Etiquettes & Supplications for the Day of Arafah

Etiquettes & Supplications for the Day of Arafah

{Prescription of Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse}

by: Imam Fakhruddin Owaisi (South-Africa)

The Day of Arafah is the greatest Day of the Year just as the Laylat-ul-Qadr is the greatest Night. This Deen was revealed on the Laylat al-Qadr and completed on the Yawm Arafah.

Besides lots of Dhikr and Du'a, Tijanis can do these things on that sacred day and after:

1- Fast on the Day!

Our Master of Masters, the blessed Prophet Muhammad (SAW) used to fast on that Day.

He also said that Allah will forgive the sins of the "past year" and the "coming year" of the person who fasts on that Day.

Sidna Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse (RA) used say that this means that person who fasts on that day will hopefully live another year!

2- Recite the Ayat al-Hirs (Verse No 128 till end of Surah Tawbah), 360 Times before Sunset with the intention of Protection, Mercy and Guidance for the whole year.

Here are the Verses (last two verses of Surah 9):

لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُوۡلٌ مِّنْ اَنۡفُسِكُمْ عَزِیۡزٌ عَلَیۡه مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِیۡصٌ عَلَیۡكُمۡ بِالْمُؤْمِنِیۡنَ رَءُوۡفٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ

فَاِنۡ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِیَ اللہُ لاۤ اِلٰه  اِلاَّ هُوَ عَلَیۡهِ  تَوَکَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِیۡمِ

These blessed Verses are known as Ayat al-Hirs, and contain great Divine and Muhammadan Secrets. This was narrated from our Master Sayyidina Shaykh Ahmad al-Tijani (RA) himself.

3- To recite the special Salawat called Yaqutat al-Haqa'iq (The Ruby of Realities) 161 times, as that is considered equivalent to standing on Arafah.  

  However, this is only for those Tijanis who have IJAZAH in this unique Salawat, that was granted by the Prophet (SAW) to Shaykh Ahmad Tijani (RA) in a state of wakefullness.

4- Prepare for the slaughtering of the Sacrifical Sheep on the Great Day of Eid-ul-Adha. It is indeed a Symbol of ISLAM and a great Sunnah of the Prophets, from Abraham (A.S.) till Muhammad (SAW).

 There are GREAT blessings in Slaughtering on that day. Every Muslim must try to slaughter one sheep for every member of their family.

If you cant afford for everyone, then 1 for yourself and 1 for the wife.  If that is also not possible, then you MUST slaughter 1 sheep for the whole family.

The Prophet (SAW) said that our Intentions for slaughtering reach Allah even before the blood falls on the ground. He (SAW) also stated that our sins are forgiven in accordance with every hair of that slaughtered sheep.

This is a great sacrifice! One never be miserly with this great Ibadah. Many people say "We cant afford a sheep" but spend even more money on Dunya things. They must realize the Blessing they are missing.

It is preferred to slaughter yourself in your own hometown, reciting the Takbir with your family. However, it is allowed to send the money elsewhere to get the sheep slaughtered there. Tijanis may send to Shaykh Tijani Cisse and Shaykh Mahy Cisse in Medina-Baye, as they also collect the monies and slaughter the sheep there, which is then distributed to the poor in Senegal.

The Prophet (SAW) recommended that all those who will slaughter, should not cut their nails or hair , from the 1st of the month till the Day of Eid,  in imitation of the Holy Pilgrims. However, it is not a condition.

 It is also recommended that on the Day of the Eid, we eat nothing before the Prayer, and thereafter eat from the Slaughtered Animal, as there is great barakah in that Sacrifical meat.

All these Sunnahs are upkept by our Shaykhs in Medina-Baye.

5- Recite the Takbir loudly after every Obligatory Prayer from the Fajr of the Day of Arafah (9th Zil-Hajj) till the Asr of the 13th day. It is a great Sunnah, in which we celebrate Allah's Bounties on the Pilgrims and on this blessed Ummah of Muhammad (SAW) and nation of Islam. 

The Day of Arafah is the 9th of Dhi-'l-Hajj, when the Hujjaj stand on the sacred plains of ARAFAH!

Our Guide Shaykh al-Haj Ibrahim Niasse (RA) also gave some advice to his students on what to do in the holy nights of Ramadan. I mention them here again, as the occasion is similar and the virtues of these actions remain evergreen. He says:

و عليكم بالأوراد التجانية فنعمت أوراد التربية هي

I advise you to promptly recite the Wirds of the Tijani Path, for they are best Zikrs of Tarbiyah

و عليكم بالمحادثة في شأن الختم التجاني مع أحبابكم فهي أفضل من جميع الأوراد

And I advise you to talk about and discuss the Status of our Shaykh al-Khatm al-Tijani (RA) with your fellow disciples, for that is better than all Awrad

و عليكم بذكر فيضته التي بها حقق الله الحقائق الربانية في قلوبكم و أذاقكم المعارف الإلهية فتقدرون قدر هذه النعمة و تشكروا الله و لا تكفروه

And I advise you to mention and recall his Faydah through which Allah established His Realities in your hearts and made you taste his Divine Sciences. So that you may comprehend the value of this blessing, and thank Allah and not be ungrateful

Primary Source;

(From a letter written by the Shaykh (RA) in Kaolack around 1934, mentioned in the handwritten collection entitled al-Durrah al-Kharidah wa al-Yaqutah al-Faridah min Rasa’il Sahib al-Faydah al-Tijaniyyah wa Hamil Rayat al-Shari’ah wa al-Tariqah wa al-Haqiqah fi s-Sirri wa l-Alaniyah i.e. The Unique Pearl and the Rare Ruby from the Letters of the Bringer of the Tijani Faydah and the Carrier of the Banner of Shari’ah, Tariqah and Haqiqah in private and public, may Allah be pleased with him)

- Print this message and make sure you dont miss out on any of this.

We request everyone to make Dua for us, as we make Dua for them. Amen.

Was-Salam,

Servant of the Tijani Door,

Fakhruddin bin Ahmad al-Tijani al-Ibrahimi