Wuquf at Arafah: Kiai Cholil Urges Pilgrims to Increase Supplications and Remembrance

JAKARTA — Kiai M Cholil Nafis, Vice-Chair of the Central Council of Islamic Scholars (Majelis Ulama Indonesia/MUI) and Head Supervisor of the 2026 Hajj Pilgrimage, has reminded Indonesian hajj pilgrims to increase supplications and remembrance whilst performing wuquf at Arafah, the culmination of the hajj pilgrimage. He also called on pilgrims to distance themselves from the “deities” of the worldly realm.

The chief of Cendikia Amanah Islamic Boarding School in Depok explained that the finest supplications are those made during wuquf at Arafah.

“As stated, the finest supplications are those at Arafah during wuquf, from the decline of the sun at the time of midday prayer until the setting of the sun at the time of sunset prayer,” Kiai Cholil told Republika.co.id on Saturday (23 May 2026).

He noted that one of the supplications recited by the Prophet Muhammad and the prophets before him is as follows:

“There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner to Him. His is the dominion and to Him is all praise. He gives life and brings death, and He is mighty over all things.”

According to him, there is also a narration that recites the invocation without the phrase “He gives life and brings death,” as follows:

“There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner to Him. His is the dominion and to Him is all praise, and He is mighty over all things.”