Is ‘Arafah fasting there (in Islam)?
It is said by people that hadith contains the opinion that on the day of ‘Arafah who have not fulfilled the duty of Haj should fast. Please provide explanation and the translation of the hadith. It is being said that, ‘that’ day actually signifies when the hajis (a Muslim who has been to Mecca as a pilgrim) gather at ‘Arafah ground in Saudi. But, you say that only when we have attained the ninth day by sighting the moon, that day becomes the day of ‘Arafah to be kept fast on.
Waheedul Samaan
Answer:
The act of fasting while gathering at the place of ‘Arafah is not the way of the Prophet Muhammad (saws).
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ ـ أَوْ قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِ ـ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرٌو، عَنْ بُكَيْرٍ، عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ، عَنْ مَيْمُونَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّ النَّاسَ، شَكُّوا فِي صِيَامِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ عَرَفَةَ، فَأَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِ بِحِلاَبٍ وَهْوَ وَاقِفٌ فِي الْمَوْقِفِ، فَشَرِبَ مِنْهُ، وَالنَّاسُ يَنْظُرُونَ.
Narrated Maimuna:
The people doubted whether the Prophet (ﷺ) was fasting on the day of `Arafat or not, so I sent milk while he was standing at `Arafat, he drank it and the people were looking at him.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1989
In-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 96
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 31, Hadith 210
(deprecated numbering scheme)
URL reference : http://sunnah.com/bukhari/30/96
In order for the non-Hajis to fast on the day of ‘Arafah the following hadith serves as proof.
وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِيُّ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ حَمَّادٍ، - قَالَ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، - عَنْ غَيْلاَنَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَعْبَدٍ الزِّمَّانِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، رَجُلٌ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ كَيْفَ تَصُومُ فَغَضِبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمَّا رَأَى عُمَرُ - رضى الله عنه - غَضَبَهُ قَالَ رَضِينَا بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ غَضَبِ اللَّهِ وَغَضَبِ رَسُولِهِ . فَجَعَلَ عُمَرُ - رضى الله عنه - يُرَدِّدُ هَذَا الْكَلاَمَ حَتَّى سَكَنَ غَضَبُهُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ كُلَّهُ قَالَ " لاَ صَامَ وَلاَ أَفْطَرَ - أَوْ قَالَ - لَمْ يَصُمْ وَلَمْ يُفْطِرْ " . قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمَيْنِ وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا قَالَ " وَيُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ " . قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا قَالَ " ذَاكَ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ " . قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمَيْنِ قَالَ " وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي طُوِّقْتُ ذَلِكَ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " ثَلاَثٌ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ فَهَذَا صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهُ وَصِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ " .
Abu Qatada reported that a person came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said:
How do you fast? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) felt annoyed. When 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) noticed his annoyance, he said: We are well pleased with Allah as our Lord, with Islam as our code of life, and with Muhammad as our Prophet. We seek refuge with Allah from the anger of Allah and that of His Messenger. 'Umar kept on repeating these words till his (the Prophet's) anger calmed down. Then Umar said: Messenger of Allah, what is the position of one who fasts perpetually? He (ﷺ) said: He neither fasted nor broke it, or he said: He did not fast and he did not break it. 'Umar said: What about him who fasts for two days and does not fast one day? He (ﷺ) said: Is anyone capable of doing that? He ('Umar) said: What is the position of him who fasts for a day and doesn't fast on the other day? Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: That is the fast of David (peace be upon him). He ('Umar) said: What about him who fasts one day and doesn't fast for two days. Thereupon he (the Messenger of Allah) said: I wish I were given the strength to do that. Thereafter he (ﷺ) said: Fasting three days every month and that of Ramadan every year is a perpetual fasting. I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of 'Arafa may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming years, and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Ashura may atone for the sins of the preceding year.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1162 a
In-book reference : Book 13, Hadith 252
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 6, Hadith 2602
(deprecated numbering scheme)
URL reference : http://sunnah.com/muslim/13/252
In the above hadith it is being said that the sins would be forgiven if one fasts on the day of ‘Arafah.
