Dept.of English, Aligarh University, India
The Prophet 
led the Pilgrims from Makkah through the Valley of Mina and up to the Mountain of Arafat and then stopped them in the Valley of Uranah. They stopped them in the Valley of Uranah. They stood in front of him silently as he sat on his camel; he delivered a sermon which was later to be known as the Farewell Sermon just as the pilgrimage itself was called the Farewell Pilgrimage. Although it was his first Pilgrimage, it was also his last and therefore his only pilgrimage. With such a large crowd, his voice could not reach out to all those who were present. He therefore asked Rab'ah Ibn Umayya Ibn Khalaf, who was known to have a loud voice, to repeat the sermon after him, sentence by sentence so that everyone could hear.
led the Pilgrims from Makkah through the Valley of Mina and up to the Mountain of Arafat and then stopped them in the Valley of Uranah. They stopped them in the Valley of Uranah. They stood in front of him silently as he sat on his camel; he delivered a sermon which was later to be known as the Farewell Sermon just as the pilgrimage itself was called the Farewell Pilgrimage. Although it was his first Pilgrimage, it was also his last and therefore his only pilgrimage. With such a large crowd, his voice could not reach out to all those who were present. He therefore asked Rab'ah Ibn Umayya Ibn Khalaf, who was known to have a loud voice, to repeat the sermon after him, sentence by sentence so that everyone could hear.Prophet Muhammad's
This sermon was delivered on the Ninth day of Dhul al Hijjah 10 A.H. in the 'Uranah valley of Mount Arafat.After praising, and thanking God, he said:"O People, listen well to my words, for I do not know whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present today.O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Treat others justly so that no one would be unjust to you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. God has forbidden you to take usury (riba), therefore all riba obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital , however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer inequity. God has judged that there shall be no riba and that all the riba due to `Abbas ibn `Abd al Muttalib shall henceforth be waived.Every right arising out of homicide in pre-Islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that I waive is that arising from the murder of Rabi`ah ibn al Harith ibn `Abd al Muttalib.O Men, the Unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible that which God forbade, and to forbid that which God has made permissible. With God the months are twelve in number. Four of them are sacred, three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Sha`ban. Beware of the devil, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.O People, it is true that you have certain rights over your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under God's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers. It is your right and they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste...O People, listen to me in earnest, worship God (The One Creator of the Universe), perform your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your financial obligation (zakah) of your wealth. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.Remember, one day you will appear before God (The Creator) and you will answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.O People, no prophet or messenger will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I am leaving you with the Book of God (the Quraan) and my Sunnah (the life style and the behavioral mode of the Prophet), if you follow them you will never go astray.All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people.
On being asked to throw light on Prophet Muhammad's conduct, Aishah, the Prophet's wife, observed that his life and conduct demonstrated practically what the Quran teaches theoretically. This observation is reflected at its sharpest in the historic Sermon, which the Prophet delivered before 120,000 Muslim pilgrims at Arafat on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah as part of his Farewell Pilgrimage. For this captures the essence of the Quranic teachings. It stands out as a summary of the Quranic perspective. Since it was a huge gathering of the Muslim community, the Prophet aptly focused on such elements which are essential for constructing a society and community as sought by the Quran. In other words, his directives addressed directly to the Muslim community reiterate the essential teachings of the Quran on social community life. Little is said in this Sermon on articles of faith, spiritual matters and other aspects of creed.
conduct, Aishah, the Prophet's wife, observed that his life and conduct demonstrated practically what the Quran teaches theoretically. This observation is reflected at its sharpest in the historic Sermon, which the Prophet delivered before 120,000 Muslim pilgrims at Arafat on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah as part of his Farewell Pilgrimage. For this captures the essence of the Quranic teachings. It stands out as a summary of the Quranic perspective. Since it was a huge gathering of the Muslim community, the Prophet aptly focused on such elements which are essential for constructing a society and community as sought by the Quran. In other words, his directives addressed directly to the Muslim community reiterate the essential teachings of the Quran on social community life. Little is said in this Sermon on articles of faith, spiritual matters and other aspects of creed. Throughout the emphasis is on building cordial social relations; between man and wife, between individual members of the community and between all sections and classes of the society. These directives aim at forging a mutually cordial and trustworthy community life, ensuring peaceful co-existence among all the constituents of the society. Social justice is distinctly the unmistakable and overarching tenor of the Sermon. The life-enriching message is indubitably derived from the Quranic worldview which forbids wrong-doing and injustice in all its forms - social, marital and economic in particular. The Sermon is premised on the virtues, which guarantee a happy, peaceful life for everyone. The Sermon opens with a glowing tribute to the majesty and glory of Allah. This readily brings to mind the opening Surah of the Quran al-Fatihah. For without self-surrender to the Will of the Supreme Being and thus for worshipping him alone, man is liable to err in his social dealings. The awareness of His all-presence and the desire to mould one's existence in the light of His awareness, helps man keep on the right track. There is no law or worldly authority that can induce such fear in a man's heart to enable him to withstand all temptations. easy yet unlawful gains, than the awareness of the One to whom man is ultimately responsible. The principles of Life after Death and of the organic consequences of man's action and behavior, in which heart and mind to a way which is branded as "the straight path" (Sirat al-Mustaqeem).
