Fasting On The Day Of Arafat: Sins Forgiven For Two Years

It is one of the most important days in the
Islamic calendar. The virtues and blessings
of this day are immense. There is no other
day like it and millions of Muslims turn to
Allah on this day. It’s the Day of Arafat;
WEDNESDAY, 23RD SEPTEMBER 2015.
Many Muslims around the whole world will
be fasting this day, in search of
forgiveness and the Forgiveness and Mercy
of Allah is amazing. Fasting on this day is
expiation for two years of sin. So I
encourage all Muslims to fast on this day.
We are surely in need of much forgiveness
and how can we do without this amazing
day that Allah Has Given us?
VIRTUES OF THE DAY OF ARAFAT
It is the day on which the religion was
perfected and Allaah’s Favour was
completed.
In Al-Saheehayn it was reported from ‘Umar
ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased
with him) that a Jewish man said to him,
“O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, there is an aayah
in your Book which you recite; if it had
come to us Jews, we would have taken that
day as an ‘Eid (festival).” ‘Umar said,
“Which aayah?” He said: “This day I have
perfected your religion for you, completed
My favour upon you, and have chosen for
you Islam as your religion.” [al-Maa’idah
5:3 – interpretation of the meaning]. ‘Umar
said, “We know on which day and in which
place that was revealed to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him). It was when he was standing in
‘Arafaah on a Friday.”
It is a day by which Allaah swore an oath.
The Almighty cannot swear by anything
except that which is mighty. Yawm
‘Arafaah is the “witnessed day” mentioned
in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“By the witnessing day [Friday] and by the
witnessed day [the Day of ‘Arafaah].” [al-
Burooj 85:3].
It was reported from Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “The promised day is the
Day of Resurrection, the witnessed day is
the Day of ‘Arafaah, and the witnessing day
is Friday.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and
classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.
It is the “odd” [i.e., odd-numbered, Witr] by
which Allaah swore in the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning):
“And by the even and the odd” [al-Fajr
89:3]. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “The even is the
Day of al-Adhaa [i.e., 10th Dhoo’l-Hijjah]
and the odd is the Day of ‘Arafaah [i.e., 9th
Dhoo’l-Hijjah] This is also the view of
‘Ikrimah and al-Dahhaak.
Fasting on this day is an expiation for two
years.
It was reported from Abu Qutaadah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) was asked about
fasting on the Day of ‘Arafaah. He said, “It
expiates for the sins of the previous year
and of the coming year.” Narrated by
Muslim.
This (fasting) is mustahabb for those who
are not on Hajj. In the case of the one who
is on Hajj, it is not Sunnah for him to fast
on the Day of ‘Arafaah, because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) did not fast on this day in ‘Arafaah. It
was narrated that he forbade fasting on the
Day of ‘Arafaah in ‘Arafaah.
It is the day on which Allaah took the
covenant from the progeny of Adam.
It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah took the
covenant from the loins of Adam in
Na’maan, i.e., ‘Arafaah. He brought forth
from his loins all his offspring and spread
them before Him, then He addressed them,
and said: ‘Am I not your Lord? They said,
‘Yes, we testify,’ let you should say on the
Day of Resurrection: ‘Verily, we have been
unaware of this.’ Or lest you should say: ‘It
was only our fathers aforetime who took
others as partners in worship along with
Allaah, and we were (merely their)
descendents after them; will You then
destroy us because of the deeds of men
who practised Al-Baatil (i.e., ploytheism
and committing crimes and sins, invoking
and worshipping others besides Allaah)
?’ [al-A’raaf 7:172-173 – interpretation of
the meaning].” Narrated by Ahmad and
classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. And there
is no greater day than this and no greater
covenant than this.
It is the day of forgiveness of sins, freedom
from the Fire and pride in the people who
are there :
In Saheeh Muslim it was narrated from
‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no day
on which Allaah frees more people from the
Fire than the Day of ‘Arafaah. He comes
close and expresses His Pride to the angels,
saying, ‘What do these people want?’”
It was reported from Ibn ‘Umar that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Allaah expresses His Pride
to His angels at the time of ‘Ishaa’ on the
Day of ‘Arafaah, about the people of
‘Arafaah. He says, ‘Look at My slaves who
have come unkempt and dusty.’” Narrated
by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-
Albaani.
Source: https://
standup4islam.wordpress.com/2011/11/04/
fasting-on-the-day-of-arafat-sins-forgiven-for-
two-years/ , www.nairaland.com/2616440/fasting-day-arafat-sins-forgiven