Leaving Arafah to spend night in Al Muzdalefah

After sunset; all pilgrims should leave Arafah and go to Al Muzdalefah. The reader can imagine the difficulty of enforcing order and ensuring the safety of millions of pilgrims who climb down Arafah at one and the same time. If it was not for the exceptional effort exerted by the Saudi government to ensure that this huge numbers of pilgrims would climb down quietly and peacefully, many people would have been crushed in the stifling crowds. Therefore, pilgrims must walk calmly and try not to crowd others.

The pilgrim is expected to look after, help and protect others as much as he can. In this respect, the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said: "Allah always helps His slave so long as he helps his fellowmen" and "Allah the All-Merciful, will be Merciful to those who are merciful to mankind. So be Merciful to those in earth so that Allah in heaven will be Merciful to you." On reaching Muzdalifah, the pilgrims should combine Maghrib and Isha prayers. One Adhan and two Iqamahs are given for both prayers. Then, they should spend the night there following the example of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.). Al Muzdalifah is a valley extending from Muhassir to Arafah. It is part of the Haram except for the valley of Muhassir, accordingly, one may stop anywhere in Muzdalifah except for this valley. It is not part of the Haram or Muzdalifah. If the pilgrim passes by the valley of Muhassir he should follow the example of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) and walk quickly past it. The reason behind this is that this valley is the place where Allah ruined the people of the Elephant. It lies between Mina and Muzdalifah which means that it is not really a part of Mina. I heard that the Saudi Fatwa Authority allowed pilgrims to spend the night in the valley of Muhassir instead of Mina as a result of lack of accommodations in Mina. I am of the opinion that if Mina is too overcrowded to accommodate pilgrims, Muzdalifah not the valley of Muhassir, is the most proper alternative, keeping in mind that Muhassir is not part of the Haram, it is the place where Allah one day perished his wicked enemies, and it is Sunnah to walk quickly if one has to cross into it. The valley of Muhassir is at the border line between the end of Mina and the beginning of Al Muzdalifah. It is 50 meters wide. The pilgrim can spend the night in any posture or condition. Abu Hanifa and Malik held that spending the night at Al Muzdalifah is a Sunnah. Ahmad held that it is essential to spend it until midnight. 

Ash-Shafi'i was of the opinion that it is essential to spend the second half of the night at Muzdalifah. Ibn Hazm held that spending the night there is obligatory. It is allowed for the sick, the elderly, the children, weak women and the pilgrims who can not tolerate the crowds, to pass by Al Muzdalifah and stay for a while there until they perform the prayers of Maghrib and Isha and pick the pebbles necessary for Jamrah Al-Aqabah. They are allowed to go to Mina even before dawn to throw Jamrah Al-Aqabah and avoid the crowds. It is commended that they go there after midnight. It is a Sunnah that the pilgrim who spends the night at Muzdalifah, sleeps until dawn then rushes to Fajr prayer as soon as its time begins. He should not prolong his prayer. Then he should head for and stop at (Al-Mash'ar Al-Haram) till daylight spreads before the sunrise. Al-Mash'ar Al Haram lies at Al Muzdalifah, 2548 meters away from the valley of Muhassir. It is also called Kazah. The pilgrim, should stand by the sacred mountain and remember and glorify Allah, The Most High. It is a Sunnah to supplicate and glorify Allah, there. It is a Sunnah that the pilgrim thereafter returns to Mina and tries to reach it before sunrise if possible. It is a Sunnah to make Ghusl (complete ablution) before standing by the Mash'ar Al Haram if one can. However, if one was impure - whether minor or major impurity - and stand there, it is disliked but he is not obligated to atone. It is a Sunnah that the pilgrim picks seven pebbles from Muzdalifah to throw them at Jamrah Al Aqabah on the day of Nahr - Sacrifice.

