I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was in Arafat, and people or a group of people from Najd came. They ordered a man, so he called out to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "How is the Hajj?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded a man, so he proclaimed: "The Hajj, the Hajj is the Day of Arafah. Whoever comes before the Fajr prayer on the night of Jam' has completed his Hajj. The days of Mina are three: whoever hastens in two days, there is no sin upon him, and whoever delays, there is no sin upon him."
He said: Then he made a man ride behind him and he began to proclaim that.
Abu Dawud said: Mahran narrated it from Sufyan in a similar way, and said: "The Hajj, the Hajj" twice. Yahya bin Sa'id al-Qattan narrated it from Sufyan and said: "The Hajj" once.
The Rites of Hajj (Kitab Al-Manasik Wa'l-Hajj) - Sunan Abi Dawud 1949
This narration from Sunan Abi Dawud contains profound guidance regarding the essential rites of Hajj, particularly the standing at Arafah which constitutes the pinnacle of the pilgrimage.
The Primacy of Standing at Arafah
The Prophet's declaration "The Hajj is on the day of Arafah" establishes that the standing at Arafah is the fundamental pillar without which Hajj cannot be complete. This emphasizes that whoever misses this standing has invalidated their Hajj, while other rites may be compensated through sacrifice if omitted.
Timing and Completion of Hajj
The specification "before the dawn prayer on the night of al-Muzdalifah" indicates that the standing period extends from noon on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah until dawn of the 10th. Whoever stands during any portion of this time has fulfilled the essential requirement.
Flexibility in Mina Stay
The three-day stay at Mina refers to the days of Tashreeq (11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah). The permission to hasten departure after two days demonstrates Allah's mercy in facilitating ease for pilgrims, while delaying the full three days remains preferable for completeness.
Prophetic Methodology in Teaching
The Prophet's instruction to have the ruling proclaimed loudly and repeatedly, even sending a companion to announce it while riding, illustrates the importance of ensuring religious knowledge reaches all people clearly and comprehensively.