Yawm Arafat

Daily Prompt: Ready, Set, Done
Our weekly free write is back: take ten minutes — no pauses! — to write about anything, unfiltered and unedited. You can publish the post as – is, or edit a bit first — your call.

When the weekly free write comes, it is like I am cast off in a boat with no oars. The boat drifts on its own, and I don’t know where it’s going ……..

Tomorrow (Friday) is Yawm -al- Arafat, the last day of Haj (Muslim Pilgrimage).

This day falls on 9th day of Dhul Hijja of the lunar Islamic calendar. Muslim Pilgrims who have gone for Haj, make their way from Mina to Arafat. This is a day of repentance.

The day is spent in supplication to God for forgiveness.

When my husband and I went for Haj, I had to badger him into going. He wasn’t very willing. He told me to wait till he retires. Somehow I just wanted to go, and I kept saying, “I want to go”.

I thought I was the person who decided on going for Haj. How ignorant I was! I learnt, “you can only go when God calls you”.

Our flight for Jeddah was at night. The night before we attended a wedding. The food didn’t agree with me. The whole night and the coming day was a nightmare spent in rushing to the bathroom. By noon I was ready to die.

Meanwhile I was constantly ribbed by my husband, and others that I should give up the idea of going. I held fast, and by evening I was miraculously all right.

Muslims are encouraged to fast this day. The day after Yawm Arafat, Saturday is Eid al Adha, the feast of sacrifice, a day of rejoicing.

May God grant us His Forgiveness, Ameen.

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