The Plain of ‘Arafah
The plain of ‘Arafah (also spelled ‘Arafat) is a wide, flat area approximately 13 miles southeast of Mecca. At its center is Jabal al-Rahma (the Mountain of Mercy) — a small hill where the Prophet (SAW) delivered his Farewell Sermon to approximately 100,000 companions on his only Hajj pilgrimage.
The plain fills on 9th Dhu al-Hijja each year with millions of pilgrims — often 2-3 million — in one of the largest human gatherings on earth. All wear the white ihram cloth, emphasizing equality before Allah regardless of nationality, wealth, or status.
Wuquf — The Standing
The legal requirement: Every Hajji must be present on ‘Arafah at some point between Dhuhr (noon) on 9th Dhu al-Hijja and Fajr of 10th Dhu al-Hijja. Even being present for a few moments is sufficient. Missing it entirely invalidates the Hajj.
What is done during wuquf:
- Prayer (Dhuhr and ‘Asr combined and shortened qasr under Hanafi/Maliki; combined under Shafi’i)
- Du’a — this is the primary act. The Prophet’s own du’a on ‘Arafah was continuous: “The best du’a is the du’a of ‘Arafah.” (Tirmidhi) Pilgrims raise their hands and call on Allah
- Remembrance of Allah (dhikr), recitation of the Quran, talbiyah
- Repentance and seeking forgiveness — the Prophet’s promise: “I have not seen Allah forgive [sins] more generously than on the evening of ‘Arafah.”
The Day of ‘Arafah for Non-Pilgrims
For those not performing Hajj, the 9th of Dhu al-Hijja is still the most significant day of the year for worship:
Fasting: The Prophet established the sunnah of fasting — its reward: expiation of two years’ minor sins (the past year and the year to come). This is the most rewarding single day’s fast in the Islamic calendar.
Du’a: Even from thousands of miles away, making du’a on ‘Arafah connects the non-pilgrim to the divine moment of the pilgrimage.
The Ismaili Significance
The Day of ‘Arafah carries a particularly layered significance in Ismaili tradition: its eve is the 8th Dhu al-Hijja (Yawm al-Tarwiyah), and the 10th Dhu al-Hijja is Eid al-Adha — but the 18th Dhu al-Hijja (Eid al-Ghadir) is, in Ismaili understanding, the completion of the religious cycle: the spiritual legacy of the Hajj sealed by the appointment of Ali at Ghadir Khumm nine days later. The ‘Arafah wuquf and the Ghadir declaration are understood as companion events in the Prophet’s final month of mission.
See also: Masjid Al Haram, Ihram, Talbiyah, Wuquf, Saee, Tawaf, Ghadir Khumm