Asslamu'Alaykoum

The Best Day of the Year:

The magnificent ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah are almost over and we are approaching their climax, which is the Day of Arafah (9th Dhu’l-Hijjah). On this day there is an immense outpouring of divine mercy and bounty and it is considered by many scholars to be the best day of the year.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said there is no day in which Allah saves more people from the fire than the Day of Arafah.[1] It has also been narrated that anyone who has an atom’s weight of faith in their heart will be forgiven by Allah on this day, whether or not they actually stand at Arafah.[2]

When a person fasts on the 9th of Zul-Hiijah and offers pray at night, Allah Almighty says to that Angel: 'Bear witness, for I have forgiven this person & included him amongst the pilgrims of the Ka'baa.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) taught those not on Hajj to fast on this day with the promise that this would wipe away the wrongdoings of the previous year and the wrongdoings of the year to come.[3]

What is meant by the wrongdoings of the coming year being wiped out? The scholars mention that it is either protection from falling into them in the coming year or that if we fall into them we are forgiven. The wrongdoings mentioned are “minor” sins between a person and Allah, not cases where one person has wronged another. This is an immense gift from Allah to the Ummah of His Beloved (peace and blessings be upon him).

We should also turn to Allah to ask for forgiveness and for our needs to be answered, especially in the afternoon of this day. In doing so we imitate the people standing at Arafah, to whom forgiveness is guaranteed, and we ask Allah to give to us what He is giving to them. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The one who imitates a people is one of them.”[4]

Sunnahs of Eid al-Adha

We should do what we are able to implement the other sunnahs of the Eid. Among them are taking a bath whether or not one is attending the Eid prayer and wearing one’s best clothes and best perfume. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had special garments that he would only wear on Eid. He would not eat or drink anything until after the Eid prayer and the first thing he ate was liver from the animal he had sacrificed. It is recommended to walk to the prayer, taking a longer route on the way there and returning by a different route. One should shake hands with one’s brethren and congratulate them on the Eid. One should be especially generous to one’s family, display one’s happiness on the occasion and try to visit one’s relatives and friends.

So please remember me in your duaa's this Saturday and that Allah includes me among those He forgives and I will pray the same for you

Oh yeah, and Eid Mubarak

Wassalam xxx