Arafah is one of the most important pillars of the pilgrimage. This is the difference between Hajj and Umrah. If during the Umrah pilgrimage there is no obligation to remain at Arafah, while during the Hajj it is obligatory to remain at Arafah. Even in the hadith it is emphasized, the pilgrimage is Arafah.
When standing at Arafah, it is sunnah to increase prayer and remembrance. As the hadith of the Prophet From 'Amr bin Syu'aib, from his father, from his grandfather, Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam said,
Amen God bless you شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
The best prayer is the prayer on the day of Arafat. And as best as I can say it, as well as what was said by the Prophets before me is the words “LAA ILAHA ILLALLAH WAHDAHU LAA SYARIKA LAH, LAHUL MULKU WALAHUL HAMDU WA HUWA 'ALA KULLI SYA-IN QODIIR (No god has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, not there is a partner for Him. To Him belongs all the kingdoms, all praise and Allah is sovereign over all things).” (HR. Tirmidhi no. 3585)
In another hadith from 'Ali radhiyallahu 'anhu in marfu'—up to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam—, it is mentioned in the hadith,
أَفْضَلُ مَا قُلْتُ أَنَا وَ النَّبِيُّوْنَ عَشِيَّةَ عَرَفَةَ : لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الله وَحْدَهُ لاَ ش رِيْكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ المُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الحَمْدُ ، وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْر
The main sentence that the prophets and I said at the evening of Arafah was: LAA ILAHA ILLALLAH WAHDAHU LAA SYARIKA LAH LAHUL MULKU WA LAHUL HAMDU WA HUWA 'ALA KULLI SYAI-IN QODIIR (There is no god who has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, there is no partner for Him. To Him belongs all kingdoms, all praise and Allah is sovereign over all things).” (Narrated by Ath-Thabrani in Fadhl 'Ashri Dzil Hijjah, 2:13, from Qais bin Ar-Rabi', from Al-Agharr bin Ash-Shabah, from Caliph bin Hushain, from 'Ali in marfu', See Genealogy of Al- Ahadith Ash-Shahihah, no. 1503, 4:7.)
Hopefully we can all perform the wukuf worship at Arafah and increase our prayers at the best place and time.
23 Dzulqaidah 1444 H / 12 June 2023 (AFQ – Study series on Hajj and Umrah)
Photo: Kompas
