Of Yom Kippur and Yom Arafath

Today is Yom-Kippur, or the Day of Atonement for the Jews world over. The holiest day in their Faith, when all the Jews gather at synagogues to atone their sins, seek Divine forgiveness and please the Almighty so their names may be written in the book of Life for their good deeds.

By co-incidence, today is also Yom-e-Arafath or Day of Atonement/Repentance for Muslims. It is also the holiest day in Islamic Faith, when all the pilgrims to the holy city of Mecca assemble in the holy-plains of Mount Arafath to atone their sins, seek Allah's mercy and pray that He be pleased with us in this life on earth and ever-after. The rest of the Muslim community the world over enjoin the pilgrims spiritually world over through Fasting (optional), prayers and observing certain restrictions as is binding on the pilgrims.

Yom Kippur is the last day of the 10-day period starting from Rosh Hashanah (day one of Teshrie, 1st month of Hebrew calendar when the Almighty begins to write fate of individuals in the heavenly books). People’s fates are sealed on Yom kippur. Jews observe Fast, spend their day in synagogue prayers and abstain from work and all physical pleasures to please the Almighty on this day.

Sharing similar beliefs is the performance of Hajj, where the Pilgrims to Mecca forfeit all earthly chains, abstain from all physical pleasures and spend their days in prayers to please the Almighty, and muslims across the globe bond with the pilgrims by observing certain restrictions as the pilgrims, and spend the day in prayers, from the sighting of the crescent of the 12th month of Islamic calendar, Zil-Hajj till the three-day Festival of Sacrifice (Eid-ul-Azha), which commences on the 10th day of the month.

It is assured by the Almighty that whoever successfully complete their Pilgrimage in true Faith and it is accepted by the Almighty, all their sins are forgiven and they return from the plains of Arafa as pure as a baby emerges from it's mother's womb.

Allah knows better His will behind this phenomenal co-incidence between the two Faiths which are brethren-by-Books, yet divided by conflicts. But, if we are to see, it looks like a divine message of harmony and peace for the two communities and to show how both are more similar than different to each other.

Wishing a peaceful Yom Kippur and Yom Arafath to Jews and Muslims all over the world.