Mount Arafat

ʿ Arafat (Arabic عرفات ) is a level around 20 km south-east of Mecca, which takes place in the central ritual of the Islamic Hajj pilgrimage. The day, which is scheduled for this ritual, the 9th Dhu al - Hijjah, is also called ʿ Arafa Day (Arabic: يوم عرفة ). Without participating in the ritual of Hajj is not valid.

The level of ʿ Arafat has an area of four miles in an east-west direction, and seven to eight miles in a north-south direction. At the northeastern edge of the 200 foot high is " Jabal ar - rahma ' ( جبل الرحمة / ǧabal ar - Rahma / Mountain of Mercy "). It is also called ʿ Arafat Mountain ( ǧabal ʿ Arafat ). In order to provide protection from the sun, tents are pitched for the ʿ Arafa Day. During this day there are several million pilgrims in this plane. The rest of the year is the ʿ Arafat level deserted.

Description of taking place in ʿ Arafat ritual

On the morning of 9 Dhu al - Hijjah embark in their ihram clothing into the ʿ Arafat level and gather there. Once the sun has passed its highest point, begins the central event of the Hajj. The pilgrims perform together the noon and afternoon prayers and then stay there until sunset. This is Verweilzeremonie Wuquf ( وقوف / Standing ' ), in the sense of " standing before God ". The space in which the ritual Wuquf is legally permissible, is characterized by boundary times.

At the beginning of Wuquf, this ritual lingering, a prominent Islamic scholar holding a two-part Chutba and intends doing the farewell sermon of the Prophet, which he held to this point shortly before his death. The pilgrims recite during the ceremony Quranic verses speak blessings on the Prophet and say prayers and Talbiya. Shortly after sunset, the so-called Ifada, the " outflow " begins. Here the pilgrims rush out of the plane towards Muzdalifah, which is halfway between ʿ Arafat and Mecca. In this valley, the pilgrims stop Ifada and perform at the end of the day, evening and night prayer. The contraction of two prayers at lunchtime and after sunset is a peculiarity of ʿ Arafa Day.

Some Muslims fast on the ʿ Arafa Day. It is disputed whether this fasting prescribed as Sunnah, or is to be regarded as a voluntary act; because the Koran is to have no corresponding statement.

History

The Wuquf on ʿ Arafa day has pre-Islamic origins. He trained in ancient Arabia, the final ritual of the annual markets of ʿ ukase, Dhu l - Madschāz and Madschanna that took place in the sacred months near ʿ Arafat. After the capture of Mecca by the Muslims, the ritual was Islamized. In the so-called " farewell pilgrimage " shortly before his death in 632, Muhammad held in ʿ Arafat level a speech and thereby laid down the rules for the ritual.

The boundaries of the area of ʿ Arafat were fixed geographically in the 8th century in fiqh. In the 12th century the zengidische vizier al - Jawad al -Isfahani built on the Jabal al- Rahma mosque, and put on a flight of stairs that led up to her. In addition, he built an underground aqueduct which supplied the ʿ Arafat level during the days of Hajj with water.