Humaira Bachal

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The Day that Allaah completed His favour upon us… The Day of Arafah

ref: http://www.madeenah.com/notes.cfm?id=1018

A day preferred over all other days; a day in which sins are forgiven and supplications are answered; a day in which Allaah descends from His throne andsays to the angels, ‘What do these people desire and seek?’

It is befitting therefore that we, as Muslims, know about this day and appreciate its virtue.

Corresponding to 9th Dhul Hijjah, wherein our brothers and sisters who have departed to perform Hajj stand together, Arafah remains the core and essence of Hajj. This day Allaah descends to the nearest heaven, and He is proud of His slaves on the earth and says to those in heaven, “Look at My servants. They have come from far and near, with hair dishevelled and faces covered with dust, to seek My mercy…’

Virtues

1. Allaah perfected His religion on this day, and completed his favour upon us.

{This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion} [05:03]

Umar (may Allaah be pleasedhim) said regarding the above ayah, ‘We know the day and place in which [this verse]was revealed to the Prophet (salAllaahu alayhi wa sallam). It was when he was standing in Arafah on a Friday.’

2. Allaah took an oath by this day. He said,

{By the witnessing day, and by the witnessed day} [85:03]

Abu Huraira (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ((the witnessed days are the Day of Arafah.))

It is known that Allaah would only take an oath by something of great importance.

3. It is the best day and the most beloved day to Allaah in the year.

Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allaah(sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ((And there is no day better in the sight of Allah than the Day of `Arafah…)).

4. Allaah frees more people from the hell fire.

Muslim and others have reported from Aishah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Allah frees more people from the Hellfire on the Day of `Arafah than on any other day, and Allaah draws closer this day and proudly says to the angels, ‘What do these people want and seek?’”

5. It is a day held dear to ALL the prophets before us.

The Messenger of Allaah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ((The best supplication is that of the Day of ‘Arafah, and the best thing that I and other Prophets before me said, is: ‘La ilaaha illallahu,wahdahu la shareeka lahu. Lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa ‘alaa kulli shayin qadeer."))

For those not performing Hajj

To attain the reward of this blessed day, and thereby follow the example of the Prophets who came before, one should:

1. Fast the day of Arafah

Abu Qatadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (salAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, ((Fasting the day of `Arafah expiates the sins of two years: the past one and the coming one.))

One should therefore fast on this day, and encourage friends and family to fast, so that our sins may be forgiven and we may be favoured amongst the righteous servants of Allaah.

2. Supplicate to Allaah

The prophet (sal Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, ((the best of supplications is the supplication on the Day of ‘Arafah))

3. Make remembrance of Allaah -praising and glorifying him.

Ibn Umar states, ‘we were with the Prophet on the Day of ‘Arafah. Some of us would glorify Allaah(by saying Allaah Akbar) whilst others would praise Allaah (by saying Laa ilaaha illa Allaah).

Through the above, the benefits, blessings and favours of the pilgrim are shared and Allaah draws near; His Generosity and Kindness overflowing, as He boasts to His angels:

“He says ‘My slaves have come to me so lovingly,
and indeed I am, to them most Kind and Merciful,
Bear witness, I have forgiven their sins,
blessed them and granted them their hopes.”

[Ibn Al-Qayyim Al Jawziyyah]

Did You Know…? (vol. #1)

Did You Know…? (vol. #1)
Fun Islamic Facts
www.bakkah.net

Did you know that cow’s milk has a cure for every illness in it?

Yes, it’s true! On the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

"Drink cow’s milk! For verily it (the cow) eats from all kinds of vegetation, and it (the milk) is a cure for every illness." [1]

* * *

Did you know that one of the Companions was reported to have lived 250 years?

It’s true! It has been reported that Salmaan Al-Faarisee (may Allaah be pleased with him) lived 250 years. Some reports even say 350 years. [2] However, this seems unlikely due to the statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam):

"The lifespans (of the members) of my ummah are between 60 and 70 (years). Few live beyond this." [3]

A number of scholars rejected the reports about Salmaan al-Faarisee living 250 years, like Ath-Thahabee, since there are no connected chains to any of them. He suggested that Salmaan probably did not live past his seventies [2], and Allaah knows best.

* * *

Did you know that there is a kind of kufr (disbelief) that is obligatory on every Muslim?

Yes, there is. In fact, one can not be a Muslim without commiting this act of disbelief. It is the disbelief that Allaah refers to in the Verse [4]:

( So whoever disbelieves in the taaghoot (those worshipped other than Allaah) and believes in Allaah, verily he has grabbed hold of the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. )

It is a condition for a person’s acceptance of Islaam that he disbelieves in everything that is worshipped besides Allaah, as belief in Allaah along with other deities has not caused a person to enter into Islaam. This is the essence of a Muslim’s testimony of faith: Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, meaning: "There is nothing worthy of worship except Allaah."

* * *

Did you know that there are Muslims who claim to have the same level of faith as the angels and prophets?

Yes, there are. They are a group of innovators called the Murji’ah. The Murji’ah claim that eemaan (faith) is one level, it does not increase or decrease. Based on this, they claim that a person either has eemaan or not; so whoever has it, he has the same amount of eemaan as the angels and the prophets!

Of course, the Murji’ah’s beliefs are rejected by many Verses in the Qur’aan and narrations from the Messenger that prove that eemaan has levels and it fluxuates due to a person’s obedience or disobedience. For example, Allaah says [5]:

( Verily the believers are only those whose hearts tremble at the mention of Allaah, and when His Verses are recited they are increased in eemaan, and they put their trust in Allaah )

So the Qur’aan proves clearly that eemaan increases. As for the decrease of eemaan, Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah was asked, "Does eemaan increase and decrease?"

He replied, "Don’t you read the Qur’aan: ( So their eemaan was increased ) in so many places?"

Then it was said, "But does it decrease?"

He replied, "Nothing increases except that it also decreases!" [6]

This shows how ridiculous it is to believe that eemaan does not increase or decrease, which implies that the drunk, fornicating Muslim has the same level of eemaan as the righteous Muslims, the Prophets, and even the Angels!

* * *

Did you know that the Prophet’s favorite color was green (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam)?

Yes, it’s true! Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, "The most beloved color to the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) was GREEN." [7]

* * *

[ Click here for more 'Did You Know...?' ]

This article was taken from BAKKAHnet (www.bakkah.net)

FOOTNOTES

[1] It was collected by Al-Haakim (#8274). Al-Albaanee called it saheeh in Saheeh Jaami’ As-Sagheer (#4059).

[2] See Siyar A’laam An-Nubalaa’ (1/555 of Ar-Risaalah).

[3] Saheeh Sunan At-Tirmithee (#3550), and even Al-Mubaarakfooree mentioned what was reported about Salmaan’s lifespan in his explanation of this hadeeth. See Tuhfatul-Ahwathee (9/499).

[4] the meaning of Soorah Al-Baqarah (2:256)

[5] the meaning of Soorah Al-Anfaal (8:3)

[6] It was collected by Al-Aajurree in his book Ash-Sharee’ah (#240).

[7] It was collected by Al-Bazzaar in his Musnad with a weak chain, but there are other chains that strengthen it to the level of hasan as Al-Albaanee has explained in Silsilatul-Ahaadeethis-Saheehah (#2054).

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