What to do
- Travel to Arafah after sunrise, with your group.
- Pray Dhuhr and Asr together, shortened, at the time of Dhuhr, after the sermon.
- Stand in du’a until sunset, facing the qiblah, inside the boundaries of Arafah.
- Leave after sunset for Muzdalifah, calmly. Do not pray Maghrib at Arafah. You will pray it at Muzdalifah.
Why we do it
الْحَجُّ عَرَفَةُ، مَنْ جَاءَ لَيْلَةَ جَمْعٍ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ فَقَدْ أَدْرَكَ الْحَجَّ، أَيَّامُ مِنًى ثَلاَثَةٌ، فَمَنْ تَعَجَّلَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ فَلاَ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَنْ تَأَخَّرَ فَلاَ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ
Hajj is Arafah. Whoever comes [to Arafah] on the night of Jamʿ [Muzdalifah] before dawn breaks has caught the hajj. The days of Mina are three. Whoever hurries on after two days commits no sin, and whoever stays on commits no sin.
Everything else in hajj can be made up in some way. The standing at Arafah cannot. This is the day.
Your heart today
Today Allah frees more people from the Fire than on any other day.2 You are standing in the place where it happens. Do not waste a minute of it on things you could do at home.
Read the full Arafat guide and use the planner before you travel. Today you only need to follow your plan.
Du’as for today
The best words of the Day of Arafah
When On the Day of Arafah, many times, between your own du'as.
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
TransliterationLā ilāha illallāhu waḥdahū lā sharīka lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-ḥamd, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr.
MeaningThere is no god but Allah, alone, without partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He has power over all things.
Source Jami' al-Tirmidhi 3585 3
The best way to ask forgiveness
When Morning and evening, and again and again through the afternoon of Arafah.
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ
TransliterationAllāhumma anta rabbī, lā ilāha illā ant, khalaqtanī wa ana ʿabduk, wa ana ʿalā ʿahdika wa waʿdika mastaṭaʿt, aʿūdhu bika min sharri mā ṣanaʿt, abūʾu laka bi-niʿmatika ʿalayya wa abūʾu laka bi-dhanbī, faghfir lī, fa-innahū lā yaghfirudh-dhunūba illā ant.
MeaningO Allah, You are my Lord. There is no god but You. You created me and I am Your servant. I hold to Your covenant and Your promise as far as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil I have done. I admit Your favour upon me, and I admit my sin. So forgive me, for no one forgives sins but You.
Source Sahih al-Bukhari 6306 4
The repentance of Adam and Hawwa
When Whenever you turn back to Allah after a sin. A du'a from the Qur'an.
رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
TransliterationRabbanā ẓalamnā anfusanā wa in lam taghfir lanā wa tarḥamnā la-nakūnanna minal-khāsirīn.
MeaningOur Lord, we have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will surely be among the losers.
Source Qur'an, Al-A'raaf 7:23 5