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16th May 2026
The Day of Arafah falls on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah and is considered the most important day of Hajj. It is significant because it is the day Islam was perfected and offers Muslims an opportunity for immense forgiveness through prayer and fasting.
Don't miss the blessings of the best day of the year. Provide life-saving meals to families in need and donate your Qurbani today.
The Day of Arafah is:
The day Islam was perfected: On this day, the final verse of the Quran was revealed.
A day Allah swore by: It is the ‘witnessed day’ mentioned in Surah Al-Buruj.
A day of immense forgiveness: The day Allah descends to the nearest heaven to express pride in the pilgrims to the Angels.
A time for fasting: For those not at Hajj, fasting this day expiates the sins of the previous and coming year.
"Fasting on the day of Arafah expiates the sins from the past and coming years." [Muslim]
The Day of Arafah marks a pivotal moment in Islamic history. On this day, over 1,400 years ago, Prophet Muhammad (saw) stood on the plain of Arafah and delivered his Farewell Sermon (Khutbah al-Wada) to over 100,000 companions. In this powerful address, he established the principles of equality, justice, and the sanctity of life and property, reminding us that “no Arab has superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab.”
Spiritually, it is also the day when all Hajj pilgrims gather at the plain of Mount Arafah from noon until sunset. This standing commemorates the day all of humanity will be gathered before Allah on the Day of Judgement, making it the most essential rite of the Hajj pilgrimage, as the Prophet (saw) said, “Hajj is Arafah”.
Mount Arafah is a historic site in Islam, situated on a plain of land around 20km southeast of the holy city of Mecca. The mount itself is a granite hill, 230ft tall and also known as the ‘Mount of Mercy’ or Jabal al-Rahmah.
Mount Arafah is where the Prophet Muhammad (saw) gave his Farewell Sermon to the fellow Muslims who had accompanied him on the Hajj pilgrimage in his later years.
The Day of Arafah is the most significant in the Islamic calendar, described by the Prophet Muhammad (saw) as the very essence of the pilgrimage: ‘Hajj is Arafah’ (Tirmidhi). Its importance lies in the immense spiritual weight it carries for both the pilgrims standing on the plain and the global Ummah watching from afar.
It is a day of unsurpassed divine mercy, where Allah (SWT) descends to the nearest heaven to express pride in His servants and grant them forgiveness. For every Muslim, Arafah is the ultimate opportunity to have their past and future sins wiped clean, making it a day of hope, renewal, and total submission.
What makes the plain of Arafat so special is the Wuquf (the Standing). On this day, millions of pilgrims gather in a state of Ihram, stripped of worldly status, to stand before their Creator in deep supplication (Dua). This gathering is a powerful reminder of the Day of Judgement, where every soul will stand equal before Allah. It is believed that there is no day on which Allah frees more souls from the Fire than on the Day of Arafah, making the plain of Arafat the most spiritually charged place on Earth at that moment.
If you’re going to perform Hajj, the second day of rituals will be all about Mount Arafah.
At dawn, around four million Muslims will make the journey from Mecca to the nearby hillside of Mount Arafah on the Plain of Arafah. From dawn until sunset, pilgrims will stand in sincere devotion, opening their hearts to Allah and praying for His mercy. This supplication must be completely sincere to invoke Allah’s forgiveness.
Many pilgrims will shed tears as they recite prayers and offer up heartfelt duas. All pilgrims are in a state of Ihram (purity), and their identical white clothing puts them on an equal footing before Allah.
If you’re not making the sacred Hajj pilgrimage this year, don’t worry! There are plenty of other ways you can earn the forgiveness of Allah without travelling to the Mount of Arafah.
On the Day of Arafah, it’s highly recommended that you:
Recite du’as as much as possible, and ask for forgiveness for your sins over the past year and the year to come. This sacred day should be spent in worship and supplication.
Glorify Allah in all your actions, so ensure that you don’t indulge in bad habits or unkind behaviour.
Give generously to charity and go out of your way to help others.
Read the Qur’an and reflect on its translation.
