The Farewell Pilgrimage
The Prophet (pbuh) had become the most powerful leader in the whole of
Arabia. After the idols in the Ka'bah had been smashed and Quraysh had
become Muslim, most of the other tribes of Arabia came to declare their
Islam. The year in which they came was later to be called the Year of
Deputations. As each tribe joined Islam, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
sent his men to teach them about their new religion. Many people also
came to Medinah to question the Prophet (pbuh) himself. One tribe sent a
man called Dimam, who was large and strong. On arriving in Medinah,
he went straight to the mosque, where the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was
sitting with some of his companions, and stood over the Prophet (pbuh).
In a loud, rough voice he asked, 'Which of you is the son of 'Abd al-
Muttalib?' When the Prophet (pbuh) answered him Dimam went on, 'I am
going to ask you a hard question, so do not misunderstand me. I ask you
to swear by Allah, your Allah, the Allah of those before you and the
Allah of those who will come after you, has He sent you to us as a
messenger?' 'Yes, He has', replied the Prophet (pbuh). 'Has Allah
instructed you to order us to serve Him; to pray these five prayers; to pay
alms; to fast; to make the pilgrimage and to follow the other laws of
Islam)?' continued Dimam. When the Prophet (pbuh) answered that Allah
had indeed instructed him in this way, Dimam became a Muslim and, as
he left, added, 'Then I will do the things we are told to do and avoid the
things we are forbidden-no more and no less.` As Dimam mounted his
camel to leave, the Prophet(pbuh) told the people around him, 'If this man
is sincere, he will go to Paradise.' When Dimam reached his people they
all thought he had gone mad but by nightfall, after he had finished
speaking, there was not among them that had not accepted Islam.
When the time came for the yearly pilgrimage, it was proclaimed that
the prophet (pbuh) would be going to Mecca. The Muslims flocked to
Medinah from all over Arabia to join him on his journey to the Ka‟bah.
As the tribes arrived they camped around the city until they finally
numbered more than thirty thousand.
The Prophet (pbuh) went out with his family and friends to
pilgrimage, but before setting off, he led all the Muslims in prayer. After
the prayers, the Prophet (pbuh) got on his camel and headed towards
Mecca followed by the pilgrims, all of whom, for the first time in
centuries, worshipped Allah, the One God. The Prophet (pbuh) and his
companions were deeply moved by the sight of the huge number of
Muslims accompanying them to Mecca, carrying no arms, and fearing no
one. They could not help but remember their original flight from Mecca
when they had been so few in number and were forced to leave in order
to avoid the anger of Quraysh. Throughout the journey the Muslims
repeated a prayer taught to them by the Prophet (pbuh) which he in turn
had received from the Archangel Gabriel. This prayer, the talbiyah, has
been part of the Hajj ritual ever since. It is in answer to the call Abraham
was commanded to make when he and Ishmael finished building the
Ka‟bah.
Labaik Allahumma labaik, labaik la sharika laka labaik in alhamd
wa al-ni'amatu laka wal-mulk, la sharika laka. Here I am, O
Allah, at Thy service. Here I am, Thou art without partner, here I am. All
Praise and blessings are thine, and Dominion! Thou art without partner!
After ten days the pilgrims marched at sunset through the same pass
by which they had entered on the Day of Conquest of Mecca. When they
reached the Ka‟bah, the Prophet (pbuh) stood before it in prayer, then he
and all the Muslims walked around it seven times saying their prayer
aloud. Next, just as Abraham had done, they went towards the Mount of
Mercy at 'Arafah, which the Prophet (pbuh) ascended on a camel. From
the mountain he led the people in prayer and then spoke to them as they
stood assembled on the vast plain below.
What the Prophet (pbuh) said is known as the „Farewell Sermon‟,
because it was the last speech the Prophet (pbuh) made before he died. He
said, 'surely you will meet your Lord and He will question you about your
works.' He asked the Muslims to take their guidance from the Qur'an and
from his own example. This, he said, was the best way to live. He ordered
them to cease living in the way they had before Islam.
Revenge, one of the oldest traditions in Arabia, was ended forever;
usury was prohibited; property was to be respected. Things which
previously were forbidden during the four sacred months of the year were
now forbidden at all times. He then commanded, 'Know that every
Muslim is a Muslim's brother', which was a completely new idea to the
tribes who had so often quarreled in the past. He also said, 'Allah has
given everyone his due-exactly what each one deserves. After each point
the Prophet (pbuh) asked, 'Have I explained it well? Is it perfectly clear?'
Everyone answered, 'Yes.' For these were the people who would have to
pass on the Prophet's message and instructions to those who were unable
to be present that day and to future generations. The Prophet (pbuh) said,
'I have left you two things. If you hold on to them you will be saved.
They are Allah's Book and the words of your Prophet.' He then asked,
'Have I not conveyed the message?' The multitude shouted out, 'By Allah,
yes!' The Prophet (pbuh) ended, '0 Allah! Bear witness to that.'
