By: Imran Ayoob Lahori
On the Day of Arafah (9th Dhul-Hijjah), in the morning the pilgrim proceeds towards Arafat from Mina while reciting Talbiyah and Takbir. At Arafat, Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers are offered together (combined) and the Imam delivers a sermon before them. After sunset, pilgrims depart from Arafat to Muzdalifah, where Maghrib and ‘Isha are combined, and they spend the night there.
Anas (RA) narrated:
كَانَ يُهِلُّ مِنَّا الْمُهِلُّ فَلَا يُنْكَرُ عَلَيْهِ وَيُكَبِّرُ مِنَّا الْمُكَبِّرُ فَلَا يُنْكَرُ عَلَيْهِ
“Some of us would recite Talbiyah and it was not objected to, and some of us would recite Takbir and it was not objected to.”
[Bukhari: 1659; Muslim: 1285; Ahmad: 3/110; Nasa’i: 5/250; Ibn Majah: 3008; Humaydi: 1211]
Jabir (RA) narrated:
فَخَطَبَ النَّاسَ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ ثُمَّ أَقَامَ فَصَلَّى الظُّهْرَ ثُمَّ أَقَامَ فَصَلَّى الْعَصْرَ وَلَمْ يُصَلِّ بَيْنَهُمَا
“(Upon reaching Arafat) the Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon, then the Adhan was called, then the Iqamah was given and he offered the Zuhr prayer. Then the Iqamah was given and he offered the ‘Asr prayer, and no prayer was offered in between.”
[Muslim: 1218]
Imam al-Albani رحمه الله also mentioned that the Khutbah precedes the prayers.
[Hujjat al-Nabi: p. 71]
Imam al-San’ani رحمه الله said:
“The Sunnah is that the Imam delivers the sermon before the Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers.”
[Subul al-Salam: 2/978]
However, Ibn ‘Umar (RA) narrated:
فَجَمَعَ بَيْنَ الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ ثُمَّ خَطَبَ النَّاسَ
“He combined the Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers, then delivered the sermon to the people.”
[Hasan: Sahih Abu Dawud: 1684; Ahmad: 2/129]
The reconciliation: The narration in Sahih Muslim is given preference over Abu Dawud’s version.
In his sermon, the Prophet ﷺ:
اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَدْ، اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَدْ
“O Allah, bear witness! O Allah, bear witness!”
[Hujjat al-Nabi by al-Albani: pp. 71–73]
Proceeding to Arafat on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah
On the Day of Arafah (9th Dhul-Hijjah), in the morning the pilgrim proceeds towards Arafat from Mina while reciting Talbiyah and Takbir. At Arafat, Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers are offered together (combined) and the Imam delivers a sermon before them. After sunset, pilgrims depart from Arafat to Muzdalifah, where Maghrib and ‘Isha are combined, and they spend the night there.
Description of the Journey from Mina to Arafat
Anas (RA) narrated:
كَانَ يُهِلُّ مِنَّا الْمُهِلُّ فَلَا يُنْكَرُ عَلَيْهِ وَيُكَبِّرُ مِنَّا الْمُكَبِّرُ فَلَا يُنْكَرُ عَلَيْهِ
“Some of us would recite Talbiyah and it was not objected to, and some of us would recite Takbir and it was not objected to.”
[Bukhari: 1659; Muslim: 1285; Ahmad: 3/110; Nasa’i: 5/250; Ibn Majah: 3008; Humaydi: 1211]
Khutbah and Combined Prayers at Arafat
Jabir (RA) narrated:
فَخَطَبَ النَّاسَ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ ثُمَّ أَقَامَ فَصَلَّى الظُّهْرَ ثُمَّ أَقَامَ فَصَلَّى الْعَصْرَ وَلَمْ يُصَلِّ بَيْنَهُمَا
“(Upon reaching Arafat) the Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon, then the Adhan was called, then the Iqamah was given and he offered the Zuhr prayer. Then the Iqamah was given and he offered the ‘Asr prayer, and no prayer was offered in between.”
[Muslim: 1218]
Imam al-Albani رحمه الله also mentioned that the Khutbah precedes the prayers.
[Hujjat al-Nabi: p. 71]
Imam al-San’ani رحمه الله said:
“The Sunnah is that the Imam delivers the sermon before the Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers.”
[Subul al-Salam: 2/978]
However, Ibn ‘Umar (RA) narrated:
فَجَمَعَ بَيْنَ الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ ثُمَّ خَطَبَ النَّاسَ
“He combined the Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers, then delivered the sermon to the people.”
[Hasan: Sahih Abu Dawud: 1684; Ahmad: 2/129]
The reconciliation: The narration in Sahih Muslim is given preference over Abu Dawud’s version.
Contents of the Prophet’s Khutbah at Arafat
In his sermon, the Prophet ﷺ:
- Declared the sanctity of Muslim lives and wealth equal to the sanctity of Makkah, Dhul-Hijjah, and the Day of Arafah.
- Abolished certain corrupt pre-Islamic customs.
- Advised good treatment towards women and clarified mutual marital rights.
- Urged holding firmly to the Qur’an and Sunnah as a safeguard for guidance.
- Took testimony from the people regarding his delivery of the message, raising his forefinger towards the sky and saying:
اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَدْ، اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَدْ
“O Allah, bear witness! O Allah, bear witness!”
[Hujjat al-Nabi by al-Albani: pp. 71–73]
