Chapter: Proceeding to Muzdalifah and spending the night there, and proceeding from Muzdalifah to Mina along with the rites of the Festival Day

After sunset the pilgrims leave ʿArafah for Muzdalifah in a state of calm and dignity, as narrated by Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the Prophet ﷺ: “He remained standing until the sun had set, the yellow glow had faded a little and the disk had disappeared. He then seated Usāmah behind him, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out, pulling tight the reins of al-Qaṣwāʾ—his she-camel—so that her head almost touched the back of the saddle. With his right hand he kept signaling, ‘People, composure, composure.’”

In the same way, Muslims should show serenity and gentleness when leaving ʿArafah: they must not jostle their fellow pilgrims, exhaust them by pushing, frighten them with their vehicles, and they should show mercy to the weak, the elderly, and those who are on foot.

While moving from ʿArafah to Muzdalifah the pilgrim should be engaged in seeking forgiveness, for the Almighty says, “Then depart from where the people depart and seek Allah’s forgiveness; truly Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Qur’an 2:199).

Muzdalifah is so named from al-izdilāf, meaning “drawing near,” because when the pilgrims stream forth from ʿArafah they draw near to it—that is, they approach and proceed to it. It is also called