The greatest day of the year for Muslims is one NOT to miss out on!
A’ishah رضي الله عنها reports that Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
“There is no day in which Allah sets free more souls from the fire of hell than on the day of ‘Arafat. And on that day Allah draws near to the earth and by way of exhibiting His Pride remarks to the angels, ‘What is the desire of these (servants of mine)?” (Muslim)
A blessed day Alhumdulillah! However if you are not on Hajj, you still have a chance to reap some amazing benefits.
Here’s what to do to maximize your rewards
One of the most important things for those of us who are not on Hajj to do is FAST! We know that you’re fully aware of the benefits of fasting by now, but why is fasting the Day of Arafat so epic?
Abu Qatudah Al-Ansari رضي الله عنه narrated that Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم was asked about the fast on the day of ‘Arafat. He said, “It compensates for the (minor) sins of the past and the coming year.” (Muslim, At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
Your Day of Arafat Schedule:
1. Sleep early the night before to strengthen yourself for the special day.
2. Wake up 1 hour before Fajr (recommended time) and have suhoor if you are at home and fasting.
3. Make wudu, while consciously remembering that your sins are being washed away til the last drop of water.
4. Pray at least 4 rakat of Qiyam (voluntary night prayers between Isha and Fajr) and make du’a for your Deen and Dunya in your sujood. Cry to Allah, showing Him humility and ask Him to give you tawfeeq on this great day, and thank Him for making you of those who would experience this special occasion.
5. Spend some time (10-15 mins at least) making Istighfar (asking for forgiveness) before Fajr, to be like the righteous whom Allah described as “seeking forgiveness before dawn.”
6. Attend Fajr in the Masjid (or at home). Reply to the Fajr adhan and make Du’a. Pray Fajr. Sit in your prayer place after praying in congregation and do your morning adhkar. Make tasbeeh, tahleel, tahmeed, and takbeer. And as the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) advised, increase in “la ilaha illallah, wahdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul mulk wa lahul hamd, wa huwa ala kulli shay’in qadeer.”
7. 15-20 minutes after sunrise pray 2 rakat of shurooq (voluntary/Nafl prayer). This all (praying Fajr in Jama’ah, sitting and remembering Allah until sunrise, then completing step 7) amounts to the reward of a complete Hajj and Umrah. So do not waste it!
8. If you’re able to stay awake by all means, do so and do not waste a single minute. If you need to sleep, take a nap for an hour with the conscious intention of energizing yourself for the worship of Allah.
9. When you wake up, make wudu and pray at least 4 rakat of Duha (mid-morning voluntary Nafl prayer). Then recite lots of Quran and make the dhikr mentioned above in breaks in between.
10. After Asr, say the evening adhkar. Then recite Qur’an again til about an hour before Maghrib. At that point, make LOTS of Du’a til Maghrib, while having firm belief that Allah will answer. (Preparing a Du’a list ahead of time helps!) Beg that the day will not come to an end except that Allah has forgiven you all your sins and written you of those He has freed from the Fire.
Enjoy your day, and remember the QuranCo team in your Du’as!
Original post by Ramadan Legacy
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