What is the Day of Arafah & Why is it Important? (Virtues)

Discover the profound importance of the Day of Arafah (9th of Dhul-Hijjah). Learn its immense virtues, the reward of fasting, and why it is the core of Hajj.

Praise be to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, and his companions.


The Day of 'Arafah is a day of profound spiritual magnitude. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasized its absolute necessity for the pilgrim by stating,

Hajj is 'Arafah.
Sunan al-Tirmidhi

However, its blessings extend far beyond those gathered on the plains of 'Arafat; it is a day of immense virtue for the entire Muslim Ummah.


The extraordinary importance of the Day of 'Arafah is established through several key proofs in the Quran and the authentic Sunnah:


1. The Perfection of the Religion: It is the day on which Allah completed His favor upon the Muslims and perfected the legislation of Islam. It is reported that a Jewish man said to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ),

O Amir al-Muminin, there is a verse in your Book which you recite; if it had come to us Jews, we would have taken that day as an 'Eid (festival). 'Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) asked which verse, and the man recited:
"This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion." [Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:3]
'Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) replied, "We know on which day and in which place that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It was when he was standing in 'Arafah on a Friday."
Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim

2. A Day Sworn By in the Quran: Allah, the Exalted, only swears by that which is mighty and significant. The Day of 'Arafah is the "witnessed day" mentioned in the Qur'an

By the witnessing day [Friday] and by the witnessed day.
Quran, Surah Al-Buruj, 85:3

Abu Hurayrah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) reported that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said,

The promised day is the Day of Resurrection, the witnessed day is the Day of 'Arafah, and the witnessing day is Friday.
Classed as Sahih by Al-Albani

It is also the "odd" day sworn by in the Qur'an:

And by the even and the odd.
Quran, Surah Al-Fajr, 89:3

Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) stated that the even is the Day of al-Adha (10th) and the odd is the Day of 'Arafah (9th).


3. The Covenant of the Progeny of Adam: It is the day Allah took the primordial covenant from all of humanity. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

Allah took the covenant from the loins of Adam in Na'man, i.e., 'Arafah. He brought forth from his loins all his offspring and spread them before Him, then He addressed them, and said: 'Am I not your Lord?' They said, 'Yes, we testify...'
[Quran, Surah Al-A'raf, 7:172] | (Narrated by Ahmad and classed as Sahih by Al-Albani)

4. Immense Forgiveness and Freedom from the Fire:

There is no day of the year where the mercy of Allah descends so abundantly. 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the Day of 'Arafah. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels, saying, 'What do these people want?'
Sahih Muslim

He ﷺ also informed us that

Allah looks at the pilgrims and says to the angels: "Look at My slaves who have come unkempt and dusty"
Masnad imam Ahmad

5. The Expiation of Two Years Through Fasting: For Muslims who are not performing Hajj, fasting on the Day of 'Arafah is a highly confirmed Sunnah (Mustahabb). When asked about fasting on this day, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

It expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year.
Sahih Muslim

Note: It is not Sunnah for the pilgrim actually standing in 'Arafah to fast, as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ deliberately drank milk on his camel for the people to see that he was not fasting, ensuring pilgrims have the physical strength to engage in continuous supplication (Du'a).


And Allah the Exalted knows best.