THE FAREWELL HAJJ
(Published in Khabrain Fortnightly Manchester, in the special edition of 23rd March 1998)
The significance of the Farewell Address by the Holy Prophet of Islam
Preamble
When the head of a government department or a responsible officer of an organisation intends to move elsewhere, he gives a comprehensive account of his struggle for the guidance of those following him. He leaves certain instructions in order to point out and fixed a sense of direction for his followers so that they may refrain from certain acts of commission and omission. These instructions constitute the essence and spirit of his high office.
The address delivered by our Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) is, in a nutshell, the entire teachings of Islam. The revelation of the last ‘ayat (verse) followed this address, and this historic fact denotes that the last address marked the culmination point of the Deen (faith). The address encompasses each and every problem and potential problem of this world and hereafter. In fact, nothing is left uncommunicated. As you read through this address and ponder over it you will discover new and hitherto unexplored facets of the Divine Wisdom guiding mankind. In effect this short address embodies the fountainhead of philosophy and wisdom.
The Dar-ul-Ehsan has humbly published the address in Urdu for the edification and spiritual uplift of Muslims. The present attempt to present this Khutba (Sermon) in the English language is made available for the first time with a view to passing on the great message of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) to the Muslim readers and other seekers of Divine Guidance belonging to the territories of the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Australia, Nigeria, and other countries of Asia, Africa and Europe, particularly those whose vehicle of thought and communication is English. It is hoped that the readers will pick up a wealth of Divine Wisdom from this treasure which is timeless and limitless.
The departure of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) towards the plain of Arafat
The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) was mounting a red coloured she-camel named Qusva who’s nose strap was held by the respected Bilal (Allah pleased with him) and lo! This Holy personage started towards the plain of Arafat where 144,000 loving followers were eagerly awaiting their beloved - the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) of Islam.
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The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) opened his address with these words:
‘O people I feel we may never meet again in such a gathering. This is our last meeting together.
Explanations and comments
The opening words of the address stunned and dumbfounded the great sea of men and women. Dear reader! Just imagine how they would have wailed with woe and pangs of emotion. The very elements of nature and all living creatures, animals, birds, flowers, the very grains of sand would have sobbed and wailed and turned pale with unspeakable sorrow on hearing these words. Stretch your imagination a little further, O reader, how the forces of nature would have reacted to this shock! The winds slowed down and stopped, the waters in the river groaned with pain, the eyes of nature were wet with tears. Each living and sensitive object shuddered at the very idea of separation from their dearest one. There was an absolute silence when these words rang through the air at Arafat.
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‘The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) continued:
‘O ye believers! Your blood, property and honour are forbidden for one another just as this holy city is sanctified for you on this day of this month. You are to appear before Allah and you will have to account for your deeds before Him. I urge upon you not to go astray after my death and thereby cut one another’s throats’.
Explanations and comments
A Muslim is strictly forbidden to shed the blood of a fellow Muslim, to usurp his property or to blemish his honour and chastity. These vices have been the only three principal causes of all riot and disorder in the world. Almost all murders are due either to usurping others’ property or violating the chastity of womenfolk.
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‘The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) continued.
‘O ye believers! (keep in mind I trample upon all the past deeds committed during the pre-Islamic period of Jahliat (Ignorance). All the disputes arising out of murders committed during Jahliat stand written off and I disclaim the blood of the first murder (of a person) from my own family and declare that Hazeel who murdered Ibn-e-Rabiee Ibn-e-Harsa is pardoned and there is nothing against him’.
Explanations and comments
Customs and attitudes having no justifications in an Islamic way of life spring from sheer ignorance of the Divine truth. Our Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) trampled all such customs and attitudes under his feet. We must follow the Prophet (p.b.u.h) and never allow such aberrations to rear their heads again. Loyalty demands this. The renunciation of claim for blood is an act of real gallantry. The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) showed us this path by forgiving the murderer of Ibn-e-Rabiee. Vengeance is not an act of valour. Truly forgiveness which wins over the heart of the wrong doer is chivalry.
