Also it is permissible to delay until the morning of the 9th...

Also it is permissible to delay until the morning of the 9th so as to arrive at `Arafat by the time when the sun crosses the meridian ( zawal ). I have not come across any jurist who considers it wajib to spend at Mina the night before the day of wuquf at `Arafat, or to perform some rite there.

Al‑`Allamah al‑Hilli, in his Tadhkirah, writes: "To spend the night of `Arafah at Mina for resting is mustahabb; but it is not a rite, nor is there anything against one who doesn't do it." Fath al‑Bari and Fath al‑Qadir have something similar to say.

The word `rest' (for istirahah) used by al‑`Allamah al‑Hilli does not need to be explained, for travel in the past used to be exhausting; so he considered it mustahabb for the pilgrims to stay for the night at Mina so as to arrive looking fresh and in good spirits at `Arafat. But travel today is quite a pleasure.

Therefore, if one spends the night of `Arafah in Makkah, going to `Arafat the following morning, or after the zuhr prayer, passing through Mina on his way‑‑as the pilgrims' practice is nowadays‑‑that is sufficient and there is nothing wrong in that. The pilgrim will return to Mina later after the halt in `Arafat, for the ramy al‑Jamrah ‑‑but to that we shall come later.

The Period of the Halt in Arafat There is consensus among the legal schools that the day of the halt in 'Arafat is the 9th of Dhu al‑Hijjah, but they disagree as to the hour of its beginning and end on that day. According to the Hanafi, the Shafi'i, and the Maliki schools, it begins at midday on the 9th and lasts until the daybreak (fajr) on the tenth. According to the Hanbali school, it begins from the daybreak on the 9th until daybreak on the tenth.

According to the Imamiyyah, from midday on the 9th until sunset on the same day, for one who is free to plan; and in case of one in an exigency, until the following daybreak. It is mustahabb to take a bath for the wuquf in 'Arafat, to be performed like the Friday bath. There is no rite to be performed in 'Arafat except one's presence there: one may sleep or keep awake, sit, stand, walk around or ride a mount.

The Limits of ‘Arafat The limits of 'Arafat are `Arnah, Thawbah, and from Nimrah to Dhu al‑Majaz, which are names of places around 'Arafat. One may not make the halt in any of those places, neither in Taht al‑'Arak, because they are outside 'Arafat.