Next, we need to know which day is the day of ‘Arafah. Even if the day that is announced by the Saudi government as ‘Arafah day is considered, would the same day become ‘Arafah day for people who are living in other places of the world too? Or is the day of ‘Arafah based on people residing respective region deciding based on sighting the moon?
Although some argue based on the word ‘Arafah day, that the day when Hajis gather in the place ‘Arafah is indeed the ‘Arafah day; this goes against the teachings provided by the actions of Prophet Muhammad (saws).
The ninth day based on moon sight of Dhu'l-Hijjah month is indeed the day of ‘Arafah. For one in their respective region after sighting the moon when the Dhu'l-Hijjah month’s ninth day is attained, that day becomes theirs day of ‘Arafah; this was the practice during the time of Prophet Muhammad (saws).
Prophet Muhammad (saws) had lived in Madina for thirteen years. In this time-frame Prophet Muhammad (saws) would have certainly attained the day of ‘Arafah.
If one had to fast only by knowing when the Hajis gathered in Mecca, then Prophet Muhammad (saws) would have informed a person from Madina to go to Mecca and come back with the information on when the Hajis would be gathering. After this person arrives, he would have fasted.
But, of the report of Prophet Muhammad (saws) doing in this manner, there is no such instance of such in the hadiths. Therefore it becomes clear that in Madina based on sighting the moon when the ninth day was attained, that day the fast for ‘Arafah day was kept by Prophet Muhammad (saws) is understood.
It is not acceptable that Prophet Muhammad (saws) would have known through wahi(revelation) of Allah about the day when the Hajis had gathered in ‘Arafah. If Allah had informed through wahi, Prophet (saws) would have announced about it.
Moreover, during the time of Prophet Muhammad (saws) Muslims did not live in Madina only. Many Muslims had lived beyond Madina as well. There is no means for them to know the day when Hajis gather in the place of ‘Arafah. Such residents would have decided the ‘Arafah day based on the sighting of moon only.
When Prophet Muhammad (saws) was in Madina the Hajis had gathered in the place of ‘Arafah. Prophet Muhammad (saws) did not fast by knowing when the Hajis gathered in the place of ‘Arafah. In his region it is indeed based on the sighting of moon only, the ‘Arafah day fasting was decided.
If Prophet Muhammad (saws) had wanted, he could have made known on the day when the Hajis gathered in Mecca and then he could have attempted to fast on that day. Because, the day of ‘Arafah comes only after eight days from the first day based on moon-sight. In this gap of eight days, one cannot show any evidence where Prophet Muhammad (saws) had sent anyone to Mecca to get back about the day of ‘Arafah.
Some might attempt saying the moon could have been sighted on Mecca and Madina on the same date. For this our answer is, when there is a possibility of both happening the same date, there is a possibility of both happening not on the same date as well.
Some based on guess insert the argument that had communication facilities like today existed during the time of Prophet Muhammad (saws) then he would have used it.
What we ask is, did Prophet Muhammad (saws) use whatever existing facility was there back then.
Had telephone was there he would have used it to know is being put forwarded by some. From the first moon phase to the day of ‘Arafah, there are eight days. In this span of eight days available did Prophet Muhammad (saws) send anyone to verify?
The Muslims living during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (saws) would have decided the day of ‘Arafah in their region by moon-sighting only and it would not have been decided by finding when the Hajis had gathered in Mecca.
For one who claims the day when Hajis gather in the place of ‘Arafah is indeed the day of ‘Arafah for the entire world should bear in mind that, by this argument it is being inferred that it is also being accused that Prophet Muhammad (saws) had committed a mistake in this topic.
When we understand that any argument that infers, deciding ‘Arafah day the way Prophet Muhammad (saws) had decided as wrong is a poisonous argument, then there shall be no space for questions like these to arise.
Translated by: Abu Abdul Baari and Ummu Abdul Baari
The original source (Tamizh):
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