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The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) continued:
‘I annul the first usury of my family, namely the usury of Abbas Ibn-e-Abdul Matlab. That usury stands completely canceled.’
Explanations and comments
Hinting at the economic exploitation consequent upon usury the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) once remarked - not in this address: ‘Believers! Abstain from usury. Neither give nor demand it. Likewise do not involve yourself in anyway in the transaction of usury and, as a clerk, do not write the deed of usury.’ On another occasion the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) observed, ‘one who utilises a single dirham of usury knowingly commits a sin of the magnitude of thirty six acts of adultery. He also stated: ‘The flesh born out of ill-gotten money is liable to be thrown in to hell.’ Likewise, The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) condemned the usurer, the giver and the clerk who wrote the document of usury.
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The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) then said:
‘O ye believers! Stand in awe of Allah in taking care of your wives for they were solemnised as your wives in the Holy name of Allah and it is the Divine word which permitted your conjugal relationship with them. You have a claim upon your wives that they do not allow anyone else on your bed, the presence of any other person would be totally disagreeable to you, But if they fail to obey, you may chastise them to the level of invisible thrashing. Your wives have a reciprocal claim upon you to receive proper food and dress and living.’
Explanations and comments
Abusing and chastising a wife is sternly forbidden in Islam. The noblest characteristic of a lady is modesty and if she has this, she must not be belaboured for mere impertinent talk or petty domestic foibles. A modest lady is the queen of the home. Finding faults in petty matters spoils the sweetness of home life. The Light of Allah the Almighty and his beauty are manifested in all things of the universe; in a fragrant rose as well as in a dry straw of grass. No creature has been endowed with that amount of Divine beauty which is manifested in women. The Beauty of Allah the Almighty makes woman are charming than any other creature. All this is due to the fact that woman is the manifestation of Allah the Almighty. Though all things emanate from Allah the Almighty, Who is their creator, yet woman is His agent and no creature was ever born without a mother after the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). This high status of woman could warrant even a separate address from the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h). The words of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) suffice the whole career of a woman. All the 124,000 Prophets (peace be upon them) were mothered by women. Woman, therefore, has a secure and established status and out to be offered all reverence and genuine respect which the distorted and artificial man made social system has denied her. Woman was created out of the rib of the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and a rib is always twisted in its form and is never straight. If, therefore, feminine impudence is comparable to twisted morality, shouldn’t it be watched over?
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The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) further said:
‘O ye believers! Hold fast on to the legacy that I am bequesting unto you and you shall never go astray. If you remain attached to it, the Holy Qur’an.’
Explanations and comments
The asserted legacy is Allah’s book the Holy Qur’an. It is very essential for a Muslim to acquire knowledge of all things Halal (permissible) and all things Haram (prohibited), the dos and donts from the Holy Qur’an and to act upon these commandments.
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The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) continued:
‘There will be no prophet after me and no Ummah (religious community) after you. You must bow before Allah and pray five times a day. Keep fasts during the Holy month of Ramadhan, pay Zakat willingly, perform Hajj of Bait’ullah (The House of God) and obey the orders of your saints you shall be rewarded with entry in to Paradise. Believers! you will be questioned about me also on the day of judgment. Tell me what shall you answer?’
All the believers replied on unison, ‘Verily we bear testimony to the fact that you have performed the true office of ‘Prophethood’ and instructed us to discriminate truth from untruth and right from wrong.’ (They raised slogans:)
‘You have communicated the message, O Messenger of Allah, you have communicated the message, O Messenger of Allah.’
And air of Arafat resounded with these slogans. The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) raised his forefinger, pointing it first towards the sky and then slightly bending it towards the people. And the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) added:
‘O Allah! Listen to what your worshipers are saying. Bear witness, O Allah, to what all these people are testifying. Bear your personal testimony, O Allah, what all these human are committing.’
