Friendship wrote: The Imam on the Day of Arafat's position in the Umma. Was it that of leadership or just on mare prayer? Do they read the Suras (chapters) during their prayers as recommended by Muhammad.

• So after the sun rises on the Day of 'Arafah (10th Dhul-Hijjah) - he moves off towards 'Arafah (a large plain to the south-east of Makkah), while reciting talbiyyah of takbeer - as both of these were practised by the Companions of the Prophet while making Hajj with him - and he did not critize either (those reciting tal-biyyah of those reciting takbeer.) (62)

• Then he stops at Namirah (63) - and it is a place near to 'Arafah but not forming part of it - and he remains there until noon.

• So When the sun passes its zenith he moves to 'Uranah and settles there,(64) and it is next to 'Arafah - and here the Imaam should give an appropriate Khutbah to the people.

• Then he prays with the people Zuhr and 'Asr shortening and combining them in the time of the Zuhr prayer.

• And one adhaan is given and two iqaamahs.

• And he does not pray anything between the two prayers.(65)

• And he who is not able to pray along with the Imaam - then he prays them in the same way on his own - or with those in similar situation around him.(66)

• Then he goes off to 'Arafah and if able stands upon the rocks beneath the Mount of Mercy (Jabal ur-Rahmah) and if not then all of 'Arafah is place of standing.

• And he stands facing the Qiblah, raising his hands making du'aa and reciting talbiyyah.

• And he recites much 'La ilaha illallaah' as it is the best du'aa on the Day of 'Arafah as the Prophet said: The best thing that I and the Prophets have said on the evening of 'Arafah is Laa ilaha illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu lahul mulk wa lahul hamdu wa huwa 'alaa kulli shay'in qadeer.(67)

• And if he adds in the talbiyyah occasionally (all good is the good of the Hereafter) then that is permissible.(68)

• And it is sunnah for the one standing in 'Arafah not to fast that day.

• And he remains in that state, remembering Allaah reciting talbiyyah, making du'aa as he wishes - hoping from Allaah that He will make him one of those whom He boasts of (those whom He frees from Fire) to the Angels as occurs in the hadith :"There is no day on which Allaah frees more of His slaves from Fire than the Day of 'Arafah, and He verily draws near then boasts of them before the angles, saying :'What do they seek?' "(69) and in another hadith : "Verily Allaah boasts of the people of 'Arafah before the people of heaven (the angels), saying : 'Look to my servants who have come to Me dishevelled and dusty.'"(70) and he remains in that state until the sun sets.

• So when the sun has set he leaves 'Arafah for Muzdalifah - going with calmness and tranquility, not jostling or pushing the people with himself or his riding beast or his vehicle, rather whenever he finds room then he goes faster.

• And when reaching Muzdalifah he gives adhaan and iqaamah then prays the three ra'kahs of Maghrib, then gives iqaamah and prays 'Ishaa - shortening it - and joining the two prayers.

• And if he separates the two prayers for some necessity then there is no harm in that.(71)

• And he does not pray anything between them or after 'Ishaa.(72)

• Then he sleeps until Fajr.

• Then when the dawn first appears he prays Fajr in the first part of its time with adhaan and iqaamah.

63. 64. 63,64. This stopping and that after it may be difficult to perform these days due to the crowd of people, so if he goes past it to 'Arafah then it is alright insh'allah. Shaikh ul Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah says in 'al-Fataawaa' (26:128): As for that which is from the sunnah of Rasoolullah - staying in Minaa on Yaum -ut-Tarwiyyah and for that night, then stopping at 'Urahah', which is between the Mash'ar ul Haraam and going from there to 'Arafah, and the giving of Khutbah and the two prayers on the way in the middle of 'Uranah'- then this is as agreed upon by scholars - whereas many writers do not bring it to notice - and most people do not know due to the prevalence of invented practices."

65. I say: "And also it is not reported that the Prophet prayed anything before Zuhr or after 'Asr in this place - or in any of his journeys - and it is not established that he prayed any supplementary prayers in any of his journeys except the two sunnahs of Fajr and the Witr.

66. Bukharee narrates it from Ibn 'Umar with mu'allaq isnaad. See 'Mukhtasar-al-Bukhari'(3/89/25).

67. Hasan or Sahih hadith. With more than one isnaad - refer to 'As-Saheehah,(no.1503)'.

68. As that is established from the Prophet - as is explained in the Original.

69. Narrated by Muslim and others. See 'At-Targheeb'(2/129).

70. Narrated by AHmad and others - and authenticated by a number of scholars - as I have explained in 'Takhreej ut-Targheeb'.

71. This was said ny Shaikh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah, its being established from the Prophet and his companions, in al-Bukhari (25/94/801) (Mukhtasar al-Bukhari).

72. Ibn Taimiyyah says: "And when he reaches Muzdalifah he prays Maghrib before making the camels kneel down if possible, then after making them kneel they pray 'Ishaa - and if they delay the 'Ishaa somewhat then there is no harm."

