By DEJI ABDULWAHAB

Pilgrims from across the world, on Thursday, congregated at Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia for an intense, daylong worship and reflection.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Arafat Day, the ninth day of the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah, is significant in the Hajj rite and Muslim calendar.

The day is for millions of pilgrims to converge on Mount of Arafat, near Makkah, to perform the most important ritual of Hajj, known as Wuqoof-e-Arafat.

Mount Arafat is the place where Prophet Muhammad delivered his final speech, known as the Farewell Sermon, 1,435 years ago.

The Day is considered the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage, with pilgrims spending the entire day in prayer and supplication.

It is also the day Muslims not performing Hajj engage in voluntary fasting, repenting for their sins and seeking God?s forgiveness.

This Arafat ritual involves pilgrims staying at the sacred place from midday until sunset, facing the Qiblah (the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah) and praying.

Speaking on the significance of Arafat Day, Sheikh Bashir Dahiru-Bauchi, said it is a day when Allah shows the pilgrims to angels in their kingdom.

The cleric said ?Allah would say look at the generation and children of Prophet Adam glorifying my names.

?You predicted that they would come down to the earth and commit a lot of bloodshed and corruption and here they are worshipping me, glorifying my names.

?See them, because of me they cannot take bath with soap, and they can?t cut their nails, devoting this day-long glorifying my names.?

According to him, it is a day for those not performing Hajj fast to seek the forgiveness of Allah.

Dahiru-Bauchi added that ?the Prophet said on that day, the sunset will never take place unless it wipes away the sins of the entire participants of the pilgrimage, and non-participants who fast on that day.

?So, all those non-pilgrims across the world that fast on the day of Arafat will have their sins forgiven, both the sins of outgoing and incoming year as well.

?That means that if one is consistent in fasting on the day of Arafat, definitely one will die as a forgiven and pardoned servant.?

Mahmud Muhammad, Personal Assistant on Domestic and Northeast Affairs, Office of the Vice President, urged pilgrims and Muslims at home to use the day to pray for the country.

Muhammad, who also urged all to pray for unity and peaceful coexistence, lauded the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for achieving hitch-free operations so far.

According to him, every segment of this year?s Hajj is unique and laudable. (NAN)

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