Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura
Friday Khutbah
6 June 2025 / 9 Zulhijjah 1446H
Reflections on the Day of Arafah
Dear blessed congregation,
Be conscious of Allah s.w.t. with true taqwa. Obey all His commands and avoid all His prohibitions. Reflect on the state of our faith and hearts, and our relationship with Him. May this reflection awaken our consciousness as servants who rely on Allah’s mercy and long for His pleasure. Amin, ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.
Beloved congregation,
Today is the ninth of Zulhijjah here in Singapore. This date is also known as the Day of Arafah. For those who may not know, Arafah is a plain outside the city of Makkah, where Muslims performing Hajj gather. This gathering is considered the pinnacle of Hajj – so essential that the Hajj is not valid without it, as affirmed in the saying of the Prophet s.a.w.:
Which means: "Hajj is Arafah." (Narrated by At-Tirmizi)
Having learnt this about Arafah and the Day of Arafah, what then is its importance for us, as the ummah of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.?
According to a narration by Abu Hurairah r.a., Allah swore by this day – the Day of Arafah – in the Qur’an, in Surah Al-Buruj, verse 3:
Which means: "By the witnessing and the witnessed."
In this narration by Imam At-Tirmizi, the Prophet s.a.w. explained that the witnessing day (shāhid) refers to Friday, while the witnessed day (masyhūd) refers to the Day of Arafah.
In another hadith narrated by Imam Muslim, the Prophet s.a.w. said that which means: "There is no day on which Allah frees more of His servants from the hellfire than on the Day of Arafah." (Narrated by Muslim)
Indeed, these two hadiths are enough to convey the immense virtue of the Day of Arafah.
Respected congregation,
On this occasion, I invite all of us to reflect on two significant matters which relate closely to the Day of Arafah:
First: The gathering of people on the plains of Arafah to perform the rite of Hajj.
Wuquf in Arafah represents the essence of Hajj. From across the world, Muslims gather in Arafah, responding to Allah’s call. They raise their hands in prayer and supplication and hope that their prayers will be answered. They strive to devote every moment to increase their acts of obedience, hopeful for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness. And later, upon the completion of the rites of Hajj, this sea of people will disperse and returns to their respective homelands.
Contrast this with the standing that will occur on the Day of Resurrection. On that day, all of us will be brought back to life and made to stand before Allah on the plains of Mahsyar. We will stand among a sea of people, with no time to show concern for our loved ones. We will instead be hoping for the Prophet Muhammad’s intercession (s.a.w.) and for swift salvation. Why?
Because on that day, anxiety and fear will consume mankind, for there will no longer be an opportunity to do good deeds.
Family and wealth will be of no benefit, as Allah mentions:
Which means: "The Day when neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit – except for those who come to Allah with a sound heart." (Asy-Syu’ara’: 88–89)
At that moment, a person can only await a conclusion that corresponds with the deeds they performed during their time on earth. And when mankind disperses, they will be heading to either one of two destinations: eternal bliss in Paradise, or suffering in the Hellfire. Wal ‘iyadhu billah.
Second: The Prophet’s message in his Farewell Sermon, which emphasised the preservation of human welfare.
Dear blessed congregation,
The Prophet s.a.w. is the best spiritual guide. We bear witness that he delivered Allah’s trust and nurtured us to be better servants. Importantly, the Prophet’s message (s.a.w.) was not limited to the aspect of worship alone.
Reflect on the messages in the Farewell Sermon he delivered in Arafah. It proclaimed fundamental principles of human dignity and mutual responsibility – the sanctity of blood and property, the importance of justice and the rejection of oppression, the duty to uphold trust, the rights of spouses and good treatment between them, the prohibition of violence and division, and the reminder of human equality before the Creator.
Dear beloved congregation,
Merely listening to and reflecting on these two matters – the gathering on the Day of Reckoning and the preservation of human welfare – is not enough if we do not take steps to adopt and embody them in our actions.
Let us prepare ourselves for the day when our deeds will be measured, and when there will no longer be any opportunity to do good deeds. At the same time, let us uphold the Prophet’s teachings in our interactions with others. Let us remind one another and shape our lives by following Divine guidance and the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
Lastly, let us ponder upon the opening du’a that we read in every prayer:
“Indeed, my prayer, worship, life, and death are all solely for Allah, the Lord of all worlds.” May it not be something we utter with our tongues alone, but something we truly live by; making Allah our ultimate purpose in everything we do.
SECOND KHUTBAH
Dear blessed congregation,
Let us raise our hands in supplication to Allah. With hearts full of sincerity. With deep hope. That Allah will accept this prayer. The plea of a servant who is full of shortcomings, to the Almighty, the All-Hearing. Our prayer is especially for our brothers and sisters who continue to suffer and endure hardship in Gaza. At a time when help from mankind has been cut off, let us, as ‘ibadullah (servants of Allah), turn to the Lord of all worlds – the One who is more powerful than every ruler, mightier than every army – to continue bestowing His aid upon them.
Ya Allah, the All-Hearing Lord who hears every whisper of His servants’ hearts, grant us Your forgiveness, for indeed, we are Your servants who often forget and make mistakes. Forgive our past and future sins, those committed intentionally and unintentionally, the small and few and the vast akin to the oceans. And do not let these sins become a barrier that prevents our prayers from being accepted.
O Lord who answers the supplications of His servants, on this blessed day and moment, we bow with sincerity and humility, pleading for a portion of Your mercy, O Most Merciful. Help our oppressed brothers and sisters wherever they may be, especially in Gaza and Palestine.
Ya Allah, Ya Mannan, lighten their burdens, protect them from violence and harm, heal those who are sick and wounded, and provide sustenance for those who are hungry and thirsty.
Ya Latif, Ya Hannan, envelop them in Your mercy, place them within Your divine love, and strengthen their spirits with faith in Your assistance.
Ya Allah, Ya Dzal ‘Izzi was-Sultan, replace their fear with peace, their hardship with ease, their anxiety with calmness, and their sorrow with joy.
