From Arafat to Muzdalifah, and the night there
Leaving Arafat after sunset, the crossing of Wadi Muhassir, combining Maghrib and Isha, and the standing at Mash'ar al-Haram before dawn.
As soon as the sun sets on the Day of Arafah, pilgrims leave together for a place called Muzdalifah, and spend the night there.
From Arafat to Muzdalifah
- Walk calmly towards Muzdalifah, saying the Talbiyah and dua. Walking a bit quickly is sunnah, as long as it does not bother anyone else.
- When you reach Muzdalifah, wash yourself (ghusl) if you can, or at least make wudu.
- Settle on the right-hand side near the mountain called Mash'ar al-Haram. Anywhere else in Muzdalifah is fine too, except one valley called Muhassir: do not stay there.
- If you pass through the Valley of Muhassir, walk a little faster through it.
- Pray Maghrib and Isha together, at Isha's time, one after the other.
- Spend the night in dhikr, dua, and asking forgiveness, just like you did at Arafat.
- Pray Fajr early, while it is still dark, then go to the mountain called Mash'ar al-Haram and make dua there, facing the Qiblah, until it is nearly sunrise.
اَللّٰهُمَّ لَا تَقْتُلْنَا بِغَضَبِكَ وَلَا تُهْلِكۡنَا بِعَذَابِكَ وَ عَافِنَا قَبْلَ ذٰلِكَ
Allāhumma lā taqtulnā bi-ghaḍabika wa lā tuhliknā bi-ʿadhābika wa ʿāfinā qabla dhālik.
O Allah! Do not kill us in Your anger, and do not destroy us with Your punishment. And grant us safety before that.
اَللّٰهُمَّ بِحَقِّ الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْبَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ وَ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالرُّكْنِ وَ الۡمَقَامِ بَلِّغۡ رُوحَ مُحَمَّدٍ مِنَّا التَّحِيَّةَ وَ السَّلَامَ وَ اَدْخِلْنَا دَارَ السَّلَامِ يَا ذَا الْجَلالِ وَ الۡإِكْرَامِ
Allāhumma bi-ḥaqqi'l-mashʿari'l-ḥarāmi wa'l-bayti'l-ḥarāmi wa'sh-shahri'l-ḥarāmi wa'r-rukni wa'l-maqām, balligh rūḥa Muḥammadin minna't-taḥiyyata wa's-salām, wa adkhilnā dāra's-salām, yā dha'l-jalāli wa'l-ikrām.
O Allah! By the sanctity of Mash'ar al-Haram, the Sacred House, the Sacred Month, the Cornerstone, and Maqam-e-Ibrahim, convey greetings and peace to the pure soul of Muhammad ﷺ on our behalf, and admit us into the abode of peace, O Lord of Majesty and Honour.
After sunset at Arafat, the pilgrims move together to Muzdalifah (named, it is said, for the closeness (izdilaf) at which Adam and Hawwa are said to have come together there), a site three kos from Arafat, with a flowing stream.
From Arafat to the night at Muzdalifah
- Walk towards Muzdalifah reciting Talbiyah and dua, calmly and with dignity. Walking briskly, where it does not inconvenience others, is sunnah.
- On arrival, dismount and perform ghusl if possible, or wudu if not.
- Descend on the right-hand side of the path, near Muzdalifah's mountain, Mash'ar al-Haram, close to the mosque, rather than in the middle of the path, which is disliked. If no space is available there, any part of Muzdalifah will do, except the Valley of Muhassir.
- While crossing the Valley of Muhassir, hasten the pace for roughly the distance of a stone's throw (speeding up a mount too, if riding) without inconveniencing others.
- Before unloading, pray Maghrib and Isha combined, at Isha's time, with a single adhan and one iqamah behind the Imam (the Shafiʿi and Maliki schools use two iqamahs). Pray the sunnah and Witr of both after the farḍ prayers. Congregation for this combined prayer is an emphasised sunnah; even praying alone, the two are still combined.
- Spend the night, as at Arafat, occupied with dhikr, dua, istighfar, and seeking Allah's pleasure.
- At dawn, pray Fajr behind the Imam, or alone, while it is still dark, then proceed to the mountain of Mash'ar al-Haram (also called Jabal Qazah), and, facing the Qiblah, recite Talbiyah, tasbih, tahlil, takbir, tahmid and salutations on the Prophet ﷺ until close to sunrise.
Delaying Maghrib and Isha until reaching Muzdalifah, and spending the night there even briefly, are each wajib acts of Hajj.
اَللّٰهُمَّ لَا تَقْتُلْنَا بِغَضَبِكَ وَلَا تُهْلِكۡنَا بِعَذَابِكَ وَ عَافِنَا قَبْلَ ذٰلِكَ
Allāhumma lā taqtulnā bi-ghaḍabika wa lā tuhliknā bi-ʿadhābika wa ʿāfinā qabla dhālik.
