Imam urges all to fast on the day of Arafat

Imam of the Friday prayer has urged all people who did not get the chance to perform the annual Hajj to spend the day in fasting.

In the Friday prayer sermon, the imam said that the first ten days of the month of DhulHijjah are the best of the days and the best day among these ten days if the day of Arafat. He said that Arafat is a day of Forgiveness from sins, freedom from the Hell-Fire for the people who are present in the plain of Arafat.

“In addition to this, fasting on the day of Arafat is a Sunnah and an expiation of sins for thepeople who were unable to perform Hajj. He said that it is mentioned in a prophet narration that Fasting on the Day of 'Arafah absolves the sins for two years: the previous year and the coming year, and fasting on 'Ashura, (the tenth day of Muharram) atones for the sins of previous years.

The Imam said that the first ten days of DhulHijjah is a season of worship, and seasons of worship bring along blessings, benefits and opportunities to correct one's faith and make up for shortcoming.

“And it is these ten days, of which Allah takes an oath saying: ‘By the dawn; by the ten nights.’ Every one of these special opportunities involves some kind of worship, which brings the slave closer to his Lord. And Allah bestows His blessings and Favours on whom He wills. The fortunate person is he who makes good use of these special months, days, and hours, while worshiping Allah,” he said.

The Imam said that Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said that no deed are more virtuous than deeds on these days. 

“The companions asked: 'Not even Jihad (fighting in Allâh's Cause)?' He (peace be upon him) replied: ‘Not even Jihad for the sake of Allâh, unless a man goes out risking himself and his wealth for the sake of Allâh, and does not come back with anything, he said.’”