Day of 'Arafa

We must not disregard the awesomeness of the Day of ‘Arafa …. Often we don't appreciate its importance….
It is always lovely to see the spring come each year, with all that it brings, especially the spring cleaning bit. The day of ‘Arafa is a process of spiritual spring cleaning to be able to see the immense potential of the floorplan of the soul…
Open the windows of the soul, get rid of unwanted accumulations, clean out the cobwebs and challenge your fears. Replaces an old assumption with new insight, and sprout new understandings..
The spring wakes us, nurtures us and revitalizes us. The day of ‘Arafa does exactly the same if we allow it to……. What appeared attractive and worth keeping in the dark and cold of the winter becomes unnecessary in the spring, and sometimes very unattractive. Which of your painful emotions--such as anger, jealousy and resentment--now looks unattractive to you? What out-of-control behavior--such as overeating, gambling, shopping…..are candidates for disposal? The more you challenge them by not acting on them while you are experiencing them, the more you free yourself…..
‘Arafa is called ‘Arafa because it is the day of “ma’rifa”, it is the day of knowing your Rabb and recognizing Him. The hadith, “Whoever recognizes himself, recognizes his Creator” is narrated for this day. Imam Husayn (pbuh) in the dua of ‘Arafa says:
“O Rabb! what has he lost who has gained You, and what has he gained who has lost You?”.
It is also the day of acceptance and acknowledgement…
Acknowledgement of submission to Divinity,
Acknowledgement of sins, defects, ignorance, mistakes, failures…. &
Acknowledgement of His mercy, benevolence, and forgiveness.
A hadith says “Those who weren’t able to achieve their purpose and goal in Laylatul Qadr or those who weren’t forgiven on that day, ‘Arafa is the last opportunity for them”.
This day in its blessedness, sacredness and holiness weighs the same as the Night of Qadr. In days there is no bigger day than Arafa and in Nights there is no greater night than Laylatul Qadr!”

The real valuable moments are between Dhuhr & Maghrib. Take some time out and lay out yor plans of how you will reach your full potential…. Do not take them for granted. Try and do what you may not have been able to do ever…Soften your hearts to allow Divinity to take you to your full potential step by step…..

For those in Hajj, when the door of ‘Arafa opens, the door of Muzdalifa appears. Muzdalifah’ has been taken from the root word Zulfa, which means proximity and nearness. When this door opens the door of Mina appears, which is the door of hope and wishes. When this door opens too one is sent back to the house of God and there is Liqa Allah, meeting with Divinity.
 

Dua Al 'Arafa

The last part of Dua ‘Arafa which you can ponder over if you are not able to do all the ‘amals….
Yaa Asma’as Saami’een (O the One Who is The Listener)
Yaa Absaran Naazhireen (O the One Who is The Observer)
Yaa Asra’al Haasibeen (O the One Who is The Accountant)
Wa Yaa Arhamar Raahimeen (And O the One Who is The Most Kind)
Salli ‘alaa Muhammad wa aali Muhammad (Send blessings on Muhammad & the progeny of Muhammad)
Wa asaluka Allahumma (And I ask You O Allah)
Haajatillatiy in a’taytaneehaa lam yadhurraniy maa mana’taniy (A request which if You give me none can take away from me)
Wa in mana’taniyhaa lam yanfa’niy maa a’taytaniy (and if You do not grant it to me, nothing can benefit me)
Asaluka fakaaka raqabatiy minan naar (I ASK YOU TO FREE MY NECK FROM THE FIRE (AGITATION)
Laa ilaaha illaa anta wahdaka laa shariykaa laka
Lakal mulku wa lakal hamd
Wa anta ‘alaa kulli shayin qadeer
Yaa Rabb Yaa Rabb Yaa Rabb……..
The secret here is in first in the 4 Asmaul Husna – so remember Ears, Eyes, Numbers & Hugs
Then a salawat on the Ahlulbayt
After that tell Him this is something only HE can grant:
Ask for freedom from the fire (which means asking for total freedom from agitation – in other words “To want not to want”
Which means to have reached a place where the poet Allama Iqbal describes beautifully:
"Khudi ko kar buland itna, ke har takdeer se pehley
Khuda bande se khud puche, bata teri raza kiya hai. "
A very rough translation with apologies to the poet:
"Increase your selflessness to such heights that before creating each destiny, God himself would have to ask the human 'What is your opinion about this' ".
Recite this dua all the time (not only on ‘Arafa)