Sunday, September 11, 2016

Wukuf at Arafah


Labbaik Allah humma labbaik, Labbaik la sharika laka labbaik. Innal hamda. Wan-ni'mata. Laka walmulk. Laa sharika lak.

O my Lord, here I am at Your service, here I am. There is no partner with You, here I am. Truly the praise and the provisions are Yours, and so is the dominion and sovereignty.
In Malaysia, the chant one keep hearing during Eid is Takbir where the words Allah is Great is repeatedly called. But during Haj and the journey to Mecca, one would hear the above Tahmid repeatedly chanted.

At 5:18 PM Malaysian time, the solemn moment of Wukuf in the fields of Arafah commenced. Wukuf is the highlight of the Haj ritual. It is the summit for millions of Muslim gathered together for the brief moment after zuhr till end of asr.

An extract from the website almaghrib.org explained the meaning of Arafah below:
1. Arafah was the place were Adam and Eve met once again when they were sent down to reside on earth. They came down on two different spots but eventually were able to meet and recognize each other on this plain. Arafah here means “to get acquainted”, so based on this opinion Adam and Eve got acquainted to each other on that very same land we call today Arafah.

2. When angel Jibreel came down to Prophet Ibrahim (alayhis salam), he taught him the rituals of Hajj and took him around the Holy Sites. For every ritual explained Jibreel would say to Ibrahim “A’raft?” or “Did you learn (this one)?” and Ibrahim would reply with “Araft” or “I did”. Thats why it was called Arafah i.e. he got to know or learn.

3. It is a place where people get to know “ عرف or arafa” each other. Since the hujjaj or pilgrims spend most of that day on the same place and perhaps spot, many will get to know new people and learn more about them. So it is a place of تعارف or getting to know one another, and because of the great number of people who get to know each other the word عرفات or Arafaat came about.

4. The word عَرْف or A’rf means fragrance, and because the plains of Arafah are sites on which Allah’s mercy (rahmah) and forgiveness descend, the people would describe the day, the place and its dwellers of being perfumed with this spiritual and mystical fragrance “Arafah”. Moreover because of the rahmah or mercy descending upon the gathering, the small mountain on the plain on which many hujjaj desire to stand was called the mountain of Rahmah “Mercy”.
The gathering at the field of Arafah is sometime described as the worldly equivalent to the day of judgement on the field of Mahsyar and a reminder that the day will come. Yushaimi Yahya wrote from Mekah in NST here.


During wukuf, it is metaphorically described that the heaven opened for Allah to receive and fulfiil one's prayers. It is one of the most sacred moment for prayers. Wallahu alam.

For Haji like us, it is a time to be reminded and reflect back of our own experience of wukuf and Haj in 2011 here.

We take the opportunity to pray for health and happiness for our parents, family, friends, ummah and ourselves. May Allah provide for prolong peace and prosperity to this nation of ours. And our 5-year wait period has passed, may we be given the opportunity for Haj again. 

Selamat Hari Raya Qurban 

Happy holidays to all. Do drive safely


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

2:197 Hajj is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the state of ihram], there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do - Allah knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah . And fear Me, O you of understanding.

2:198 There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord [during Hajj]. But when you depart from 'Arafat, remember Allah at al- Mash'ar al-Haram. And remember Him, as He has guided you, for indeed, you were before that among those astray.

2:199 Then depart from the place from where [all] the people depart and ask forgiveness of Allah . Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

2:200 And when you have completed your rites, remember Allah like your [previous] remembrance of your fathers or with [much] greater remembrance. And among the people is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world," and he will have in the Hereafter no share.

2:201 But among them is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire."

2:202 Those will have a share of what they have earned, and Allah is swift in account.

2:203 And remember Allah during [specific] numbered days. Then whoever hastens [his departure] in two days - there is no sin upon him; and whoever delays [until the third] - there is no sin upon him - for him who fears Allah . And fear Allah and know that unto Him you will be gathered.

5:2 ......... But when you come out of ihram, then [you may] hunt. And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Haram lead you to transgress. And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.

2:177 Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.


Selamat Hari Raya Qurban

Unknown said...

Jadi marilah kita di tanah air merebut peluang membaca doa ini pada Hari Arafah iaitu pada 9 Zulhijah yang amat besar pahala dan manfaatnya itu.

Dengan nama Allah yang maha pemurah dan lagi maha penyayang..
Ampuni lah dosa dosa kami..
Berilah kami...
Rezeki yang halal..
Kesihatan yang sempurna..
Ilmu yang bermunafaat..
Dan jauhkan orang yang jahat dari diri kami...

Selamatkan dan peliharalah negara kami dari orang orang yang zalim..

Aamiin.. Aamiin.. Aamin..
Ya Rabal aalamiin..

My Say