The Prophet's Sermon brings out in full as to what constitutes this straight path. This is followed by a direct address to the audience with an emotionally surcharged note, which was bouynd to strike a chord in every heart present there. As this gathering may be his last it made the audience all the more attentive to his message. It goes without saying that the Prophet's Companions always made it a point to listen to him in rapt attention and deemed it as their highest privilege to comply readily with all that was commanded by him. Those many Muslims who had turned up from distant, remote parts of Arabia it was their first chance to see and hear him, and could be their last chance to listen to him, naturally made them more receptive. It is nonetheless worth-clarifying that the Prophet made no assertion death approaching him definitely that year. For the exact time of one's death is determined only by Allah and he had no access to the realm of al-Ghayb (the domain which lies outside the realm of human perception).
made no assertion death approaching him definitely that year. For the exact time of one's death is determined only by Allah and he had no access to the realm of al-Ghayb (the domain which lies outside the realm of human perception).After having secured the audience's full attention with his opening, dramatic remark, he recited before them an immensely significant Quranic verse in which Allah declares:
O men! Behold, we have created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another. Verily, the noblest of in the sight of God is the one who is deeply conscious of Him. Behold, God is all knowing, all-aware.[Surah Al-Hujurat 49:13]
This declaration underscoring the unity of mankind and piety as the sole criterion of winning Allah's blessing is immediately followed by his elucidation that an Arab or a white person enjoys no superiority over a non-Arab or a black person and vice versa. This elaboration of the the Quranic declaration was necessary in view of the mindset and psyche of his immediate addresses. By lining excellence, honour and superioruty with one's good conduct the Prophet gave a new orientation to their perception. It is worth recalling that the truth of the unity of mankind is reiterated at several places in the Quran. Take the following as illustrative:
gave a new orientation to their perception. It is worth recalling that the truth of the unity of mankind is reiterated at several places in the Quran. Take the following as illustrative:All mankind was once single community.[Surah Al Baqarah 2:213]
O mankind! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who has created you out of one living entity, and out of its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women. And remain conscious of God, in whose name you demand [your rights] from one another, and of these ties kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful over you![Surah An-Nisa 4:1]
That all men have originated from the same progenitor - Prophet Adam recurs also in al-Anam 6:98, al-Araf 7.189 and al-Zumar 39.6. It is thus unmistakable that the Prophet's insistence on the unity of mankind reiterates the Quranic stance.
recurs also in al-Anam 6:98, al-Araf 7.189 and al-Zumar 39.6. It is thus unmistakable that the Prophet's insistence on the unity of mankind reiterates the Quranic stance.This is followed by his forceful plea for social justice, for peaceful existence and for a tension-free society. The tribal society of Arabia was plagued with feuds and internecine wars. Several Quranic passages preach the lesson of tolerance, forgiveness and cordial relations. The Prophet's directive follows from the same fountain of guidance. The direct address to the members of the Quraysh tribe, to which the Prophet belonged has a very important functional value. Being the temporal religious authority in the pre-Islamic Arabia for centuries, the Quraysh thought very highly of themselves. With the advent of Islam and their familial ties with the Prophet they were prone to suffering from some complex of superiority and immunity against divine punishment. They could easily fall into the error of considering themselves as the chosen people an God's favorites. Some earlier communities has fallen into the same trap. In this public gathering, in which thousands of non Quraysh and non-Arabs were present, the Prophet made absolutely plain that the Quraysh's ties of kinship with him would not avail them even in the least. They would be judged solely on the basis of their deeds. It is high time they should empty their minds of all pride and arrogance. This assertion, once again, stemmed from the Quranic standard of justice and fairness which does away with all false notions of ancestry or kinship.
belonged has a very important functional value. Being the temporal religious authority in the pre-Islamic Arabia for centuries, the Quraysh thought very highly of themselves. With the advent of Islam and their familial ties with the Prophet they were prone to suffering from some complex of superiority and immunity against divine punishment. They could easily fall into the error of considering themselves as the chosen people an God's favorites. Some earlier communities has fallen into the same trap. In this public gathering, in which thousands of non Quraysh and non-Arabs were present, the Prophet made absolutely plain that the Quraysh's ties of kinship with him would not avail them even in the least. They would be judged solely on the basis of their deeds. It is high time they should empty their minds of all pride and arrogance. This assertion, once again, stemmed from the Quranic standard of justice and fairness which does away with all false notions of ancestry or kinship.The Prophet is seen making the most of the sacred day of a sacred month, as was recognized throughout Arabia even in the pre-Islamic period. He dwelt on a related yet far more important issue that human life, property and honour too, are sacred and deserve to be treated so by everyone. He thus established an effective religious and social. This was designed to leave an indelible imprint on the minds of the audience about the inviolability of human life, of the honour and belongings of others. Needless to add, this directive, if followed faithfully, is bound to construct a happy, peaceful society, free from revenge. His other assertions in the Sermon about refraining from killing one another, usurping others belongings and betraying the trusts reposed in them re-echo the following Quranic commands.
is seen making the most of the sacred day of a sacred month, as was recognized throughout Arabia even in the pre-Islamic period. He dwelt on a related yet far more important issue that human life, property and honour too, are sacred and deserve to be treated so by everyone. He thus established an effective religious and social. This was designed to leave an indelible imprint on the minds of the audience about the inviolability of human life, of the honour and belongings of others. Needless to add, this directive, if followed faithfully, is bound to construct a happy, peaceful society, free from revenge. His other assertions in the Sermon about refraining from killing one another, usurping others belongings and betraying the trusts reposed in them re-echo the following Quranic commands.
