kids encyclopedia robot

Mount Arafat facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Mount Arafat
Mount Arafat
Day of Hajj. Mecca, Saudi Arabia
The Plain of Arafat during the Hajj, around 2003
Arafat pilgrims
Pilgrims praying on the Plains of Arafat

Mount Arafat (also called Mount Arafah) is a famous hill located east of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It's part of a flat area known as the Plain of Arafat. This hill is about 70 m (230 ft) tall and is also known as the Mount of Mercy (Jabal ar-Rahmah).

Mount Arafat is very important in Islam. It is believed to be the place where the Islamic prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave his final sermon. This speech was given to the Muslims who joined him for the Hajj pilgrimage near the end of his life.

Every year, on the 9th day of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah, pilgrims travel to Arafat from a place called Mina. This day is the most important part of the Hajj pilgrimage. During this time, a special sermon for Hajj is given. Pilgrims also perform the Zuhr prayer and Asr prayer together. They spend the whole day on the mountain. They pray to Allah to forgive their sins and ask for strength for their future.

What is the Hajj Pilgrimage?

The Hajj is a special journey that Muslims make to Mecca. It is one of the five main duties in Islam. Being present on the Plain of Arafat on the correct day is a key part of the Hajj. If a pilgrim is not there, their Hajj is not considered complete.

Rituals on Mount Arafat

The rituals on Arafat finish when the sun sets. After sunset, pilgrims move to Muzdalifah. There, they perform the Maghrib prayer and Isha prayer together. They also take a short rest before continuing their pilgrimage.

The flat area around Mount Arafat is known as the Plain of Arafat. Sometimes, the name Mount Arafah is used for this whole area. It is a very important place because pilgrims must spend the afternoon there on the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah.

Since late 2010, the Mecca Metro has helped pilgrims travel to this area. Before the metro, pilgrims would often walk about 21 km (13 mi) to reach Mount Arafat.

Images for kids

  • Masjid Namirah - panoramio

    Masjid Al-Namirah (Arabic: مَسْجِد نَمِرَة)

  • Masjid al-Namira

    Sideview of the Masjid Al-Namirah

  • Jabal-e-Rehmat (Mount Arafat)

    Pilgrims praying during Hajj

  • Jabal-e-Rehmat (Mount of Mercy)

    Pilgrims

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Monte Arafat para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Mount Arafat Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.