“… This day those who disbelieve are in despair of (ever harming)
your religion; so do not fear them, but fear Me! This day I have perfected
your religion, for you, and I have completed My favor unto you, and have
chosen for you as a religion AL-ISLAM”. (Qur'an 5.3) Many Muslims
started to shed tears, knowing that if the Prophet (pbuh) had completed
his message, his life must be near its end.
After spending the rest of the day of „Arafah in prayer and
contemplation, the Muslims began to complete the pilgrimage by
returning to Mecca with the talbiyah prayer still on their lips. The first
night of the return journey was spent at Muzdalifah. Here they gathered
pebbles, which they carried with them the next day to Mina. There they
stood before a huge rock and stoned it in remembrance of Abraham's
meeting with the Devil in that very place. When Abraham received the
order from Allah to sacrifice his son Ishmael as a test of his faith, the
Devil had tried to convince him not to do it. He came to Abraham at
Mina, as he was on his way to carry out Allah's command, but Abraham
took some stones and hurled them at the Devil to drive him away since
the casting of stones at Mina on the Prophet's 'Farewell Pilgrimage', this
has become another ritual which Muslims perform on the annual
pilgrimage to remind them that they, too, must continue to drive the Devil
away when he tries to prevent them from being obedient to Allah. After
throwing the stones, the pilgrims sacrificed sheep and camels and gave
the meat to the poor. In this way the great faith of Abraham was
remembered, for when he had been ready to sacrifice Ishmael, Allah had
sent a sheep in his place. The Muslims then completed the pilgrimage by
again circling the Ka‟bah seven times. They then cut their hair and nails
and changed out of their white clothes to show they had returned to their
daily lives. Before returning to Medinah, the Muslims spent three nights
in the valley at Medinah where the final preparations were made for the
journey home.
As for the Prophet (pbuh), he made one final visit before leaving
Mecca. This was to the grave of his devoted wife, Khadijah, who had
been the first person to believe in Allah's Revelation through him. The
Prophet (pbuh) knew that this would be the last time he would see the
grave, or Mecca, because during the pilgrimage he had received the
chapter of the Qur'an called 'Help', form which he knew that his death
was not far away.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
“When Allah's help and triumph comes And thou seest, mankind
entering the religion of Allah in troops, Then hymn the praises of thy
Lord, and seek forgiveness of Him. Lo! He is ever ready to show mercy”.
(Qur'an 110.1-3)
The Prophet (pbuh) had become the most powerful leader in the whole of
Arabia. After the idols in the Ka'bah had been smashed and Quraysh had
become Muslim, most of the other tribes of Arabia came to declare their
Islam. The year in which they came was later to be called the Year of
Deputations. As each tribe joined Islam, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
sent his men to teach them about their new religion. Many people also
came to Medinah to question the Prophet (pbuh) himself. One tribe sent a
man called Dimam, who was large and strong. On arriving in Medinah,
he went straight to the mosque, where the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was
sitting with some of his companions, and stood over the Prophet (pbuh).
In a loud, rough voice he asked, 'Which of you is the son of 'Abd al-
Muttalib?' When the Prophet (pbuh) answered him Dimam went on, 'I am
going to ask you a hard question, so do not misunderstand me. I ask you
to swear by Allah, your Allah, the Allah of those before you and the
Allah of those who will come after you, has He sent you to us as a
messenger?' 'Yes, He has', replied the Prophet (pbuh). 'Has Allah
instructed you to order us to serve Him; to pray these five prayers; to pay
alms; to fast; to make the pilgrimage and to follow the other laws of
Islam)?' continued Dimam. When the Prophet (pbuh) answered that Allah
had indeed instructed him in this way, Dimam became a Muslim and, as
he left, added, 'Then I will do the things we are told to do and avoid the
things we are forbidden-no more and no less.` As Dimam mounted his
camel to leave, the Prophet(pbuh) told the people around him, 'If this man
is sincere, he will go to Paradise.' When Dimam reached his people they
all thought he had gone mad but by nightfall, after he had finished
speaking, there was not among them that had not accepted Islam.
When the time came for the yearly pilgrimage, it was proclaimed that
the prophet (pbuh) would be going to Mecca. The Muslims flocked to
Medinah from all over Arabia to join him on his journey to the Ka‟bah.
As the tribes arrived they camped around the city until they finally
numbered more than thirty thousand.
The Prophet (pbuh) went out with his family and friends to
pilgrimage, but before setting off, he led all the Muslims in prayer. After
the prayers, the Prophet (pbuh) got on his camel and headed towards
Mecca followed by the pilgrims, all of whom, for the first time in
centuries, worshipped Allah, the One God. The Prophet (pbuh) and his
companions were deeply moved by the sight of the huge number of
Muslims accompanying them to Mecca, carrying no arms, and fearing no
one. They could not help but remember their original flight from Mecca
when they had been so few in number and were forced to leave in order
to avoid the anger of Quraysh. Throughout the journey the Muslims
repeated a prayer taught to them by the Prophet (pbuh) which he in turn
had received from the Archangel Gabriel. This prayer, the talbiyah, has
been part of the Hajj ritual ever since. It is in answer to the call Abraham
was commanded to make when he and Ishmael finished building the
Ka‟bah.
