs are purified of their wrong actions, determination is strengthened; now that hearts are coming together, expectations are becoming greater and the crowd is massive in number, repentance is apt to be accepted. All these are causes which if met, good and mercy will surely ensue. The tears one exerts himself to shed are a sign of acceptance and of a heard supplication. Rigidity of tears, on the other hand, is a sign of ill-being. If the tears do not fall voluntarily, the Muslim should provoke them through humbly imploring Allah. Allah, the Exalted, says, {And whosoever honors the symbols of Allah, then it is truly from the piety of the heart.} [Surat Al-Hajj 22:32]
{وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ} الحج: 32
Transliteration: Wa Man Yu`ažžim Sha`ā’ira Al-Lahi Fa’innahā Min Taqwa; Al-Qulūbi Ubay ibn Kaa’b, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Adhere to the path and the Sunnah. If one who adheres to the path and the Sunnah remembers Allah so that his skin trembles in fear of Him, his sins will fall like dead dry leaves drop off a tree.” If one who adheres to the path and the Sunnah remembers Allah while alone then his tears flow in fear of Allah, the Hellfire will never touch him. Commitment to the proved heritage of the path of the Sunnah is better than endeavoring to encompass issues which do not pertain to them.”
The Day of ‘Arafa is a day when supplications are heard. That is why the Muslim should not slacken in supplication. He should secretly and humbly supplicate to his Lord. Secrecy is more courteous when asking of Allah, more becoming to the glory of Allah, closer to sincerity and more encouraging of attaining a state of humble submission. This is the day when remembrance and supplication should be of highest precedence. Iblis has never been smaller, more despicable, more infuriated and more driven away in a day than he becomes on the afternoon of the Day of ‘Arafa. He becomes so due to the huge extent of mercies and forgiveness of sins which Allah bestows on His servants.
They are enormous to such an extent that has never before been on another day except on the Day of Badr. It is incumbent on the Muslim to bring out the best person he could be to Allah, degrade his enemy by doing much remembrance and supplication and by asking for Allah’s forgiveness of all his wrong doings. The next step is to think well of Allah and grow more confident of Allah’s acceptance and forgiveness. Why not? For the Most Merciful of all those who have mercy, the Most Generous of all those who can show generosity, the Most Rich, the Absolver Who loves to absolve is Allah the Exalted. Boredom might creep into one’s heart if he sticks to one fashion of worship only. That is why he should diversify the acts of worship he performs and move from one state to another.
At times he is seen reading the Qur’an, at other times reciting the shahadah “Islamic testimony of faith”, some other times glorifying Allah, praising Him, asking Him for forgiveness, supplicating to Him, studying the Qur’an or any other pertinent branch of knowledge with his mates, or discussing the ahadith which concern mercy, hope, resurrection and reckoning. In short, he should be doing the various acts which soften the heart. Meanwhile, he can have his share of sleep or other forms of relaxation. This is especially sought after if it will energize him.
Every individual will be able to judge how to achieve this better. All the same, he should spend the end of day in supplication, giving it his undivided attention. ‘Atâ’ ibn abi-Muslim al-Khurasani said, “If you can isolate yourself that day, so do it.” O Lord, Accept our deeds, You are the Hearing, the Knowing, and accept our repentance, You are the Acceptor of repentance, the Merciful. May Allah send His prayer and peace upon Prophet Muhammad, and upon all of his family and companions.
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