A day in Arafat-Hajj 2019

9th Dhul Hijja is the day of Hajj is the day that no Haji forgets. I too keep going back to my memories of Hajj and keep bringing back its memory.

You must of heard of the narration that when Musa As wanted to see Allah subhana’talla.

Allah said that when Musa AS came for His appointment and spoke to Him directly, he asked to see Him. He said:

﴿رَبِّ أَرِنِى أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَن تَرَانِى﴾

(“O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You.” Allah said: “You cannot see Me,”)

﴿فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّى رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ موسَى صَعِقًا﴾

(So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Musa fell down unconscious.)

﴿فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ﴾

(Then when he (Musa) recovered his senses) after he lost consciousness,

﴿قَالَ سُبْحَـنَكَ﴾

(he said: “Glory be to You,”)

﴿تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ﴾

(“I turn to You in repentance”) means, according to Mujahid, that from asking you to look at you,

﴿وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾

(“and I am the first of the believers.”)

Musa Alaihe assalam couldn’t see Allah swt but he felt his presence. Arafat was the day when we all felt the presence of Allah swt by sudden heavy rain that had no possibility. It was so hot that some people naudhubillah were complaining about the ACs in the Arafat tent . When the Hajj khutba was over, everyone was willing to go out in the open field and make dua but were being held back due to the scorching heat . And then it began to rain .The rain was not the usual rain .It rained hard. The ACs began to fall, some tents gone blown and there was a moment that we all thought that today Allah will call us back .Every single heart that day felt Allah’s presence and everyone was crying hard and pleading for their forgiveness as if they were seeing Allah .It was as if the gate of the heavens have been opened and mercy was pouring out of Allah’s rehma .

I was so humbled. The following verse of Quran came into my mind –

فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا – 71:10

And said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver.

يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا – 71:11

He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers

وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا – 71:12

And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.

مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا – 71:13

What is [the matter] with you that you do not attribute to Allah [due] grandeur

When the rain calmed down and the weather began pleasant , the loud voices of shukr and glorification filled the air. It was a diifferent feeling and everytime I remember those moments, I feel humbled. Allah answered my talab of Hajj. He called me , he made me feel special and returned me safe .

I Stood there crying,pleading for forgiveness.I stood there hoping for mercy from my lord.I stood thete thanking him for all the favour he has bestowed on me .I stood there praying for my dear and near ones.I stood there making dua.

So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.(Quran:3-174)

فَانقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ لَّمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَاتَّبَعُوا رِضْوَانَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ – 3:174

I am so humbled . Allah returned me safe. He gave me one more chance and he is Ghafur-ur Rahim. He gave me one more chance to mend my affair. He gave me a new life ,a new blank piece of paper with nothing written on it.

There is a hadith that during the evening of the day of Arafat, Allah draws near to those standing in its vicinity and mentions their gathering to the angels, saying:

مَا أَرَادَ هَؤُلَاءِ أُشْهِدُكُمْ أَنِّي قَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَهُمْ

What do these want? Bear witness that I have forgiven them.

Source: Sahih Ibn Khuzayma 2659, Grade:Sahih

May Allah forgive us and May Allah accept us. May he make our character upright.May he help us spend the rest of our life in his submission surrendering to him,obeying his commandments and staying away from his prohibitions. Ameen ya rabbul Alameen.

Do you remember your Hajj moments ?Would you like to share with us ?

Read My Hajj Reflection -Lessons learnt

Also read more about the day of Arafat-why Arafat is called Hajj