Minā must be reached before noon, so that the early afternoon prayer, Zuhr, may be said there. The night is also passed in Minā, and next day, the 9th Dhil-Ḥijjah, at midday the pilgrims move to the plain of ‘Arafāt.

‘Arafāt and the wuqūf

‘Arafa or ‘Arafāt is the name of the plain which is situated to the east of Makkah at a distance of about nine miles. It is derived from ‘arf or ma‘rifah, which means knowledge of a thing, and ma‘rifah especially means the knowledge of God. The name given to this plain seems to be based on the fact that here men assembled together, as equals in all respects, are best able to know their God. This plain is bounded on the east by the lofty mountains of Ṭā’if, while northward rises a small hill of the same name, ‘Arafāt, about 200 feet above the level of the plain. The Jabal al Raḥmah (lit., the mountain of mercy), on which is the pulpit from which the sermon is delivered, is situated to the east, sixty steps of stone leading to the top. Leaving Minā at noon on the ninth Dhi-l-Ḥijjah, the pilgrims reach ‘Arafāt in time to say the Ẓuhr and ‘Aṣr prayers combined, after which the Imam delivers a sermon (Khuṭbah) from the pulpit on the Jabal al-Raḥmah. The pilgrims’ stay in ‘Arafāt lasts only from afternoon till sunset and is known as wuqūf (lit., halting or standing still), but so important is the place it occupies in the devotional acts of ḥajj, that ḥajj is considered to have been performed if the pilgrim reaches ‘Arafāt in time on the 9th Dhi-l-Ḥijjah, but if he is unable to join in the wuqūf, the ḥajj is not performed. The whole time of the pilgrims, from afternoon till sunset, is passed in glorifying God and crying aloud labbaika Allāh-umma labbaika. Before the advent of Islām, the Quraish and certain other tribes, who claimed superiority over the other Arab tribes, did not go to ‘Arafāt, hence the injunction in the Holy Qur’ān levelling down this distinction: “Then hasten on from where the people hasten on” (2:199).

Muzdalifah

After sunset the pilgrims leave ‘Arafāt, and stop at Muzdalifah (from zalf meaning nearness), which is so called because by staying there nearness to God is sought (N.) In the Holy Qur’ān it is called