Al-Hajj Al-Mabroor

We have to clarify that ‘Arafât has two pronunciations: in the first
we say ‘Arafât, as stated in the Noble Qur’an and in the second we
say ‘Arafah, as stated in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) saying, “Hajj is ‘Arafah.”
‘Arafât became a proper noun indicating a spacious place wherein
pilgrims gather on the ninth of Dhu’l–Hijjah. ‘Arafât is not a mount;
if you heard what people usually call (Mount ‘Arafât), learn that
what is meant is the mount ascribed to ‘Arafât area but the mount
itself is not ‘Arafât.
Many people think that the completion of Hajj is in ascending the
mount called Rahmah, on which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace) stood in the Farewell Hajj and if
the pilgrim did not ascend it, as though he did not perform Hajj!!
We say that this is untrue, ‘Arafah is the spacious valley that the
mount overlooks. The name of the mount is derived from its
proximity to this valley; the mount is ascribed to ‘Arafât area not
the opposite.
Many opinions were stated regarding the significance of the word
‘Arafah. There is a difference between an attributive name that
becomes a name afterwards and a proper noun. If the name is a
proper noun from the beginning, it does not necessitate standing
for a meaning. A man’s name could be ‘Happy’ when he is most
miserable; this is a proper name unrelated to a certain denotation.
In fact, some people like to choose names inspiring good omen, as
some used to name their sons ‘Sa‘d’ (i.e., Good Fortune) hoping
that he becomes fortunate. The Arab used to choose names of good
omen; they used to name ‘Sakhr’ (i.e., Rock) so that the person may
grow to be rocklike in the face of his enemies or name him ‘Kalb’
(i.e., Hound) so that none would dare defy him.
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