Al-Mash'ar: Difference between revisions

'''Al-Mashʿar''' (Arabic: {{ia|المشعر}}), also known as '''al-Mashʿar al-Ḥarām''' ({{ia|المشعر الحرام}}) or '''Muzdalifa''' (Arabic: {{ia|مزدلفة}}) is a region between [['Arafat]] and [[Mina]] which has a length of about 4 km and staying there on the morning of [[Eid al-Adha]] is one of the [[essentials of hajj]]. Most [[hajj]] pilgrims collect stones for [[ramy al-jamarat]] from this place.

This land which is located inside the [[Haram (holy site)|Haram]] is a small valley between [['Arafat]] and [[Mina]] with the size of about 4 km. There is a large mosque in this area called [[Muzdalifa Mosque]]. The primary size of this mosque has been 1700 square meters which reached 4000 square meters at the time of [[Abbasids]]. That time, the mosque did not have a roof and there was only a fence around it. After many times of reconstruction and expansion, now its rectangular size is about 6000 square meters.

In [[verses]] 198 and 199 of [[Sura al-Baqara]], the name of Muzdalifa is mentioned as al-Mash'ar al-Haram and people have been asked to remember God in this place.{{enote|There is no sin upon you in seeking your Lord’s grace [during the ḥajj season]. Then when you stream out of ‘Arafāt remember Allah at the Holy Mash‘ar, and remember Him as He has guided you, and earlier you were indeed among the astray. (198) Then stream out from where the people stream out, and plead to Allah for forgiveness; indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful. (Qur'an 2:198-199)}}

* '''Muzdalifa''' which is another name for this place and is derived from izdilaf, meaning proximity, because there, people come close to God or that pilgrims gather and get closer to each other. Also, Muzdalifa refers to the place of crowd due to the gathering of all pilgrims there at the night of [[Dhu l-Hijja 10]]. Another cause for its naming is a narration from [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] saying, "after the end of staying in 'Arafat, Angel [[Jabra'il]] told the Prophet [[Ibrahim (a)]], 'O Abraham (a)! izdalif (go close) toward al-Ma'shar al-Haram.'". In another narration, [[Mu'awiya b. 'Ammar]] narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (a) that, "Muzdalifa was called so, because pilgrim move toward it after 'Arafat."

* '''Al-Jam'''' (place of bringing together). Imam al-Sadiq (a) said, "al-Mash'ar is also called Jam' because prophet [[Adam (a)]] performed his maghrib and 'isha' prayers together."

* '''Al-Ibtah''' (flat area) . Imam al-Sadiq (a) said, "this land is called al-Ibtah because prophet Adam (a) was missioned to stay at Muzdalifa until sunrise. Then, he (a) was missioned to climb Mount al-Mash'ar and to confess to his sin when the sun shined upon him, and he (a) did so and this confession was made as a tradition among his children."

Hajj pilgrims need to move toward Muzdalifa after the sunset of the [[Day of 'Arafa]], after the end of voluntary staying in 'Arafat and stay there until the sunrise of the next day ([[Dhu l-Hijja 10]], [[Eid al-Adha]]). The area of Muzdalifa has been marked by big signs. Its length is about 4000 meters and its area is 5.12 square km. some believe that Muzdalifa is actually the name of the land and a mountain located at the end of Muzdalifa and extends to the land or the valley of [[Wadi l-Muhassir]] and this whole area is called Muzdalifa. In this place, during camping and worshiping at night, pilgrims can collect stones which can only be found in this place with specific size and form to use them for [[ramy al-Jamarat]] in [[Mina]].

After the sunset on the [[Day of 'Arafa]], pilgrims go out of [['Arafat]] and move toward Muzdalifa. The time of staying in Muzdalifa is from fajr of [[Eid al-Adha]] until the sunrise. In Muzdalifa, there is nothing obligatory other than just staying there, while performing many actions are recommended including remembrance of God and collecting stones for [[ramy al-Jamarat]].

* The material for this article is mainly taken from [http://fa.wikishia.net/مشعر {{ia|مشعر}}] in Farsi WikiShia.

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