Labaik Allahumma labaik, labaik la sharika laka labaik in alhamd
wa al-ni'amatu laka wal-mulk, la sharika laka. Here I am, O
Allah, at Thy service. Here I am, Thou art without partner, here I am. All
Praise and blessings are thine, and Dominion! Thou art without partner!
After ten days the pilgrims marched at sunset through the same pass
by which they had entered on the Day of Conquest of Mecca. When they
reached the Ka‟bah, the Prophet (pbuh) stood before it in prayer, then he
and all the Muslims walked around it seven times saying their prayer
aloud. Next, just as Abraham had done, they went towards the Mount of
Mercy at 'Arafah, which the Prophet (pbuh) ascended on a camel. From
the mountain he led the people in prayer and then spoke to them as they
stood assembled on the vast plain below.
What the Prophet (pbuh) said is known as the „Farewell Sermon‟,
because it was the last speech the Prophet (pbuh) made before he died. He
said, 'surely you will meet your Lord and He will question you about your
works.' He asked the Muslims to take their guidance from the Qur'an and
from his own example. This, he said, was the best way to live. He ordered
them to cease living in the way they had before Islam.
Revenge, one of the oldest traditions in Arabia, was ended forever;
usury was prohibited; property was to be respected. Things which
previously were forbidden during the four sacred months of the year were
now forbidden at all times. He then commanded, 'Know that every
Muslim is a Muslim's brother', which was a completely new idea to the
tribes who had so often quarreled in the past. He also said, 'Allah has
given everyone his due-exactly what each one deserves. After each point
the Prophet (pbuh) asked, 'Have I explained it well? Is it perfectly clear?'
Everyone answered, 'Yes.' For these were the people who would have to
pass on the Prophet's message and instructions to those who were unable
to be present that day and to future generations. The Prophet (pbuh) said,
'I have left you two things. If you hold on to them you will be saved.
They are Allah's Book and the words of your Prophet.' He then asked,
'Have I not conveyed the message?' The multitude shouted out, 'By Allah,
yes!' The Prophet (pbuh) ended, '0 Allah! Bear witness to that.'
“… This day those who disbelieve are in despair of (ever harming)
your religion; so do not fear them, but fear Me! This day I have perfected
your religion, for you, and I have completed My favor unto you, and have
chosen for you as a religion AL-ISLAM”. (Qur'an 5.3) Many Muslims
started to shed tears, knowing that if the Prophet (pbuh) had completed
his message, his life must be near its end.
After spending the rest of the day of „Arafah in prayer and
contemplation, the Muslims began to complete the pilgrimage by
returning to Mecca with the talbiyah prayer still on their lips. The first
night of the return journey was spent at Muzdalifah. Here they gathered
pebbles, which they carried with them the next day to Mina. There they
stood before a huge rock and stoned it in remembrance of Abraham's
meeting with the Devil in that very place. When Abraham received the
order from Allah to sacrifice his son Ishmael as a test of his faith, the
Devil had tried to convince him not to do it. He came to Abraham at
Mina, as he was on his way to carry out Allah's command, but Abraham
took some stones and hurled them at the Devil to drive him away since
the casting of stones at Mina on the Prophet's 'Farewell Pilgrimage', this
has become another ritual which Muslims perform on the annual
pilgrimage to remind them that they, too, must continue to drive the Devil
away when he tries to prevent them from being obedient to Allah. After
throwing the stones, the pilgrims sacrificed sheep and camels and gave
the meat to the poor. In this way the great faith of Abraham was
remembered, for when he had been ready to sacrifice Ishmael, Allah had
sent a sheep in his place. The Muslims then completed the pilgrimage by
again circling the Ka‟bah seven times. They then cut their hair and nails
and changed out of their white clothes to show they had returned to their
daily lives. Before returning to Medinah, the Muslims spent three nights
in the valley at Medinah where the final preparations were made for the
journey home.
As for the Prophet (pbuh), he made one final visit before leaving
Mecca. This was to the grave of his devoted wife, Khadijah, who had
been the first person to believe in Allah's Revelation through him. The
Prophet (pbuh) knew that this would be the last time he would see the
grave, or Mecca, because during the pilgrimage he had received the
chapter of the Qur'an called 'Help', form which he knew that his death
was not far away.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
“When Allah's help and triumph comes And thou seest, mankind
entering the religion of Allah in troops, Then hymn the praises of thy
Lord, and seek forgiveness of Him. Lo! He is ever ready to show mercy”.
(Qur'an 110.1-3)
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