Then continuing with his address the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) said:
‘Convey the message on to those who are not present here. It is quite likely that such people (who are not present here) may excel many listeners in memorising this statement and preserving it.’
Explanations and comments
As soon as the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) finished his address Allah the Almighty immediately proclaimed the communication and finality of Islam and the Archangel Gabriel brought this verse:
‘This moment have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you and have chosen for you as (your) Religion, Al-Islam.’
When the address was over, one hundred camels were offered for sacrifice at Mina. Of these, sixty seven were sacrificed by the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) and thirty three by the respected Ali (Allah pleased with him). From there the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) proceeded to Makkah and returned to Madina after performing Tawaf (circumambulation) of the Kaaba. On the way to Madina the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) delivered another historic address at Khume Ghadeer which was occasioned by the complaint of the respected Buraida (Allah pleased with him) that the respected Ali (Allah pleased with him) had committed some irregularities in the distribution of spoil while in the Yemen.
This address dealt with the characteristics of and respect owed to the Ahl-e-Bait (the descendants of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) ). Then the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) held Ali’s (Allah pleased with him) hand in his own and said:
‘Ali is the lord of one who lord I am.’
Thus the whole excellence of the Moula Ali was illustrated. The word ‘Moula’ signifies one who rules and is a sympathiser and helper. The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) elucidated the spiritual status of Ali (Allah pleased with him) by explaining that he who looked upon him as his Moula (overlord) should also look upon his Ali (Allah pleased with him) as his (believer’s) Moula and pay homage to Ali (Allah pleased with him) with equal fervour.
When the respected Umar (Allah pleased with him) heard this address he congratulated Ali (Allah pleased with him) on having this highest esteem of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h). Subsequently the respected Buraida (Allah pleased with him) changed his attitude and remained a humbled servant of Ali (Allah pleased with him) till he (Buraida) fell martyr in the battle of Jam’l. The respected Bara’ bin A’zib (Allah pleased with him) narrated that when the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) halted at Khume Ghadeer, a place between Makkah and Madina, he held Ali’s (Allah pleased with him) hand in his and spoke thus:
‘Do you note that the believers held me dearer than their own lives.?’
The people said: ‘Yes, we know that.’
The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) then said:
‘I am a friend to any person who befriends Ali and, O Allah, You make friend with Ali’s friends and consider Ali’s enemy as Your enemy.’
After this, even the respected Umar (Allah pleased with him) said to Ali (Allah pleased with him):
‘Be happy, O son of Abu Talib, for thou art the most dearly beloved friend of all believers at all times and for all times to come.’
The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) also said:
‘I am the city of the Divine knowledge and Ali is its Gateway.’ -- (Tirmidhi)
The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) said to Ali (Allah pleased with him):
‘None (except you and I) has the permission to pass through this mosque when he is in need of a wish.’ --- (Abu Saeed in Tirmidhi)
The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) had the doors of all the houses in the vicinity of Masjid-an-Nabi (The Prophet’s Mosque) closed but the door of Ali’s (Allah pleased with him) house was exempted from this order of closure.
The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) said:
‘A Munafiq (hypocrite) cannot love Ali and a Momin or ‘true believer’ cannot have any rancour or ill will for Ali.’ --- (Ahmad and Tirmidhi)
On another occasion the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) said:
‘One who talks ill of Ali talks ill of me. Ali is from me and I am from Ali. No one is authorised to enter into any negotiation or contract except myself and Ali on my behalf.’ ----- (Habash bin Abada in Ahmad and Trimidhi)
He (Prophet (p.b.u.h) also said to them:
‘O ye who are present here communicate this message of mine to those who are present here and then continue to transmit these dictates to others for all times to come.’
The people were so much inspired that they drew the reins of their camels at once and proceeded to all directions of the country to sow the seeds of Divine Wisdom far and wide throughout the world. Of these 144,000 believers only a few thousand were buried in Janna’t-ul-Baqee because all the others travelled throughout the world and died martyrs’ deaths while propagating Islam - the Deen of Allah the Almighty - and were buried at various other places