Masjidul Nimrah: only a part on Arafah...Masjidul Nimrah: only a part on Arafah T h ey l ow sig ntfp...
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Muslim Views . December 2018 18 SALIM PARKER MASJIDUL Nimrah is open only on the day of Hajj every year, the ninth day of Dhil-Hijjah. It is a mosque that spans two areas of great significance to Muslims but staying in one part of the mosque on the day of Arafah can invalidate that person’s Hajj. Only one khutbah is given there a year, and that is the khutbah of Hajj on the day of Wuqoof. Adding to its uniqueness is the fact that the Dhuhr and Asr prayers on that day are shortened from the usual four rakaah each to two each. The two waqts are also com- bined in the time of Dhuhr, with one adhaan and two iqamahs, one for each of the respective waqts. These procedures are followed as it was what our beloved Prophet (SAW) did when he per- formed his one and only Hajj. What better example can we use when we settle our debt to our Creator and perform our Hajj as called upon by Nabi Ibrahim (AS) to do, thousands of years ago? Shaikh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen said: ‘It was narrated that on the day of Arafah, the Prophet (SAW) stayed in Nimrah (which is a place near Arafah) until the sun had passed its zenith (which is the beginning of the time for Dhuhr) then he rode; then he stopped at the bottom of Wadi Urana (which is a wadi or valley between Nimrah and Arafah), where he prayed Dhuhr and Asr, shortening them to two rakaah each and joining them together at the time of Dhuhr, with one ad- haan and two iqamahs. ‘Then he rode on until he came to the place of standing and stood there. He said, ‘I am standing here but all of Arafah is the place of standing.’ Then he remained standing, facing the qiblah, raising his hands, remembering Allah and calling upon Him, until the sun had set completely then he went on to Muzdalifah.’ Some jurists consider Nimrah and Uranah to be the same place while others consider them to be distinct areas very close to each other. Some are of the opinion that the original site was outside Arafah. Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said in Majmoo Al-Fa- taawa: ‘A tent was erected for him [Prophet (SAW)] at Nimrah and that is where his rightly-guided caliphs would camp after his time. ‘There are markets, rest areas, places to eat and so forth. When the sun passed its zenith, he and those with him mounted and rode to the prayer area at the base of Uranah, where the masjid was built, and that is neither a part of the Haram nor part of Arafah.’ The khutbah was delivered here while Nabi Muhammad (SAW) was seated on his camel. The com- bined prayers were also led from here. It is estimated that one hun- dred thousand pilgrims accompa- nied the Prophet (SAW). In the second century of Islam, Masjid Nimrah was built at this spot. It was called Masjid Ibrahim. As Wadi Uranah, where the ser- mon was delivered, is outside the boundaries of Arafah, that section of the masjid is also outside the boundaries. When the mosque was ex- tended afterwards, it then became divided into two sections. The front section, which was the loca- tion of the original Masjid Ibrahim, was outside Arafah with the back section being within the boundaries. After renovations, signboards were erected inside the mosque to inform people about this matter. Hence, after performing their Dhuhr and Asr prayers in congre- gation, they could either move to the back of the masjid or outside to spend the rest of their time on Arafah. Should a person spend all his time from midday to sunset in the front section of the masjid, he would not have been on Arafah and his Hajj will therefore be in- valid as the presence on Arafah is an absolutely essential rite of Hajj. The mosque has been expanded on numerous occasions. The biggest expansion was made during the Saudi era and cost around 100 million US dol- lars. The mosque has a capacity of around 350 000 people, has six minarets, three domes and ten main entrances that include 64 doors. It also has a broadcast room from where the khutbah and prayers on the day of Arafah are beamed to the world, via satellites. Less than a quarter of the pil- grims are able to get into the mosque for the prayers. It is not considered an essential part of Hajj to get into the mosque nor to ascend Jabal Rahmah. It is worth remembering that the Farewell Khutbah of our beloved Prophet (SAW) was deliv- ered at Masjid Nimrah and that soon thereafter, the following rev- elation was sent down by our Cre- ator: ‘Today I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favour upon you, and I have chosen Islam as your religion.’ (Quran 5:3) Masjidul Nimrah: only a part on Arafah The yellow sign on the left of the photograph, opposite Masjidul Nimrah (on the right), bears the words, ‘Arafat ends here.’ However, the masjid extends beyond the boundary of Arafah, which means that pilgrims who stay on that side of the masjid from the time of Wuqoof till Maghrib will invalidate their Hajj. Photo SALIM PARKER There are signs all around the boundary of Arafah, alerting the hujaaj to the boundary to ensure that they are on Arafah from the time of Wuqoof to Maghrib. Since only a part of Masjidul Nimrah is on Arafah, there are also signs in the masjid to ensure that the hujaaj in the mosque are in the right part of the mosque during that sacred period. Photo SALIM PARKER Masjidul Nimrah is only open on the day of Arafah and is large enough to accommodate 350 000 people, however, since only a part of it is on Arafah, the hujaaj who are in the mosque have to ensure that they spend at least a part of the period from Wuqoof to Maghrib in that part of the mosque to fulfil that important part of the Hajj i.e. spending some time on Arafah. Photo SALIM PARKER Masjidul Nimrah has been expanded on numerous occasions. The mosque can now accommodate about 350 000 people, has six minarets, three domes and ten main entrances that include 64 doors. It also has a broadcast room from where the khutbah and prayers on the day of Arafah are beamed to the world. Photo SALIM PARKER
Transcript of Masjidul Nimrah: only a part on Arafah...Masjidul Nimrah: only a part on Arafah T h ey l ow sig ntfp...
