By: Ubaidullah Tahir ḥafiẓahullāh
❀ «عن أبى قتادة الأنصاري رضي الله عنه، قال: وسئل (يعني النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم) عن صوم يوم عرفة؟ فقال: يكفر السنة الماضية والباقية.
وفي رواية: أحتسب على الله أن يكفر السنة التى قبله، والسنة التى بعده »
It is narrated from Abu Qatadah al-Ansari رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafah. He ﷺ said:
"It expiates the sins of the past year and the coming year."
In another narration, he ﷺ said:
"I hope from Allah that it will expiate the sins of the year before and the year after."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1162:197, 162:196]
Umm al-Faḍl bint al-Ḥārith رضي الله عنها reported that people were uncertain regarding whether the Prophet ﷺ was fasting on the Day of Arafah. Some said he was fasting, and others said he was not.
So, she sent him a bowl of milk while he ﷺ was standing on his camel, and he drank it.
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1988, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1123]
This establishes that the virtue of fasting on the Day of Arafah is specific to those who are not performing Hajj, as the Prophet ﷺ himself did not fast on this day during Hajj.
❀Immense virtue of Fasting on the Day of Arfah
❀ «عن أبى قتادة الأنصاري رضي الله عنه، قال: وسئل (يعني النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم) عن صوم يوم عرفة؟ فقال: يكفر السنة الماضية والباقية.
وفي رواية: أحتسب على الله أن يكفر السنة التى قبله، والسنة التى بعده »
It is narrated from Abu Qatadah al-Ansari رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafah. He ﷺ said:
"It expiates the sins of the past year and the coming year."
In another narration, he ﷺ said:
"I hope from Allah that it will expiate the sins of the year before and the year after."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1162:197, 162:196]
❀ Clarification: Fasting on Arfah is Not for the Pilgrim
❀ «عن أم الفضل ابنة الحارث رضي الله عنها عنها: أن ناسا تماروا عندها يوم عرفة فى صوم النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال بعضهم: هو صائم، وقال بعضهم: ليس بصائم، فأرسلت إليه بقدح لبن، وهو واقف على بعيره، فشربه »Umm al-Faḍl bint al-Ḥārith رضي الله عنها reported that people were uncertain regarding whether the Prophet ﷺ was fasting on the Day of Arafah. Some said he was fasting, and others said he was not.
So, she sent him a bowl of milk while he ﷺ was standing on his camel, and he drank it.
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1988, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1123]
This establishes that the virtue of fasting on the Day of Arafah is specific to those who are not performing Hajj, as the Prophet ﷺ himself did not fast on this day during Hajj.