O Allah! Do not kill us in Your anger, and do not destroy us with Your punishment. And grant us safety before that.
اَللّٰهُمَّ بِحَقِّ الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْبَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ وَ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالرُّكْنِ وَ الۡمَقَامِ بَلِّغۡ رُوحَ مُحَمَّدٍ مِنَّا التَّحِيَّةَ وَ السَّلَامَ وَ اَدْخِلْنَا دَارَ السَّلَامِ يَا ذَا الْجَلالِ وَ الۡإِكْرَامِ
Allāhumma bi-ḥaqqi'l-mashʿari'l-ḥarāmi wa'l-bayti'l-ḥarāmi wa'sh-shahri'l-ḥarāmi wa'r-rukni wa'l-maqām, balligh rūḥa Muḥammadin minna't-taḥiyyata wa's-salām, wa adkhilnā dāra's-salām, yā dha'l-jalāli wa'l-ikrām.
O Allah! By the sanctity of Mash'ar al-Haram, the Sacred House, the Sacred Month, the Cornerstone, and Maqam-e-Ibrahim, convey greetings and peace to the pure soul of Muhammad ﷺ on our behalf, and admit us into the abode of peace, O Lord of Majesty and Honour.
Departure from ʿArafah after sunset is towards Muzdalifah: three kos distant, with a running stream, its name traced to izdilāf (drawing near), on the report that Ādam drew near to Ḥawwā' there.
From ʿArafah to the night at Muzdalifah
- Depart reciting Talbiyah and duʿā, in calm and dignity; a brisk pace, where it inconveniences no one, is sunnah.
- On arrival, dismount for ghusl if feasible, wuḍūʾ otherwise.
- Descend to the right of the path near the mountain called Mash'ar al-Ḥarām, close to the mosque there, rather than in the path's centre, which is makrūh. Failing space there, any part of Muzdalifah suffices except the Valley of Muḥassir.
- Through the Valley of Muḥassir, the pace is hastened for roughly a stone's throw, a mount likewise sped up, without causing harm to others.
- Before unloading baggage, Maghrib and ʿIshā' are prayed jamʿ (combined) at ʿIshā''s time, with one adhān and one iqāmah behind the Imam, per the Ḥanafī school (Imams al-Shāfiʿī and Mālik hold two iqāmahs). Sunnah and Witr for both are prayed after the farḍs. Congregation for this jamʿ is sunnah mu'akkadah; a pilgrim praying alone still combines the two.
- The night is spent, as at ʿArafah, in dhikr, duʿā, istighfār, and seeking Allah's good pleasure.
- At dawn, Fajr is prayed behind the Imam or alone, in the last darkness, and the pilgrim proceeds to Jabal Qazaḥ (Mash'ar al-Ḥarām), reciting Talbiyah, tasbīḥ, tahlīl, takbīr, taḥmīd and ṣalawāt facing the qiblah until near sunrise.
Two acts here are wājib in their own right: delaying Maghrib and ʿIshā' until Muzdalifah is reached, and spending at least a portion of the night at Muzdalifah.
اَللّٰهُمَّ لَا تَقْتُلْنَا بِغَضَبِكَ وَلَا تُهْلِكۡنَا بِعَذَابِكَ وَ عَافِنَا قَبْلَ ذٰلِكَ
Allāhumma lā taqtulnā bi-ghaḍabika wa lā tuhliknā bi-ʿadhābika wa ʿāfinā qabla dhālik.
O Allah! Do not kill us in Your anger, and do not destroy us with Your punishment. And grant us safety before that.
اَللّٰهُمَّ بِحَقِّ الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْبَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ وَ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالرُّكْنِ وَ الۡمَقَامِ بَلِّغۡ رُوحَ مُحَمَّدٍ مِنَّا التَّحِيَّةَ وَ السَّلَامَ وَ اَدْخِلْنَا دَارَ السَّلَامِ يَا ذَا الْجَلالِ وَ الۡإِكْرَامِ
Allāhumma bi-ḥaqqi'l-mashʿari'l-ḥarāmi wa'l-bayti'l-ḥarāmi wa'sh-shahri'l-ḥarāmi wa'r-rukni wa'l-maqām, balligh rūḥa Muḥammadin minna't-taḥiyyata wa's-salām, wa adkhilnā dāra's-salām, yā dha'l-jalāli wa'l-ikrām.
O Allah! By the sanctity of Mash'ar al-Haram, the Sacred House, the Sacred Month, the Cornerstone, and Maqam-e-Ibrahim, convey greetings and peace to the pure soul of Muhammad ﷺ on our behalf, and admit us into the abode of peace, O Lord of Majesty and Honour.
Terms on this page
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