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The Day of Arafah: Beyond Hunger and Thirst

On that particular day, Allah revealed to His Prophet that He had completed the Dīn and perfected His blessings. That was the Day of Arafah, about which it is well established in the Hadeeth of Abu Qatādah, reported in Saheeh Muslim and Sunan Abi Dawud, that whoever fasts on it, Allah will erase the sins of the year before and the year after.

However, mere translations of the Prophet’s traditions do not always offer their full and deeper meanings. Al-Imām An-Nawawiyy, may Allah have mercy on him, said concerning this: “What is meant by ‘sins’ here are the minor sins. If there are none, then it is hoped that major sins are lightened; and if not, then it is hoped that one’s rank is elevated.”

You know the most surprising part? Not everyone who fasts gets the sins of two years erased. Some only get a year’s sins erased, some only a few months, some a few weeks or days, while some get nothing erased at all. How is that?

One cannot be heedless, carefree, playing or sleeping all day, and then expect that their sins will be erased. The easiest part of fasting is staying away from food and drink. There are other critical aspects that are often overlooked, yet weigh even heavier: the eyes, the ears, and the tongue must fast from all forms of filth and forbidden things.

The Prophet ﷺ, in a Hadeeth reported by Abu Hurayrah, said: “Many a fasting person gains nothing from his fast except hunger, and many a person who stands in prayer at night gains nothing from his prayer except sleeplessness.”

His statement, “except hunger,” means that a person’s fasting may not be accepted by Allah, so he receives little or no reward. This serves as evidence that not everyone who fasts on the Day of Arafah necessarily gets their (minor) sins erased.

In addition, the main wisdom behind fasting is that perhaps our Eemān increases, as our Lord, and He is the Truth, has rightly said: “so that you may attain piety” (Qur’ān 2:183).

Imagine someone fasting with the sole intention that their sins be erased, yet deliberately sinning while fasting. That is an example of one who locks their door against thieves, yet leaves the window wide open.

Ikhwah, the Day of Arafah is not merely a day to abstain from food and drink, but a day of striving against the soul and turning back to Allah in humility. Among its greatest deeds is fasting for those not performing Hajj, alongside increasing in dhikr, especially "La ilaha illaLlah, wahdahū lā shareeka lah, lahu-l-mulk, wa lahu-l-hamd, wa huwa 'alā kulli shay'in Qodeer" persisting in du‘aa, giving charity, and other righteous deeds. Whoever fasts it with sincerity and caution against sin has indeed pursued the spirit of fasting and perhaps, by the mercy of Allah, will attain what was promised: forgiveness, purification, and an increase in piety.