يـَوْمُ عَرَفَةَ مِيثَاقٌ يـَتَجَدَّدُ : On the Day of Arafat, a covenant is renewed

Al Quran is the final Holy Book revealed upon the Last of Prophets Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). The Quran & Sunnah is the only source of holy guidance as it entails detailed instructions for each and every walk of human life. Here guidance from Quran for the followers of Islam (يـَوْمُ عَرَفَةَ مِيثَاقٌ يـَتَجَدَّدُ : On the Day of Arafat, a covenant is renewed.) is discussed wrt an important element "Al-Arfa" of basic pillar of religion "Al-Hajj" for better living from Quran and Hadith of Prophet ﷺ. This is an approved Jumma Khutba from the Sultanate of Oman and translated in English.

أَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

اللہ کے نام سے شروع جو بڑا مہربان نہایت رحم کرنے والا ہے

In the name of ALLAH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

يـَوْمُ عَرَفَةَ مِيثَاقٌ يـَتَجَدَّدُ : On the Day of Arafat, a covenant is renewed.

All praise is due to Allah, who has bestowed upon us on the Day of Arafah an abundance of blessings, and who, in His glory, has adorned it with the forgiveness of sins and beautified it with grace. We bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the One, without partner, and we bear witness that our master and prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the servant of Allah and His Messenger, the best of worshippers and the most deserving of the blessings of the Lord of the Worlds. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family, his companions, and all those who follow them with kindness until the Day of Judgment. These are the recited verses from Surah Al Baqara and their translation:

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فاعوذ باللہ من الشیطان الرجیم- بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

ٱلۡحَجُّ أَشۡهُرٌ۬ مَّعۡلُومَـٰتٌ۬‌ۚ فَمَن فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ ٱلۡحَجَّ فَلَا رَفَثَ وَلَا فُسُوقَ وَلَا جِدَالَ فِى ٱلۡحَجِّ‌ۗ وَمَا تَفۡعَلُواْ مِنۡ خَيۡرٍ۬ يَعۡلَمۡهُ ٱللَّهُ‌ۗ وَتَزَوَّدُواْ فَإِنَّ خَيۡرَ ٱلزَّادِ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ‌ۚ وَٱتَّقُونِ يَـٰٓأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ (١٩٧) لَيۡسَ عَلَيۡڪُمۡ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَبۡتَغُواْ فَضۡلاً۬ مِّن رَّبِّڪُمۡ‌ۚ فَإِذَآ أَفَضۡتُم مِّنۡ عَرَفَـٰتٍ۬ فَٱذۡڪُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ عِندَ ٱلۡمَشۡعَرِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ‌ۖ وَٱذۡڪُرُوهُ كَمَا هَدَٮٰڪُمۡ وَإِن ڪُنتُم مِّن قَبۡلِهِۦ لَمِنَ ٱلضَّآلِّينَ (١٩٨) ثُمَّ أَفِيضُواْ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ أَفَاضَ ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ ٱللَّهَ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬ (١٩٩) فَإِذَا قَضَيۡتُم مَّنَـٰسِكَڪُمۡ فَٱذۡڪُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ كَذِكۡرِكُمۡ ءَابَآءَڪُمۡ أَوۡ أَشَدَّ ذِڪۡرً۬ا‌ۗ فَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَمَا لَهُ ۥ فِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ مِنۡ خَلَـٰقٍ۬ (٢٠٠) وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةً۬ وَفِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً۬ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ (٢٠١) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ لَهُمۡ نَصِيبٌ۬ مِّمَّا كَسَبُواْ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ سَرِيعُ ٱلۡحِسَابِ (٢٠٢) ۞ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ فِىٓ أَيَّامٍ۬ مَّعۡدُودَٲ تٍ۬‌ۚ فَمَن تَعَجَّلَ فِى يَوۡمَيۡنِ فَلَآ إِثۡمَ عَلَيۡهِ وَمَن تَأَخَّرَ فَلَآ إِثۡمَ عَلَيۡهِ‌ۚ لِمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ‌ۗ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّڪُمۡ إِلَيۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ

