The Sister, who contributed this knowledge (Ilm) lives in Makkah and has 
experience in accompanying Hajjis in this blessed journey; may Allah enable 
us to benefit to our best ability from this knowledge. She only asks for du'a 
in return. Reference: " Manaasikul Hajj wal Umrah Fil Kitaab was Sunnah wa 
Aathar As Salaf" or " Rites of Hajj and Umrah from the Book (Qur'an) and the 
Sunnah and Narrations from the Pious Predecessors" by Muhammad Nassirud Deen 
Al Albaani. The Sister's comments in [ ] 

 
Innovations of Arafah
standing upon the Mount of Arafah on the eighth day for a time in case the 
moon was wrongly sighted. 

The lighting of many candles on the night of Arafah at Mina 

Making dua on the night of Arafah with ten phrases – saying them a thousand 
times: (Glory to Him Whose Throne is above the sky. . .) 

Their going direct from Makkah to Arafah on the 8th day. 

Travelling to Arafah from Mina at night. [meaning the night before the day of 
Arafah so as to get there early and get a good spot.] 

Bathing for the Day of Arafah. 

Saying tahleel (la ilaha ila Allah) 100 times upon Arafah, then reading 
Suratul Ikhlaas 100 times, then saying salaat and salaams upon the Prophet 
100 times at the end and then upon us. [Again, there is nothing wrong with 
saying " la ilaha ila Allah" or saying " Qul huwa Allahu Ahad" or giving 
salaams to the doing this in general, but when it is specified to say this at 
Arafat, then it becomes an act of bida'.] 

Remaining silent upon Arafah and leaving dua [refusing to speak at all 
whether to a person, or even making dua]. 

Climbing to the top of the Mount of Mercy (Jabal ur Rahmah) 

Entering the Dome upon the Mount of Mercy which they call " The Dome of Adam" 
and praying in it, and making Tawaf around it! 

The imams giving two khutbahs in Arafah, dividing them by sitting like that 
of Jumu'ah. 

Praying Dhur and Asr before the khutbah. 

Praying nafl prayers between Dhur and Asr in Arafah. 

Particularizing a certain dua or dhikr for Arafah, like the dua of al Khidr, 
peace be upon him, which is mentioned in " Ihyaa 'Uloom ud Deen" and begins, 
" O Him Who is not preoccupied with" , and other duas, some of them reaching 
five written pages. 

Leaving Arafah before sunset as some people do. 

What has become common upon the tongues of the people: that the standing in 
Arafah on Yaum ul Jumu'ah is equivalent to 72 pilgrimages [This is very 
common although I never heard of it before I left the States. They call it 
Hajjul Akbar. They say that this Hajj will be Hajjul Akbar and when this 
happens, many people try to come to that Hajj than at other times. There is 
no basis whatsoever in Qur'an or Sunnah for this misconception.] 

What some people do [who are not on Hajj] as regards gathering together on 
the evening of Arafah in congregational mosques or in a foreign place, then 
making dua and dhikr, raising their voices very much, reciting sermons and 
poetry, in imitation of the people of Arafah. 
 
Innovations of Muzdalifah

Bathing to spend the night in Muzdalifah. 

Regarding it to be desirable for one riding to get down and enter Muzdalifah 
on foot out of respect for the Sacred Area (Haram). 

Leaving off praying Maghrib prayer as soon as Muzdalifah is reached and 
instead looking for small stones. 

Praying the sunnahs of Maghrib between the two prayers [Maghrib and Isha 
which are shortened and combined], or combining them with the sunnahs of Isha 
and Witr after the two fard prayers. 

Staying awake all night. 

stopping at Muzdalifah without spending the night there. 
 
Innovations of Stoning

Bathing in order to perform the stoning. 

Washing the stones before stoning. 

Saying, "subhaanallah" or any other dhikr in place of takbeer. 

Saying anything in addition to takbeer, such as: The saying of some of the 
later people: "And it is sunnah to say when throwing each stone: '......' 

Adhering to a particular way of throwing the stones: like the saying of some, 
" he should put the end of his right thumb upon the center of his forefinger 
and he should place the stone upon the back of his thumb as if he was making 
the number 70 with his fingers, then he should throw it." And there are 
others who say: " he should make a circle with his forefinger upon the joint 
of his thumb as if he were making the number 10." 

Fixing a certain place for the one stoning to stand; that there should be 
between him and the pillar, five arms-lengths. 

Stoning with shoes, etc. [Don't laugh, seen that one too. The people get so 
emotional when stoning the Shaitaan, it's as if they see him before them. 
They get really angry and when their 7 stones are gone, they start throwing 
anything, usually shoes, and then whatever else they can get their hands on. 
It would be funny, but 1) it's bida' and 2) people get hurt.] 
 
Innovations of Sacrifice and Shaving the Head

Giving charity to the value of sacrifice instead of making the obligatory 
sacrifice of an animal, declaring that most of the sacrificial meat goes to 
waste, only a few are benefiting from it. (The footnote on this one says, 
"And this is one of the worst innovations because of what it involves 
regarding twisting the Sharia which is clearly shown in the Book and Sunnah 
merely on account of opinion. And the chief responsibility for the lack of 
total use of the meat lies upon the pilgrims themselves, because they do not 
when sacrificing take account of the directions of the legislator regarding 
this.) 

Some peoples' sacrificing the obligatory sacrifice in Makkah before the Day 
of Sacrifice. 

The barbers starting with the left side of the head when shaving instead of 
the right. 
Only shaving a quarter of the head. 

Al-Ghazaali's saying in 'Ihyaa 'Uloom ud-Deen: " And the Sunnah is to face 
the qiblah during shaving." 
Making dua while the head is shaved, saying: " Alhumdu lillahi 'alaa maa 
hadaanaa" 

Holding it as recommendable to pray Eid Prayer in Mina 

[there is no Eid Prayer for the Hujjaj. You will also find Hujjah, instead of 
going to Mina on this day, will go to the Haram and pray Salatul Eid. This is 
incorrect.] 
 
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--
 Allahumma, akthar maali, wa waladi, wa baarik li fima 'ataitani, w'atil 
hayaati ala taa'atik wahsin 'amali waghfirli 

O Allah, increase my wealth and offspring and bless me (give me baraka) in 
what You give me 
And make the rest of my life in Your obedience, make my deeds the best deeds, 
and forgive me 

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