Jabal al-Rahmah

Jabal al-Rahmah, also known as Mount Arafat, is one of the most important landmarks of Arafat site. It is located on the eastern side of Arafat site, about twenty-two km east of Makkah al-Mukarramah city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Jabal al-Rahmah is an important landmark for Muslims, as pilgrims stand there during the Hijri month of Dhul-Hijjah, as they were ordered to. It is sixty-five m high above ground; its highest point is 372 m above sea level.

A hadith of the Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him (PBUH), is, 'Hajj is Arafat.' There are those who erroneously believe that standing on Mount Arafat means literally standing on the mount, but the meaning is that they can stand anywhere in Arafat, as per a hadith by the Prophet (PBUH): 'I am standing here but all of Arafah is the place of standing.'

Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) stood there with his companions during his famous sermon; Farewell Sermon. In some narratives, Adam and Hawa (Eve) supposedly met on Jabal al-Rahmah after separately descending from heaven to earth.

Scholars have disagreed on the etymology of Mount Arafat. Some have argued that it is because it is the meeting place of Adam and Hawa (Eve). Another possible origin is that this was where people would meet on the Day of Arafat. The mountain goes by other names, including al-Qurain, al-Duaa (supplication), Mount of Ilal, and Mount of Tawba (repentance).

Jabal al-Rahmah is distinguished by its flat and wide surface, which consists of large, hard, black stones that allow pilgrims to climb and stand there on the Day of Arafat.

Jabal al-Rahmah is surrounded by a wall fifty-seven cm high, with a half-meter platform in the middle. Its circumference is 640 m, its width to the east is 170 m, and one hundred m to the west. Its length to the north is two hundred m and its length to the south is 170 m.

People ascend to it using stairs on its southern side. Atop is a seven-m-high pillar, acting like a flag to guide people to it.