The Hajj (pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) months (i.e. the 10th month, the 11th month and the first ten days of the 12th month of the Islâmic calendar, i.e. two months and ten days). So whosoever intends to perform Hajj[] therein (by assuming Ihrâm), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj. And whatever good you do, (be sure) Allâh knows it. And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness). So fear Me, O men of understanding! (197) There is no sin on you if you seek the Bounty of your Lord (during pilgrimage by trading). Then when you leave 'Arafât[], remember Allâh (by glorifying His Praises, i.e. prayers and invocations,) at the Mash'ar-il-Harâm.[] And remember Him (by invoking Allâh for all good) as He has guided you, and verily, you were, before, of those who were astray. (198) Then depart from the place whence all the people depart and ask Allâh for His Forgiveness. Truly, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful. (199) So when you have accomplished your Manasik remember Allâh as you remember your forefathers or with a far more remembrance. But of mankind there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us (Your Bounties) in this world!" and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter. (200) And of them there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" (201) For them there will be alloted a share for what they have earned. And Allâh is Swift at reckoning. (202) And remember Allâh during the appointed Days.[] But whosoever hastens to leave in two days, there is no sin on him and whosoever stays on, there is no sin on him, if his aim is to do good and obey Allâh (fear Him), and know that you will surely be gathered unto Him. (203)

Surah AL Baqara – 197-203

O servants of ALLAH: Adopt piety and obey ALLAH. Fear ALLAH Almighty as He should be feared, and know that we are living in the embrace of fragrant days, which ALLAH Almighty has adorned with the greatness of righteous deeds performed in them. The Prophet, peace be upon him, says: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to ALLAH than these ten days.” And you – may ALLAH protect us all – are on the threshold of a day unlike any other, a day on which ALLAH boasts to the inhabitants of heaven about the people of the earth, and on which our Lord bestows abundant reward and deliverance from Hellfire upon His servants. For that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “ALLAH Almighty boasts to His angels about the people of Arafah on the evening of Arafah, saying: ‘Look at My servants, they have come to Me disheveled.’” (Ghubra), and he said: There is no day on which ALLAH frees more servants from Hellfire than the Day of Arafah.

O believers: The Day of Arafah is a renewed covenant, in which hearts return to their Lord, and souls declare their loyalty to the Lord of the worlds. Whoever stands at Arafah has stood at the door of the covenant, and whoever is sincere in his supplication, a new beginning with ALLAH is written for him. The secret of this great day is not in its hours, but in its meaning. It is a day that awakens the innate nature and reminds us of the first covenant, when ALLAH made His servants bear witness to His Lordship, saying in Surah Al Araf:

وَإِذۡ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمۡ ذُرِّيَّتَہُمۡ وَأَشۡہَدَهُمۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ أَلَسۡتُ بِرَبِّكُمۡ‌ۖ قَالُواْ بَلَىٰ‌ۛ شَهِدۡنَآ‌ۛ أَن تَقُولُواْ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ إِنَّا ڪُنَّا عَنۡ هَـٰذَا غَـٰفِلِينَ

And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed (or from Adam's loin his offspring) and made them testify as to themselves (saying): "Am I not your Lord?" They said: "Yes! We testify," lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: "Verily, we have been unaware of this."

Surah Al Araf – 172

So that covenant remained dormant in the hearts, and the Day of Arafah comes to revive it anew. It is a day when the heart is freed from the hustle and bustle of materialism, and souls are purified from being scattered among causes and means, so the Day of Arafah brings us back to the path of pure monotheism. So that hands may be raised in supplication to ALLAH, and hearts may flee to Him, acknowledging their poverty, admitting their need, and submitting to His command to devote worship to Him alone. ALLAH Almighty says in Surah TaHa:

إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۟ فَٱعۡبُدۡنِى وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِڪۡرِىٓ

"Verily! I am Allâh! Lâ ilâha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so worship Me, and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât) for My Remembrance.

Surah TaHa – 14

Therefore, it is fitting for the Muslim – O servants of ALLAH – to learn the etiquette of supplication, in which he blends his worldly needs with the benefit of the Hereafter and the establishment of honor for himself and his nation. For supplication is not merely a list of purely material requests, but rather it is an act of worship that ALLAH Almighty has commanded, as He says in Surah Al Baqara:

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ‌ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعۡوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ‌ۖ فَلۡيَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِى وَلۡيُؤۡمِنُواْ بِى لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡشُدُونَ

And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad SAW) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.

Surah AL Baqara – 186

Ask ALLAH for well-being in religion and steadfastness on the truth in times of change. Whoever stands at ALLAH's door on the Day of Arafah with sincerity, ALLAH will make him independent of standing at the doors of creation. One of the Companions asked the Messenger of ALLAH, peace be upon him, saying: O Messenger of ALLAH, how should I say when I ask my Lord? He said: “Say: O ALLAH, forgive me, have mercy on me, grant me well-being, and provide for me.” Whoever is truthful on this day will be given a new birth; whoever turns to ALLAH, ALLAH will turn to him; and whoever renews his covenant with his Lord, ALLAH will change his circumstances. Blessed is he who stands sincerely at ALLAH's door and leaves this day with his sins forgiven, his prayers answered, and his efforts accepted. ALLAH says in Surah Al Baqara

So fear ALLAH, O servants of ALLAH, and make these blessed days a station for acquiring good deeds and attaining the highest levels in the scale of piety. ALLAH says in Surah Al Baqara

وَتَزَوَّدُواْ فَإِنَّ خَيۡرَ ٱلزَّادِ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ‌ۚ وَٱتَّقُونِ يَـٰٓأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ

And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness). So fear Me, O men of understanding!

