Arafat

Mount Arafat is our mountain,

there our prayers are accepted (Yunus Emre)

Arafat, a flat area on the road to Ta'if, 25 km southeast of Mecca al-Mukarramah, is the place where the Wuquf, the most important pillar of Hajj, is performed. This area, measuring 6.5 km from east to west and 11-12 km from north to south at its outermost points, covers a total of 13.68 km². This blessed site is called "Arafat" from ma'rifah, meaning knowledge. It is said that long after Adam and our mother Eve descended to earth, when they finally met and recognised one another, the trustworthy angel Gabriel, after explaining the rites of Hajj to Abraham (a.s.) here, asked him (عرفت هل) "Have you recognised, have you learned?", to which Abraham (a.s.) replied (عرفت) "I have recognised, I have learned." According to another account, Arafat comes from "confession": here people confess the majesty and greatness of Allah and their own powerlessness. Indeed, Adam and our mother Eve pleaded in Arafat: ربنا ظلمنا أنفسنا وإن لم تغفر لنا وترحمنا لنكونن من الخاسرين "Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we shall surely be among the losers." (Surah al-A'raf, verse 23). In response Allah the Almighty said (عرفتم), meaning "Now you have recognised yourselves."

People from every corner of the world meet and become acquainted here, just as our first parents Adam and Eve did. It is also said that this name was given because people gather here to confess their sins, seek Allah's forgiveness, and declare their servitude and helplessness, and because those who seek forgiveness, once forgiven, are cleansed of their sins and impurities and acquire a pleasant fragrance (arf) in the sight of Allah.

According to works on the history of Mecca, Arafat once had gardens and pleasant places where the Meccans would come and stay on the Day of Arafah. Over time nothing remained of these. Since the second half of the 20th century, a major afforestation project has been carried out, restoring Arafat's green character. In addition, various facilities and nine separate motorways connecting Arafat to Muzdalifah have been built to make it easier for pilgrims to return.