5 Amal Recommended for Arafat & Eid Al-Adha

The Day of Arafah is an Islamic holiday that lands on the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah. On this day, pilgrims gather at Arafat, which is a region around 20 kilometres from the Ka’bah in Makkah, to perform Amal (deeds). The day following marks Eid Al-Adha, signifying the end of Hajj. This article will talk about five recommended acts for pilgrims and non-pilgrims on the day of Arafat and Eid.

1. Praying for Forgiveness 

From noon to sunset on the Day of Arafah, Pilgrims visit Arafat where they stand to repent and ask for mercy and forgiveness from Allah (swt). One can also ask for forgiveness from their own homes if they are not attending Hajj. Moreover, there are recommended prayers, as well as dua’a that can be read for forgiveness. For example, the supplication of Arafa by Imam Al-Hussain (AS) is a dua’a that can be recited. This dua’a states that there is no God but Allah (swt) and that all of human creation will return to Him after death. Moreover, Dua Al-Nudbah is also recommended to be recited on the tenth day of Dul Hijjah.

2. Ghusl  

Ghusl is the act of bathing oneself in an Islamic manner. This is a highly recommended act. If you are unaware of how ghusl is done, here is a video from our team at ZT Media that describes it: youtube.com/watch?v=mgxufALcPr8

3. Fasting 

Fasting is a highly recommended, but not obligatory act on the day of Arafah. According to Imam Al-Sadiq (AS); “Fasting the 8^th of Dhul-Hijjah suffices to wipe out the sins committed in an entire year, and fasting the day or Arafat suffices to atone for the sins committed for two years”. Therefore those who fast are highly rewarded on the day or Arafah, and before.

4. Performing good deeds

Allah (swt) loves those who give or help others and as such will be rewarded with hasanat. One can perform simple acts such as volunteering at a community centre, baking a cake for a neighbour, or simply calling friends and family to check upon them. All these actions will have generous rewards as they reflect what a well practicing Muslim should act like.

5. Perform Qurbani 

As mentioned in the blog from weeks ago, Qurbani is the act of sacrifice of an animal for the sake of Allah as it reflects Prophet Ibrahim’s (AS) dedication to Allah. If you are looking to donate money towards Qurbani, The Zahra(s) Trust Canada is accepting donations here and working hard to deliver your sacrifice to individuals in need. To learn more and donate towards Qurbani click here. If you cannot afford to do so, donating to charity or cooking something for the less fortunate is also a great way to make a sacrifice in honour of the blessed day!