Mount Arafat or Mount Arafah (Arabic: جبل عرÙات‎ transliterated Jabal ‘ArafÄt) is a granite hill east of Mecca in the plain of Arafat. It is also known as the Mount of Mercy (Jabal ar-Rahmah). According to Islamic tradition, the hill is the place where the Islamic prophet Muhammad stood and delivered the Farewell Sermon to the Muslims who had accompanied him for the Hajj towards the end of his life. It reaches about 70 m in height.
The pilgrims spend the whole day on `Arafah supplicating to Allah to forgive their sins and praying for personal strength in the future.
Hajj
Arafah rituals end at sunset and pilgrims then move to Muzdalifah for shortened Maghrib Prayer and `Isha’prayers and for a short rest.
The level area surrounding the hill is called the Plain of Arafat. The term Mount `Arafah is sometimes applied to this entire area. It is an important place in Islam because during the Ḥajj, pilgrims spend the afternoon there on the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah (ذو الØجة). Failure to be present in the plain of Arafat on the required day invalidates the pilgrimage.
Since late 2010, this place is served by Mecca Metro. On a Normal Hajj the Mount would be around thirteen miles to walk.
In literature
The hill is also referenced in James Joyce's novel Finnegans Wake.
