Hajj al-Akbar (The Great Pilgrimage)

Question

Allah the Exalted said: ’And [this is] an announcement from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the great pilgrimage that Allah is disassociated from the polytheists, and [so is] His Messenger.’ What is meant by ‘the Day of the Great Pilgrimage’ in this verse? Are there different opinions on this? Which opinion is preferred? Is considering Arafat or Friday as the Day of Hajj al-Akbar the view of any recognised imam, or merely the opinion of Shaykh al-Akbar?

Answer

Among the commentators (mufassirun), there are two opinions regarding 'the Day of the Great Pilgrimage': The first: that it refers to the Day of Arafat. The second: that it refers to the Day of Sacrifice (Yawm al-Nahr). (As stated in al-Iklil, vol. 3, p. 1334). Hafiz 'Imad (Ibn Kathir)

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