Excellence of Fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah

By Aboo Ibraheem Kekere-ekun

The day of ‘Arafah is the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah and it comes before the day of Sacrifice,
‘Eed al-Adhaa which is the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah.

The Prophet (‫ )صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬mentioned the importance and merit of fasting on this day. It is
related on the authority of Aboo Qataadah al-Ansaaree that Allaah’s Messenger (‫)صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬
said, “I hope by Allaah that fasting on the day of ‘Arafah may atone for the sins of the
preceding year and the coming year.”1 In another narration, Aboo Qataadah al-Ansaaree
related that Allaah’s Messenger (‫ )صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬said, “I hope by Allaah that fasting on the day of
‘Arafah may atone for the sins of the preceding year and the coming year, and I hope by
Allaah that fasting on the day of ‘Aashooraa’ may atone for the sins of the preceding
year.”2

In another narration, Aboo Qataadah al-Ansaaree said: Allaah’s Messenger (‫ )صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬was
asked about fasting on the day of ‘Arafah, and he (‫ )صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬said, “It expiates the sins of the
preceding year and the coming year.” Then he (‫ )صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬was asked about fasting on the day
of ‘Aashooraa’ (the tenth day of Muharram), and he (‫ )صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬said, “It expiates the sins of
the preceding year.”3

In another narration, Aboo Qataadah al-Ansaaree said: Allaah’s Messenger (‫ )صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬was
asked about fasting on the day of ‘Arafah, and he (‫ )صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬said, “It expiates the sins of two
years.” Then he (‫ )صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬was asked about fasting on the day of ‘Aashooraa’, and he ( ‫صلى اهلل عليه‬
4
‫ )وسلم‬said, “It expiates the sins of a year.”

In another narration, Aboo Qataadah al-Ansaaree related that Allaah’s Messenger ( ‫صلى اهلل عليه‬
‫ )وسلم‬said, “The fasting on the day of ‘Arafah expiates sins of two years–the preceding year

and the coming year– and the fasting on the day of ‘Aashooraa’ (the tenth day of
Muharram) expiates the sins of the preceding year.”5

In another narration, Qataadah ibn an-Nu‘maan related that Allaah’s Messenger (‫)صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬
said, “Whoever fasts on the day of ‘Arafah, he will be forgiven the sins of the previous year
and the following year.”6

In another narration, Sahl ibn Sa‘d related that Allaah’s Messenger ( ‫ )صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬said,
“Whoever fasts on the day of ‘Arafah will have his sins for two consecutive years
forgiven.”7

Endnotes
1. Collected by at-Tirmidhee (no. 749) and Ibn Maajah (no. 1730) and it was authenticated
(Saheeh) by Shaykh al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhee and Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah,
no. 1406.
2. Collected by Muslim [Sahih Muslim (English Trans.), vol. 2, pp. 566-7, no. 2602], Ahmad
[Musnad al-Ansaar] and Aboo Daawood (no. 2425) and it was authenticated (Saheeh) by Shaykh
al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood, no. 2096.
3. Collected by Muslim [Sahih Muslim (English Trans.), vol. 2, p. 568, no. 2603] and Ahmad
[Musnad al-Ansaar].
4. Collected by Ahmad [Musnad al-Ansaar] and it was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in
Irwaa’ al-Ghaleel, vol. 4, pp. 108-9, under hadeeth no. 952.
5. Collected by Ahmad [Musnad al-Ansaar] and it was authenticated (Saheeh) by Shaykh al-
Albaanee in Saheeh al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer, no. 3806 in Irwaa’ al-Ghaleel, vol. 4, pp. 111, hadeeth
no. 955.
6. Collected by Ibn Maajah (no. 1731) and it was authenticated (Saheeh li-ghayrihi) by Shaykh al-
Albaanee in Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb, no. 1011 and Saheeh al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer, no.
6335.
7. Collected by Aboo Ya‘laa and it was authenticated (Saheeh) by Shaykh al-Albaanee in Saheeh
at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb, no. 1012.