Muslim creed – Eid al-Adha 1442 Hijriyah is only 2 days away. The government has set Eid al-Adha or 10 Zulhijah to fall on Tuesday, July 20, 2021. Ahead of Eid al-Adha, Muslims are encouraged to perform Tarwiyah and Arafah fasting.
Fasting Arafah and Tarwiyah is one of a series of sunnah worship that is carried out on the first few days of the month of Dzulhijah. These two sunnah fasts are even highly recommended acts of worship. Especially for Muslims who have not had the opportunity to perform the pilgrimage to the holy land.
Well, Tarwiyah and Arafah fasting have several differences, from the time of implementation, virtues, intentions, and so on.
The Fundamental Differences Fasting Arafah and Tarwiyah
Do you know the basic difference between fasting Arafah and Tarwiyah? The sunnah fasting can be distinguished from a number of main points, ranging from the time of its implementation to the wisdom and virtues that accompany the two.
Fasting Time for Arafah and Tarwiyah
The difference between fasting Arafah and Tarwiyah lies in the day and date. One of the basic things that distinguishes the two sunnah fasts of Dzulhijah is the timing of their implementation. As the name suggests, tarwiyah fasting is performed on the day of tarwiyah which falls on the 8th of Dzulhijah. Meanwhile, the fast of Arafah is held on the 9th of Dzulhijah. The day coincided with the implementation of the wukuf of the pilgrims in Arafah. We are encouraged to do good deeds including fasting sunnah tarwiyah.
Intention of Fasting Arafah and Tarwiyah
Apart from being different in terms of the timing of their implementation, fasting sunnah tarwiyah and ‘arafah also have differences in terms of the intentions that are recited.
The intention of fasting tarwiyah: “Nawaitu shaumat tarwiyata sunnatan lillaahi ta’alaa.”
Arafah fasting intention: “Nawaitu shauma arafata sunnatan lillaahi ta’alaa.”
Wisdom and the virtues of fasting Arafah and Tarwiyah
Every worship carried out by a Muslim certainly has certain wisdom and virtues. No exception with the two sunnah fasting worship in this month of Dzulhijah. However, both arafah and tarwiyah have different wisdom and virtues for those who practice it. In a hadith narrated by Abu Asy-Shaykh and Ibn An-Najjar, it is stated that fasting on the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah is a sunnah worship that can erase sins for one year. . Even though it is classified as a weak (weak) hadith, the scholars still allow the practice of the hadith as a fadla’ilul amal that is not linked to law or creed.
There are at least six important benefits of fasting this Arafah.
First, this hadith shows the superiority of fasting Arafah, and the great reward of fasting is with Allah because it says the reward is to erase the sins of two years.
Second, fasting Arafah is ordered to people who do not make the pilgrimage, while people who do pilgrimage are not sunnah to do this fast, even those who are in accordance with their sunnah (pilgrims) do not fast at Arafah because they follow the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.
Third, it is permissible to fast Arafah on Friday, even though fasting only on Friday without being followed by fasting on the day before and after it. Likewise, it is permissible to fast on Saturday even if you are alone, because fasting Arafah on Saturday is fasting with a cause.
Fourth, the forgiven sin is a minor sin (ashshaghair). As for major sins (al-kabair) such as adultery, eating usury, magic, and others, it must be done with repentance to erase them, it is not enough to do pious deeds alone. That is the opinion of the jumhur or most scholars.
However, Shaykh Islam Ibn Taimiyah still thinks that the forgiveness of sins here is a small sin and a big sin, as he discussed in Majmu’ah Al Fatawa.
Fifth, it is sunnah for every Muslim to be enthusiastic about praying on the day of Arafah because he hopes that his prayers will be answered (accepted), because the condition of the fasting person is also the condition of the efficacy of prayer.
Prayers when breaking the fast are also prayers that are easier to answer.
Sixth, it is sunnah to recite takbir like the dawn prayer on the day of Arafah (9 Zulhijah) until the last tasyrik day (13 Zulhijah, at Asr time).
