Mistakes in spending the night at Muzdalifah

08/11/2009| IslamWeb

• Some pilgrims are negligent when it comes to scrutinizing the boundaries of Muzdalifah and this may result in them spending the night outside its boundaries, though spending the night within the boundaries of Muzdalifah is one of the obligations of Hajj.  
• Delaying the Maghrib (sunset) and the ‘Ishaa’ (night) prayers until after midnight.
• This is a mistake because the Sunnah (tradition) is that the pilgrim performs these two prayers combined in Muzdalifah before missing the due time of the ‘Ishaa’ Prayer, which is midnight. If he is unable to do so, he can perform these two prayers at any place before expiration of the due time.   
• Performing the Fajr (dawn) prayer at Muzdalifah before its due time so that the pilgrim hastens departure.
• This is against the Sunnah of the Prophet, . Moreover, performing the prayer before its due time renders it invalid. 
• Some people think that it is obligatory to pick up the pebbles from Muzdalifah.
• This is a mistake, because it is permissible to collect the pebbles from any place.
• Staying at Muzdalifah until sunrise.
• The Sunnah, however, is to leave it before sunrise. This is in contradiction to the polytheists' action who used to wait until sunrise.
• Spending the night in worshipping Allah The Almighty.
• This is contrary to the Sunnah of the Prophet, , as he is reported to have slept that night.