Hajj And Umrah Guides, Pilgrimage Essentials, Mecca & Medina Topics Links:

Advice To Pilgrims | A Step by step Hajj and 'Umrah | Adhkar (Pertaining to the remembrance of Allah) | A Lasting Word For Hajj And 'Umrah | An Account of the Miqat | An Account of visiting the Prophet's Mosque | Ayaam at-Tashreeq | Binding on the pilgrim to refrain from sins | Command about the Menstruating and similar women | Conditional Ihram | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day One | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Two | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Three | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Four | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Five | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Six | Day of Arafah | Day to Day Activities of Hajj | Dhabh | Duties of pilgrims at 'Arafah | Entering Mecca | Entering Al-Masjid-al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque) and Tawaf | Errors Often Committed by Pilgrims | Etiquette of Ihram | Etiquette of Visiting the Prophet's (P.B.U.H) Grave | Farewell Pilgrimage of the Messenger of Allah | Farewell Tawaf | Farewell Tawaf is binding on everyone except the menstruating and women with post childbirth bleeding | Fixed time for Hajj | Fixed time for Hajj | Four Khutbahs in Hajj | Hajj in Pre-Islamic Times | Hajj of a woman | Hajj, Umrah & Ziyarah At a Glance | Halq or Qass | Halq or Qasr: Shaving or Clipping | Ihram | Ihram for youngsters | Ihram: Introduction And Significance | Innovations of `Arafah | Innovations Before Ihraam | Innovations of Hajj, `Umra and Visiting Madinah | Innovations of Ihraam and Talbiyyah, etc. | Innovations of Muzdalifah | Innovations of Sacrifice and Shaving the Head | Innovations of Sa'y Between Safaa and Marwah | Innovations of Stoning | Innovations of Tawaaf | Innovations of Visiting Madinat-ul-Munawwarah | Innovations of Visiting Bait-ul-Maqdis | Innovations: Various Innovations | Istilaam | Kinds of Ihram | Leaving Arafah to spend night in Al Muzdalefah | Many `Umrahs after Hajj is not encouraged by the Shari`ah | Maqaam Ibraaheem | Meeqaat | Merits of Hajj | Merits of 'Umrah | Minaa | Neglecting and delaying the throwing of pebbles | No Specific Supplication for Tawaf and Sa'y | Not allowed to shave the beard | Not obligatory to visit the Prophet's Mosque | Objective of Hajj - To seek the Divine Pleasure | Obligations during Hajj and Umrah | Performing Hajj on behalf of others | Permitted and Forbidden things in the State of Ihram | Pilgrim with Sacrificial Animal in the month of Hajj should intend Qiran (accompanied Hajj) and the one | Pillars of Hajj | Prayers at Arafah | Preparations for Hajj, Umrah and travelling to the holy lands | Preparing for Hajj or 'Umrah | Prerequisites and Sunnahs of valid Tawaf | Ramy | Reaching Miqat at a Time other than the Hajj Season | Regulations Concerning Hady (Sacrificial animals) | Restrictions of Ihram | Rites, obligations and Sunnahs of Umrah | Sa'y | Sa'y between Safa and Marwah | Sa'y and its rituals | Sacrificial animals | Shaving or clipping hair | Sunnah and allowed throwing | Sunnahs of Tawaf | Supplication at the beginning of the journey | Supplication on entering the Mosque | Supplications at Arafah | Supplications: Some All-Inclusive Supplications | Supplications: Some Supplications which may Be Recited At 'Arafat, at the Sacred Sites, and at Other Places of Supplication | Talbeeyah | Tawaaf | Tawaaf al-Ifaadah | Throwing Al Jemar | Throwing pebbles on behalf of other people | Types of Hajj | Umrah | Veiling and giving up the display of beauty is compulsory for women | Verdict on spending the night at Mina | Visitation of the Prophet's Mosque | Visiting Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi | Visiting Quba Mosque and Al-Baqi' cemetery | What a Pilgrim should do when he reaches the Miqat | What Is Required of the Pilgrims | What is allowed to a Muhrim | Where to pick the pebbles from and the number and size of pebbles | Woman's Hajj with Mahram, expenses of Hajj, taking husband's permission | Woman may enter into the Ihram in any dress | Wuqoof 'Arafaat | Wuqoof Muzdalifah | Zamzam