Muslim Views . December 201818
SALIM PARKERMASJIDUL Nimrah is open onlyon the day of Hajj every year, theninth day of Dhil-Hijjah. It is amosque that spans two areas ofgreat significance to Muslims butstaying in one part of the mosqueon the day of Arafah can invalidate that person’s Hajj.
Only one khutbah is given therea year, and that is the khutbah ofHajj on the day of Wuqoof.Adding to its uniqueness is the factthat the Dhuhr and Asr prayers onthat day are shortened from theusual four rakaah each to twoeach. The two waqts are also com-bined in the time of Dhuhr, withone adhaan and two iqamahs, onefor each of the respective waqts.
These procedures are followedas it was what our belovedProphet (SAW) did when he per-formed his one and only Hajj.What better example can we usewhen we settle our debt to ourCreator and perform our Hajj ascalled upon by Nabi Ibrahim (AS)to do, thousands of years ago?
Shaikh Muhammad ibnUthaymeen said: ‘It was narratedthat on the day of Arafah, theProphet (SAW) stayed in Nimrah(which is a place near Arafah)until the sun had passed its zenith(which is the beginning of the timefor Dhuhr) then he rode; then hestopped at the bottom of WadiUrana (which is a wadi or valleybetween Nimrah and Arafah),where he prayed Dhuhr and Asr,shortening them to two rakaaheach and joining them together atthe time of Dhuhr, with one ad-haan and two iqamahs.
‘Then he rode on until he cameto the place of standing and stoodthere. He said, ‘I am standing herebut all of Arafah is the place ofstanding.’ Then he remained
standing, facing the qiblah, raisinghis hands, remembering Allah andcalling upon Him, until the sunhad set completely then he wenton to Muzdalifah.’
Some jurists consider Nimrahand Uranah to be the same placewhile others consider them to bedistinct areas very close to eachother.
Some are of the opinion thatthe original site was outsideArafah. Shaikh Al-Islam IbnTaymiyyah said in Majmoo Al-Fa-taawa: ‘A tent was erected for him[Prophet (SAW)] at Nimrah andthat is where his rightly-guidedcaliphs would camp after his time.
‘There are markets, rest areas,places to eat and so forth. Whenthe sun passed its zenith, he andthose with him mounted and rodeto the prayer area at the base ofUranah, where the masjid wasbuilt, and that is neither a part ofthe Haram nor part of Arafah.’
The khutbah was delivered herewhile Nabi Muhammad (SAW)was seated on his camel. The com-bined prayers were also led fromhere. It is estimated that one hun-dred thousand pilgrims accompa-nied the Prophet (SAW).
In the second century of Islam,Masjid Nimrah was built at thisspot. It was called Masjid Ibrahim.As Wadi Uranah, where the ser-mon was delivered, is outside theboundaries of Arafah, that sectionof the masjid is also outside theboundaries.
When the mosque was ex-tended afterwards, it then becamedivided into two sections. Thefront section, which was the loca-tion of the original MasjidIbrahim, was outside Arafah withthe back section being within theboundaries.
After renovations, signboardswere erected inside the mosque toinform people about this matter.Hence, after performing theirDhuhr and Asr prayers in congre-gation, they could either move tothe back of the masjid or outsideto spend the rest of their time onArafah.
Should a person spend all histime from midday to sunset in thefront section of the masjid, hewould not have been on Arafahand his Hajj will therefore be in-valid as the presence on Arafah isan absolutely essential rite of Hajj.
The mosque has been expandedon numerous occasions.
The biggest expansion wasmade during the Saudi era andcost around 100 million US dol-lars.
The mosque has a capacity ofaround 350 000 people, has sixminarets, three domes and tenmain entrances that include 64doors.
It also has a broadcast roomfrom where the khutbah andprayers on the day of Arafah arebeamed to the world, via satellites.
Less than a quarter of the pil-
grims are able to get into themosque for the prayers.
It is not considered an essentialpart of Hajj to get into the mosquenor to ascend Jabal Rahmah.
It is worth remembering thatthe Farewell Khutbah of ourbeloved Prophet (SAW) was deliv-ered at Masjid Nimrah and thatsoon thereafter, the following rev-elation was sent down by our Cre-ator: ‘Today I have perfected yourreligion for you and completedMy favour upon you, and I havechosen Islam as your religion.’(Quran 5:3)
Masjidul Nimrah: only a part on Arafah
The yellow sign on the left of the photograph, opposite Masjidul Nimrah (on the right), bears the words, ‘Arafat ends here.’However, the masjid extends beyond the boundary of Arafah, which means that pilgrims who stay on that side of the masjidfrom the time of Wuqoof till Maghrib will invalidate their Hajj. Photo SALIM PARKER
There are signs all around the boundary of Arafah, alerting the hujaaj to theboundary to ensure that they are on Arafah from the time of Wuqoof to Maghrib.Since only a part of Masjidul Nimrah is on Arafah, there are also signs in themasjid to ensure that the hujaaj in the mosque are in the right part of the mosqueduring that sacred period. Photo SALIM PARKER
Masjidul Nimrah is only open on the day of Arafah and is large enough to accommodate 350 000 people, however, since onlya part of it is on Arafah, the hujaaj who are in the mosque have to ensure that they spend at least a part of the period fromWuqoof to Maghrib in that part of the mosque to fulfil that important part of the Hajj i.e. spending some time on Arafah.
Photo SALIM PARKER
Masjidul Nimrah has been expanded on numerous occasions. The mosque can now accommodate about 350 000 people, has six minarets, three domes and ten main entrances that include 64 doors. It also has a broadcast room from where the khutbah and prayers on the day of Arafah are beamed to the world.
Photo SALIM PARKER
