Mount Arafat
Mount Arafat[1][2] (Arabic: جَبَل عَرَفَات transliterated Jabal ʿArafāt) is a granite hill about 20 km (12 mi) east of central Mecca in the plain of Arafat in the Hejaz, Saudi Arabia.[3] Mount Arafat reaches about 70 m (230 ft) in height, and is also known as the "Mount of Mercy" (Arabic: جَبَل ٱلرَّحْمَة, romanized: Jabal Ar-Raḥmah).[4] According to some Islamic tradition, the hill is the place where the Prophet Muhammad stood and delivered the Farewell Sermon[5] to the Muslims who had accompanied him for the Hajj towards the end of his life. Muslims also say that it is also the place where Adam and Hawa reunited on Earth after falling from Heaven, and where Adam was forgiven, hence it is known as the "Mount of Mercy". A pillar is erected to show the place where the aforementioned took place.
Jabal 'Arafat | |
---|---|
The plain of Arafat during Hajj | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 454 m (1,490 ft) |
Coordinates | |
Naming | |
Native name | جَبَل عَرَفَات (Arabic) |
Geography | |
Jabal 'Arafat Jabal 'Arafat Jabal 'Arafat Jabal 'Arafat (Asia) | |
Location | Makkah Region, Hejaz, |
On the 9th of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah pilgrims go to Arafat from Mina, for the most important part of the Hajj. The Khutbah of Hajj is narrated and Zuhr and Asr prayers are prayed together.[6] The pilgrims spend the whole day on the mountain to supplicate to Allah to forgive their sins and to pray for personal strength in the future.
Hajj
Arafat rituals end at sunset and pilgrims then move to Muzdalifah for Maghrib prayer and a shortened Isha prayer and for a short rest.[7]
The level area surrounding the hill is called the Plain of Arafat. The term Mount Arafat is sometimes applied to this entire area. It is an important place in Islam because during the Hajj, pilgrims spend the afternoon there on the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah. Failure to be present in the plain of Arafat on the required day invalidates the pilgrimage.[8]
Since late 2010, this place is served by Mecca Metro. On a normal Hajj, it would be around 21 km (13 mi) to walk.
- Pilgrims supplicating
- Masjid Namirah (Arabic: مَسْجِد نَمِرَة)
In literature
The hill is referenced in James Joyce's novel Finnegans Wake.[9]
Gallery
- Pilgrims supplicating during Hajj
- Entrance of Jabal-e-Rehmat (Mount Arafat)
- Pilgrims
- Jabal-e-Rehmat Mount of Mercy
- Jabal-e-Rehmat Mount of Mercy
See also
References
- "Geological and radiological studies of the Mount Arafat, Mekkah, Saudi Arabia". Akademiai.com. 2012-04-09.
- "Meaning and Significance of the Day of Arafat".
- "خرائط Google". خرائط Google.
- "Saudi Arabia Hajj: Millions at Mount Arafat for ceremonies". BBC. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
- "Sea of people arrive at Mecca and Mount Arafat as Hajj pilgrimage gets underway". Metro. 2018-08-20. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
- "More than 2 million pilgrims complete journey to Mount Arafat for second day of Hajj". Arab News. 2018-08-20. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
- Peters, F.E., 1996. The Hajj: The Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca and the holy places. Princeton University Press.
- Omar, W. (1952), The Mecca Pilgrimage: Its Epidemiological Significance and Control, 28, Postgraduate medical journal, p. 269
- "Finnegans Wake". www.finwake.com. Retrieved 2016-07-18.
External links
Media related to Mount Arafat at Wikimedia Commons - Muslim pilgrims gather at Mount Arafat for Hajj's key moment (YouTube)
- Muslim pilgrims scale Mount Arafat for peak of hajj
- Millions Of Muslim Pilgrims Gather At Mount Arafat To Mark Pinnacle Of Hajj | TIME
- اكثر من 2 مليون حاج يصعدون إلى جبل عرفات 1433 هـ (in Arabic)