• So after the sun rises on the Day of 'Arafah (10th Dhul-Hijjah) - he moves off towards 'Arafah (a large plain to the south-east of Makkah), while reciting talbiyyah of takbeer - as both of these were practised by the Companions of the Prophet while making Hajj with him - and he did not critize either (those reciting tal-biyyah of those reciting takbeer.) (62)

• Then he stops at Namirah (63) - and it is a place near to 'Arafah but not forming part of it - and he remains there until noon.

• So When the sun passes its zenith he moves to 'Uranah and settles there,(64) and it is next to 'Arafah - and here the Imaam should give an appropriate Khutbah to the people.

• Then he prays with the people Zuhr and 'Asr shortening and combining them in the time of the Zuhr prayer.

• And one adhaan is given and two iqaamahs.

• And he does not pray anything between the two prayers.(65)

• And he who is not able to pray along with the Imaam - then he prays them in the same way on his own - or with those in similar situation around him.(66)

• Then he goes off to 'Arafah and if able stands upon the rocks beneath the Mount of Mercy (Jabal ur-Rahmah) and if not then all of 'Arafah is place of standing.

• And he stands facing the Qiblah, raising his hands making du'aa and reciting talbiyyah.

• And he recites much 'La ilaha illallaah' as it is the best du'aa on the Day of 'Arafah as the Prophet said: The best thing that I and the Prophets have said on the evening of 'Arafah is Laa ilaha illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu lahul mulk wa lahul hamdu wa huwa 'alaa kulli shay'in qadeer.(67)

• And if he adds in the talbiyyah occasionally (all good is the good of the Hereafter) then that is permissible.(68)

• And it is sunnah for the one standing in 'Arafah not to fast that day.

• And he remains in that state, remembering Allaah reciting talbiyyah, making du'aa as he wishes - hoping from Allaah that He will make him one of those whom He boasts of (those whom He frees from Fire) to the Angels as occurs in the hadith :"There is no day on which Allaah frees more of His slaves from Fire than the Day of 'Arafah, and He verily draws near then boasts of them before the angles, saying :'What do they seek?' "(69) and in another hadith : "Verily Allaah boasts of the people of 'Arafah before the people of heaven (the angels), saying : 'Look to my servants who have come to Me dishevelled and dusty.'"(70) and he remains in that state until the sun sets.

• So when the sun has set he leaves 'Arafah for Muzdalifah - going with calmness and tranquility, not jostling or pushing the people with himself or his riding beast or his vehicle, rather whenever he finds room then he goes faster.

• And when reaching Muzdalifah he gives adhaan and iqaamah then prays the three ra'kahs of Maghrib, then gives iqaamah and prays 'Ishaa - shortening it - and joining the two prayers.

• And if he separates the two prayers for some necessity then there is no harm in that.(71)

• And he does not pray anything between them or after 'Ishaa.(72)

• Then he sleeps until Fajr.

• Then when the dawn first appears he prays Fajr in the first part of its time with adhaan and iqaamah.

63. 64. 63,64. This stopping and that after it may be difficult to perform these days due to the crowd of people, so if he goes past it to 'Arafah then it is alright insh'allah. Shaikh ul Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah says in 'al-Fataawaa' (26:128): As for that which is from the sunnah of Rasoolullah - staying in Minaa on Yaum -ut-Tarwiyyah and for that night, then stopping at 'Urahah', which is between the Mash'ar ul Haraam and going from there to 'Arafah, and the giving of Khutbah and the two prayers on the way in the middle of 'Uranah'- then this is as agreed upon by scholars - whereas many writers do not bring it to notice - and most people do not know due to the prevalence of invented practices."

65. I say: "And also it is not reported that the Prophet prayed anything before Zuhr or after 'Asr in this place - or in any of his journeys - and it is not established that he prayed any supplementary prayers in any of his journeys except the two sunnahs of Fajr and the Witr.

66. Bukharee narrates it from Ibn 'Umar with mu'allaq isnaad. See 'Mukhtasar-al-Bukhari'(3/89/25).

67. Hasan or Sahih hadith. With more than one isnaad - refer to 'As-Saheehah,(no.1503)'.

68. As that is established from the Prophet - as is explained in the Original.

69. Narrated by Muslim and others. See 'At-Targheeb'(2/129).

70. Narrated by AHmad and others - and authenticated by a number of scholars - as I have explained in 'Takhreej ut-Targheeb'.

71. This was said ny Shaikh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah, its being established from the Prophet and his companions, in al-Bukhari (25/94/801) (Mukhtasar al-Bukhari).

72. Ibn Taimiyyah says: "And when he reaches Muzdalifah he prays Maghrib before making the camels kneel down if possible, then after making them kneel they pray 'Ishaa - and if they delay the 'Ishaa somewhat then there is no harm."