Honour your parents by spending time with them, listening to their opinions and serving them in any way you can.
“The best of du’a’ is du’a’ on the day of ‘Arafah, and the best that I and the Prophets before me said is ‘Laailaaha ill-Allaahwahdahu la shareekalah, lahu’l-mulkwalahu’l-hamdwahuwa ‘alakullishay’inqadeer (There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner or associate; His is the dominion, to Him be praise, and He has power over all things).” [al-Tirmidhi]
Spiritual rewards for all of these actions are multiplied many times over, so this is the perfect time to gain the amazing blessings and mercy of Allah (swt).
‘Aa’isha (ra), narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: “There is no day on which Allah sets free more slaves from Hell than the day of ‘Arafah. He draws near and then boasts of them to the angels, saying, ‘What do these [slaves] want [that I may give them]?’” [Muslim]
One of the most important things that all Muslims must do during the ten sacred days of Dhul Hijjah is pay their Qurbani. The Qurbani sacrifice is how Muslims from all over the world commemorate the obedience of the Prophet Ibrahim (as) and follow in his footsteps.
It’s easier than ever to pay your Qurbani with Human Appeal. You simply select the country you’d like your Qurbani shares to be distributed to and pay for as many shares as you’d like. Remember that a small animal like a sheep counts as one Qurbani share, and a larger animal such as a cow or camel counts as seven Qurbani shares.
It’s our mission to ensure that vulnerable families living in famine-stricken and conflict-affected countries receive a life-saving parcel of nutritious Qurbani meat in time for Eid ul-Adha.
We hope this article has given you an insight intoto the blessed day of Arafah and its benefits. We pray that Allah (swt) allows us to make the most out of this important day and accepts all of our worship and charity.
The Day of Arafah is a day of unmatched reward. Put your faith into action and earn the blessings of the best day of the year. Donate your Qurbani and feed the hungry today.
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The day of Arafah is one of the most significant days in the Islamic calendar. Although it is not obligatory to fast on this day, it is highly recommended. Here are 6 reasons why you should try to fast on the day of Arafah. Read more
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Discover what the Day of Arafah is about, how best to spend it, and how you can fully benefit from its blessings in our simple guide.
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Hajj is a rite of sacrifice, submission, and humility before Allah, an act of devoted worship that purifies us. It is a significant pilgrimage that takes place over several days and requires careful planning and preparation. Get tips and insights for your Hajj journey in our comprehensive guide.
Historically, the Day of Arafah is when Prophet Muhammad (saw) delivered his Farewell Sermon, establishing the principles of equality and justice in Islam. Spiritually, it is the day the religion of Islam was perfected. It is also a day of ultimate reconciliation, where millions of pilgrims stand on the plain of Arafat in a state of Ihram, mirroring the Day of Judgement and seeking divine forgiveness from Allah (SWT).
The Prophet (saw) famously said, “Hajj is Arafah”, meaning the pilgrimage is incomplete without the standing (Wuquf) on the plain of Arafat. It is considered the pinnacle because it is the most spiritually intense moment of the journey, where the barriers between the Creator and the servant are thinnest, and Allah (SWT) expresses pride in His pilgrims to the Angels.
Arafah is spiritually unique because of the unsurpassed mercy Allah (SWT) descends with on this day. It is a day when Allah (SWT) frees more souls from the Fire than any other day of the year. For those not performing Hajj, the day remains unique through the practice of fasting, which offers a profound spiritual reset by cleansing the sins of both the previous and the coming year.
The best supplication to recite on this day is the one mentioned by the Prophet (saw): "La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadir" (There is no god but Allah, alone, without any partner. To Him belongs the sovereignty and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things omnipotent). Muslims are encouraged to spend the entire day in sincere Dua and Dhikr.
The most celebrated reward for those not performing Hajj is the redemption of two years' worth of sins for fasting the day. Additionally, every good deed, from prayer to charity, is multiplied in reward during the sacred ten days of Dhul Hijjah, reaching its peak on the Day of Arafah. Giving your Qurbani on this day is a powerful way to maximise these blessings and follow the Prophetic legacy.