Surah Al Baqara – 197-Part

أقولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُالرَّحِيمُ، وَادْعُوهُ يَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ البَرُّ الكَرِيمُ

I say what you hear, and I ask forgiveness from ALLAH Almighty for me and for you, so ask forgiveness from Him and He will forgive you, for He is the Forgiving and Merciful, and pray to Him and He will answer you, for He is The noble righteousness

الحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهَذا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ،صَلاةً وَسَلامًا دَائِمَيْنِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ، وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَأَتْبَاعِهِ المُقْتَفِينَ آثَارَهُ وَخُطَاهُ

All praise is due to Allah, Who guided us to this, and we would not have been guided had Allah not guided us. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings be upon him and his family, his companions, and those who follow his example and footsteps.

Fear ALLAH, O servants of ALLAH, and know that if the Day of Arafah is a covenant that is renewed, then part of honoring it is to see the effect of this covenant in our lives, in sincere fasting, a disciplined soul, and a heart present with ALLAH. And the Prophet, peace be upon him, recommended fasting for those who are not performing Hajj, as he said: Fasting on the Day of Arafah, I hope from ALLAH, will expiate the sins of the year before it and the year after it. The purpose of fasting is for a person to train himself to control all his limbs from what is forbidden, and to guard his means of communication from backbiting, gossip, and sins. Among the opportunities of the Day of Arafah is for a person to recognize the need for supplication to the All-Giving King, seeking His favor. To reform himself, he holds himself accountable for his shortcomings and reviews his actions to improve them, reflecting on the words of his Creator saying in Surah Al Aala:

قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ (١٤) وَذَكَرَ ٱسۡمَ رَبِّهِۦ فَصَلَّىٰ

Indeed whosoever purifies himself (by avoiding polytheism and accepting Islâmic Monotheism) shall achieve success, (14) And remembers (glorifies) the Name of his Lord (worships none but Allâh), and prays (five compulsory prayers and Nawâfil — additional prayers). (15)

Surah Al A’ala – 14-15

All of this is a renewal of the covenant with ALLAH, and a strengthening of the heart on the path of His guidance.

And indeed, among the beauties of the Day of Arafah - O servants of ALLAH - is that good deeds are accepted on it, sins are forgiven, and rewards are multiplied. And if this is the gift of the Generous King, then be, O fortunate one, among those who turn to ALLAH on it by forgiving the mistakes of their brothers, and pardoning their loved ones, cleansing their hearts of malice, and purifying them from hatred. For that is more conducive to the acceptance of your deeds and your forgiveness by ALLAH. ALLAH Almighty says in Surah Al Noor:

وَلَا يَأۡتَلِ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡفَضۡلِ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلسَّعَةِ أَن يُؤۡتُوٓاْ أُوْلِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَـٰكِينَ وَٱلۡمُهَـٰجِرِينَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۖ وَلۡيَعۡفُواْ وَلۡيَصۡفَحُوٓاْ‌ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغۡفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ

And let not those among you who are blessed with graces and wealth swear not to give (any sort of help) to their kinsmen, Al-Masâkîn (the poor), and those who left their homes for Allâh's Cause. Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allâh should forgive you? And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Surah Al Noor – 22

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “ALLAH does not increase a servant in anything except honor through forgiveness, and no one humbles himself before ALLAH except that ALLAH raises him in status.”

So fear ALLAH, O servants of ALLAH, and strive diligently on the great Day of Arafah, exerting yourselves with utmost effort in obedience, good deeds, and drawing closer to Him, in response to His commands, and in adherence to what He, Glory be to Him, loves and is pleased with, says in Surah Al Anfal

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ لِمَا يُحۡيِيڪُمۡ‌ۖ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيۡنَ ٱلۡمَرۡءِ وَقَلۡبِهِۦ وَأَنَّهُ ۥۤ إِلَيۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ

O you who believe! Answer Allâh (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he (SAW) calls you[] to that which will give you life,[] and know that Allâh comes in between a person and his heart (i.e. He prevents an evil person to decide anything). And verily to Him you shall (all) be gathered.

Surah Al Anfal – 24

O servants of ALLAH, remember this command of ALLAH:

قُلۡ يَـٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

Say: "O 'Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh, verily Allâh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Surah Az Zumr – 53