10 ways to make the best of the day of Arafat:
The best day of the entire year - The day of Arafat - is tomorrow (Fri 3rd October & Sat 4th for many).
What makes this day even more special is that it has fallen on the best day of the week - Jummah.
Therefore we cannot possibly afford to miss out on the immense rewards that are available on this special day.
This is a day where we can change our lives forever & get closer to Allah & gain forgiveness for an entire lifetime of sins:
The Prophet (SallAllaahu Alayhi wa sallam) said: "There is no day when Allah sets free more slaves from the Fire than the day of 'Arafat. He (Allaah) draws near, then He boasts about them before the Angels and says: 'What do these people want?'"(Muslim)
It is a day when the reward of good deeds are increased significantly. For eg. If there was a sale on where everything was buy 1 get 70 free you would see people queuing for miles and even trampling on each other to get such a deal. But in reality the day of Arafat is far more valuable than this. So we should grab as much as we can on this blessed day!
The following is a worship plan for the day of Arafat:
1. Intend to fast on this special day:
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was asked about fasting on the day of Arafah. He replied, "Fasting on the day of Arafat is an expiation (for sins) for the preceding year and the following year...[Muslim]
In Luton - Suhur ends:5:30 am
Iftar:6:35 pm
If you live outside Luton then please check your local Masjid timetables.
2. Prepare food for Suhur before sleeping and sleep early in order to awaken a little earlier for the Tahajjud prayer. Surely Allah listens to the prayers of those who ask of him in the depths of the night when most people are asleep.
Eat at Suhoor time as there is a blessing during this time even if it is a date and then pray Tahajjud & intense Dua until Fajr begins.
3. Pray the 5 prayers on time - In congregation at the Masjid for men.
4. Pray the 12 Rakah Sunnah's on this day (For a reward of a pallace in Jannah): ( 2 Rakah Sunnah - Fajr, 4 & 2 Rakah Sunnah - Dhuhur, 2 Rakah Sunnah - Maghrib & 2 Rakah Sunnah - Isha)
5. Pray as many Nawafil (Voluntary) prayers as possible on this day particularly Tahajjud which is the best Nawafil prayer - even if it is 2 Rakah just before Fajr begins, 2 - 8 Rakah Nawafil Salaatul Duha between 20 mins after sunrise until before Dhuhur begins, 2 Rakah Nawafil in Dhuhur, 2 Rakah Nawafil in Maghrib, 2 Rakah in Isha & 2 Rakah Nawafil in Isha. 2 Rakah Nawafil after every Wudu & 2 Rakah Nawafil whenever at the Masjid.
6. Constantly recite the following all day during this blessed day no matter what you are doing: Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha ilallah. Make a target of how many you will recite like 1000 each etc and whilst reciting contemplate on the greatness of Allah.
7. Recite the Quran as much as possible. Make a target for yourself. Three Juz (chapter), two, one, half a Juz, or even a page.
8. Make as much Dua as possible on this blessed day:
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: "The best du'aa is du'aa of the day of 'Arafah...(Tirmidhi)
Repent as much as you can and thank Allah. Ask of your hearts desires.
Make sure your free to make your special Duas 20-30 minutes before Fajr begins at 5:30 am & before the fast ends when Maghrib begins at 6:35 pm.
These are the times when Dua's are even more readily accepted. Especially the last hour before Maghrib begins on Jummah which has a special significance. So leave your most special Dua at this time.
9. Give as much Charity as you can on this day as much as you can afford - whether it is £1000, £500, £250 £100, £50, £25, £10 or whatever change you have. If you have not given Qurbani yet then there is no better time than on this blessed day:
You can give your Qurbani donations to charities like Ummah Welfare who have a 100% donation policy -
Www.uwt.org
10. Take every opportunity to do good deeds on this blessed day whether it is by serving your parents, being good to your neighbours, being the best towards other people no matter how they are towards you solely to please Allah.
Good manners & character are the heaviest on the good deed scales so be the best person you can be. Even a smile to your fellow Muslim or moving an object from the path is reward. Every act can be a reward with good intentions and sincerity.
Forward this to as many people as you can so all can benefit from this as it will be a great reward for anyone who acts upon this.
So let us make the best of this most blessed day. Remember there is no guarantee we will be alive tomorrow let alone next year. So if you want to make life changes and get closer to Allah then there is no better time to do so than now. Our enemy satan only wants us to keep putting off these changes until death takes us when it will be too late.
May Allah enable us to make the best of this blessed day and make it a means for us to change our lives for the better forever by making us fully immerse into the deen and to get closer to him. Ameen
