Saudi Gazette

ARAFAT — The Namirah Mosque in Arafat, which has an area of 110,000 square meters, overflowed with pilgrims on Monday who performed the Dhuhr and Asr prayers together according to the Prophet's Sunnah.

The mosque has a courtyard of 8,000 square meters. The inside capacity of the mosque and its outside plazas were bustling with pilgrims.

Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, who is the chairman of the Central Haj Committee, and the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh were in the front row of the congregation.

Sheikh Hussein Bin Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh, the imam of the Prophet’s Mosque, who is also a judge in the Supreme Court, led the prayers and delivered the Arafat sermon, which is usually delivered before the prayer.

He asked all Muslims to stick vehemently to monotheism, which is the best and correct method of worshipping God.

"Piety, the execution of God's orders and the love and fear of Allah are the elements of success in this life and also in the other life to come," he said.

Al-Asheikh cited a number of Qur’anic verses which call for worshipping Allah alone and said Almighty Allah has created the human beings and the Jinns only to worship him.

He asked all the nations to inculcate good ethics in their citizens and said no nation will ever be able to breed good citizens without inculcating good ethics in them. "The true image of Islam is a replica of ethics and good treatment of the others," he said.

The imam emphasized that Islam wants all believers to have good manners while dealing with others. He also called for upholding justice in all dealings with people. “Adhering to the Islamic principles in financial dealings would contribute to flourishing of trade and robust growth of economy because of building confidence among people. Islam prohibited usury and gambling in its bid to maintain better relations among people.”

Al-Asheikh called on Muslim leaders, scholars, officials, teachers, parents and media persons to highlight the sublime ethical values and groom the younger generation with inculcating in them these values.

Al-Asheikh asked the pilgrims to do much supplication on this day and to ask Allah for forgiveness. "This is a day of repentance to Allah who will answer all your calls," he said.

The imam also asked for the obedience to the rulers and said this will have implications on the general order and the rule of law.