Mount Arafat (Jabal al-Rahmah)
AbrahamicIslamicmountainHejaz2000 BCE - present
Loading map…
Location
Modern Name
Plain of Arafat, near Mecca
Country
Saudi Arabia
Region
Hejaz
Coordinates
21.3548, 39.9842
Era
2000 BCE - present
Site Type
Mountain
About
A granite hill on the plain of Arafat southeast of Mecca, known as the 'Mountain of Mercy'; the climax of Hajj — the Standing (Wuquf) — takes place here on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah.
Significance
The Standing at Arafat is considered the essential pillar of Hajj; tradition holds it is where Adam and Eve reunited after their expulsion from Eden, and where Muhammad delivered his Farewell Sermon in 632 CE.
History & Historical Arc
Muhammad delivered his last sermon here to over 100,000 pilgrims in 632 CE; the practice of Wuquf has continued uninterr…
Archaeological Notes
No excavation; a small mosque and column mark the peak where the sermon was delivered.
Key Features & Structures
- Jabal al-Rahmah granite hill
- Farewell Sermon pillar
Visitor Information
Open only to Hajj pilgrims; the Standing occurs from noon to sunset on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah.
Related Figures
MuhammadIbrahim (Abraham)AdamEve
In the Bible
Source References
- Quran 2:198
- Sahih Bukhari 2:26:795