Prayer on Mount 'Arafat and Rubbing the Mihrabs of the Mosque Located There
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Fatwa No. ( 3019 )
Q: There are three mosques on Mount al-Rahmah at 'Arafat, with adjacent, open-air mihrabs. Pilgrims visit them to rub their bodies against the mihrabs and walls, and they sometimes place money in some of the mihrabs. They also pray two rak'ahs in each of them, sometimes during the times when prayer is prohibited. Crowds of men and women gather there, and all these actions occur among the pilgrims in the days before the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah. We ask Your Eminence to issue a ruling on the matters mentioned. May Allah reward you with good for Islam and the Muslims.
A: First: 'Arafat is entirely among the symbols of Hajj in which Allah the Exalted commanded the performance of one of its rites; that is, standing there on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah and the night of 'Id al-Adha. It is not a place for people to reside, so there is no need to build a mosque or mosques there or on its mountain, which is known to people as Mount al-Rahmah ; for the purpose of performing prayers there. Rather, there is the Mosque of Namirah at the place where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed the midday and afternoon prayers during the Farewell Pilgrimage; so that the pilgrims may use it as a prayer place on the day of their standing at 'Arafat , where whoever is able prays the midday and afternoon prayers on that day. Likewise, it is not known from the Salaf that they built mosques in what is known among people as Mount al-Rahmah , so building a mosque or mosques on it is a religious innovation, and praying two rak'ahs or more in each
of them is another innovation, and the occurrence of these two rak'ahs or more during the times when prayer is prohibited is a third innovation. Second: People directing themselves to these mosques, rubbing their bodies against their walls and mihrabs, and seeking blessing from them is a reprehensible innovation. Therefore, the authorities must order the removal of these mosques and their destruction; to block the door to evil and prevent fitnah; so that the pilgrims do not find anything that calls them to go to the mountain and climb it to seek blessing from it and pray in it. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Q: There are three mosques on Mount al-Rahmah at 'Arafat, with adjacent, open-air mihrabs. Pilgrims visit them to rub their bodies against the mihrabs and walls, and they sometimes place money in some of the mihrabs. They also pray two rak'ahs in each of them, sometimes during the times when prayer is prohibited. Crowds of men and women gather there, and all these actions occur among the pilgrims in the days before the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah. We ask Your Eminence to issue a ruling on the matters mentioned. May Allah reward you with good for Islam and the Muslims.
A: First: 'Arafat is entirely among the symbols of Hajj in which Allah the Exalted commanded the performance of one of its rites; that is, standing there on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah and the night of 'Id al-Adha. It is not a place for people to reside, so there is no need to build a mosque or mosques there or on its mountain, which is known to people as Mount al-Rahmah ; for the purpose of performing prayers there. Rather, there is the Mosque of Namirah at the place where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed the midday and afternoon prayers during the Farewell Pilgrimage; so that the pilgrims may use it as a prayer place on the day of their standing at 'Arafat , where whoever is able prays the midday and afternoon prayers on that day. Likewise, it is not known from the Salaf that they built mosques in what is known among people as Mount al-Rahmah , so building a mosque or mosques on it is a religious innovation, and praying two rak'ahs or more in each
of them is another innovation, and the occurrence of these two rak'ahs or more during the times when prayer is prohibited is a third innovation. Second: People directing themselves to these mosques, rubbing their bodies against their walls and mihrabs, and seeking blessing from them is a reprehensible innovation. Therefore, the authorities must order the removal of these mosques and their destruction; to block the door to evil and prevent fitnah; so that the pilgrims do not find anything that calls them to go to the mountain and climb it to seek blessing from it and pray in it. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.