My question is related to Hajj. I have the intention to go for Hajj, Allaah Willing. If I go for Hajj and arrive on the Day of ‘Arafah and go directly to ‘Arafah without making Tawaaf Al-Qudoom and Sa‘y, and after throwing the pebbles I go to make Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah and Sa‘y for Hajj, then am I required to make Tawaaf Al-Qudoom? Is it valid to make both Tawaaf Al-Qudoom and Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah with a single intention? I also want to know how long should I stand at ‘Arafah?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The pilgrim who makes Ifraad Hajj or Qiraan Hajj and goes directly to ‘Arafah without entering Makkah except on the Day of Nahr, is required to make one Tawaaf, which is Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah. This Tawaaf serves for Tawaaf Al-Qudoom. Some scholars said that it is recommended to make Tawaaf Al-Qudoom before Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah as indicated by the Hanbali School of Fiqh.

The time of standing at ‘Arafah, according to the majority of scholars, starts at noon on the ninth day. According to Ahmad, May Allaah Have mercy upon him, it starts from the break of dawn on that day and extends to the break of dawn of the Day of Nahr. This is evidenced by a Hadeeth narrated on the authority of ‘Urwah ibn Mudharris that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Anyone who offers this prayer along with us and he had stayed at ‘Arafah before that (i.e. coming to Muzdalifah) during nighttime or daytime, then his Hajj is complete and he may wash away the dirt (of his body).” [Ahmad] [Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i, At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah] [At-Tirmithi, Ibn Hibbaan, Ad-Daaraqutni and Al-Haakim: Saheeh]

However, scholars differed as to the ruling on standing there at night, whether it is obligatory in such a way that if it is overlooked it will be compensated by offering a sacrificial animal, or recommended, or a pillar that is integral to the validity of Hajj. This difference should be avoided by combining standing during the night and the daytime at ‘Arafah.

Allaah Knows best.