Mount Arafat occupies a central role in Islamic tradition and the annual Hajj pilgrimage. On the 9th day of Dhū al-Ḥijjah in the Islamic calendar—known as the Day of Arafah—pilgrims leave Mina and gather on the plain and slopes of Arafat to stand in prayer and supplication. This “standing” (Wuqūf Arafah) is the culminating point of Hajj; absence from Arafat on that day invalidates the pilgrimage according to Islamic jurisprudence.

The mountain is also venerated in broader Mulsim-memory. It is believed to be the site where Adam and Eve were reunited after their descent from Heaven, and where Adam’s repentance was accepted by Allah. Additionally, it is the place from which the Prophet Muhammad delivered his Farewell Sermon (Khutbat al-Wadāʿ) during his final pilgrimage in 10 Hijri, corresponding to circa 632 CE. These associations make Arafat a locus of both historical and spiritual significance in Islam.

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Geologically, Mount Arafat is composed primarily of granodiorite. Petrographic and radiometric analyses indicate that the rock contains feldspar, quartz, and muscovite among its principal minerals. Fission track dating places its formation at approximately 9.13 ± 1.05 million years ago (circa 9.13 Ma). Measurements of natural radionuclides such as radium-226, thorium-232, and potassium-40 show levels well below any radiological concern, confirming that the site poses no health hazard to pilgrims or visitors.

The geological evolution of Mount Arafat is linked to the broader tectonic processes that formed the Red Sea Rift. Episodes of rifting, magmatic intrusion, and volcanic activity associated with the opening of the Red Sea contributed to the thermal and structural configuration of the granodiorite mass visible today. The mountain thus stands not only as a spiritual landmark but also as a significant geological feature representing late Cenozoic crustal activity in western Arabia.

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Within Islamic tradition, Mount Arafat figures prominently in theological, moral, and symbolic dimensions. It is widely regarded as the site of the Prophet Muhammad’s Farewell Sermon, delivered in the valley of ʿUranah at the foot of the mountain. This sermon—preserved in several canonical hadith collections—emphasized human equality, the sanctity of life and property, and adherence to divine guidance, making it a foundational document in Islamic ethical thought.

Another layer of significance derives from the belief that Adam and Eve met at this site after their separation upon descending from Heaven. This reunion and the acceptance of Adam’s repentance are often cited as reasons for the mountain’s alternate name, Jabal al-Rahmah, the “Mountain of Mercy”. The very term “Arafat” is sometimes linked to the Arabic root ʿarafa, meaning “to know” or “to recognize”, symbolizing the recognition of divine unity and human repentance. Other interpretations suggest that the name reflects the act of people “meeting and recognizing” one another on the Day of Arafah.

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The ritual presence at Arafat constitutes the defining element of Hajj. Pilgrims leave Mina on the morning of the 9th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah and travel to the Plain of Arafat, where they spend the day in worship, supplication, and remembrance. The noon and afternoon prayers are combined and shortened at Masjid al-Nimrah, located about 1.5 kilometers south-west of the hill. The period between noon and sunset is devoted to reflection, repentance, and seeking forgiveness; the standing at Arafat (wuqūf) during this time is indispensable to the completion of the Hajj pilgrimage.

At sunset, pilgrims depart toward Muzdalifah, where they perform the evening and night prayers and collect pebbles for the next day’s ritual stoning at Mina. The Day of Arafah is also revered by Muslims not performing Hajj; fasting on this day is considered to expiate sins of the previous and coming year. Islamic narrations describe it as the day on which God frees the greatest number of souls from punishment, highlighting its exceptional status in the spiritual calendar.