The Farewell Pilgrimage (Hujjat al-wada) was the last and only Hajj pilgrimage of Prophet Muhammad [saw], in 632 CE (10 AH).
Prophet Muhammad [saw] met with Archangel Gabriel every Ramadan and read the verses which had been revealed up until then. In the month of Ramadan during the 10th year after the emigration (631), Gabriel said that they would read the Holy Quran twice. The Prophet understood this to mean that his life was coming to an end, and informed his daughter Fatima of this. The Prophet would perform itiqaf (retreating to a place to fast for the sole purpose of worshipping Allah) for ten days during the month of Ramadan, but in this last year, he performed itiqaf for twenty days.
An overview of the farewell pilgrimage (Hajj) of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
Then came the revelation of Surah Nasr:
Rasulullah [saw] understood that Allah was pleased with his modest work and gaining the impression of his approaching end, he announced his intention to perform Hajj, the ultimate ritual of every Muslim. He advised his Sahaba (R.A.) to do likewise.
Preparations
The Holy Prophet [saw] began to prepare for pilgrimage in the same year (10, 632) and told everyone to join him. Accompanied by his wives and his daughter Fatima, he set out in the month of Dhu al-Qi’dah 26, year 10 (February 23, 632) with Muslims composed of residents of Medina immigrants, the Companions, and the tribes that had come to Medina. He put on the ihram (clothing consisting of white cloth, with no stitches, which pilgrims wear) in Zulhulayfa.
Journey
Since Mecca had embraced Islam, and the Battle of Tabuk had ended, most of the Arabian Peninsula was under Muhammad’s leadership, and there was a record high attendance to the pilgrimage.
He reached Mecca on the fourth day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah on his camel, called Qasva (Qusva), accompanied by more people who had joined him on the way. After performing the pilgrimage, he stayed in a tent set up for him in the Abtah region. On 4 of Dhu al-Hijjah, a Thursday, he left Mecca, went to Mina, and spent the night there. On 9 of Dhu al-Hijjah, a Friday, he set out for Arafat after the sunrise, going along the Muzdalifa road and spent the night in a tent in Namira which he had asked to be set up. In the afternoon he made his famous speech, known as the Farewell Sermon, to a crowd of over 120,000 Companions in the valley of Arafat.
Then the Prophet finished the pilgrimage with the immigrants and residents of Medina and taught the Muslims how to perform this worship and then returned back to Medina.
The Farewell Sermon
Muhammad [saw] led the pilgrims from Mecca through the Valley of Mina and up to the Mountain of Arafat and then stopped them in the Valley of Uranah. They stood in front of him silently as he sat on his camel and delivered his Farewell Sermon.
Key Principles
This memorable speech outlines five basic principles of the Islamic programme of action, two of them work on the level of the individual and three relate to the structure of Islamic society. Islam moulds the character of the Muslim on the basis of two fundamental principles:
1– Islam severs all ties which a Muslim has with Ignorance, or Jahiliyyah, its idols, practices, financial dealings, usury transactions and so on, because the adoption of the religion of Islam means a start of a new life for a Muslim which is completely divorced from the erroneous ways of the past.
2– To guard against all forms of sin. The effects of sin are far more serious than the danger presented by any enemy in battle. The Prophet also made it clear that he did not mean by sin the sinking back into idolatrous worship.
The Prophet has also outlined three basic principles on which Islamic society is founded:
- The tie of Islamic brotherhood molds the proper relationship between all Muslims. It is this brotherhood that makes every Muslim a patron of every other Muslim, giving him whatever help he can.
- Supporting the weak so that their weakness does not make the whole society vulnerable. One should note in particular how the Prophet stressed the importance of being kind to women since they are the weaker element in society.
- The cooperation between an Islamic government and the members of an Islamic society to achieve the proper implementation of Islamic law which works for the removal of all evil from society and its replacement with what is good. Short as it was, the Prophet’s speech included all the principles which are needed for the molding of the perfect believer in Islam and the perfect Muslim society.
Some Lessons from the Prophet's (saws) Farewell Pilgrimage
This Hajj is sometimes called “The Farewell Hajj”. Others have called it the “Hajj of the Annunciation” and others, the “Hajj of Islam”. In reality, Rasulullah’s Hajj was all these at once. It was the “Farewell Hajj: because Rasulullah saw Makkah and the holy Haram for the last time. It was also the “Hajj of Islam” because Allah completed His religion for the benefit of mankind and granted them His total blessing. Finally, it was also the “Hajj of Annunciation” because Rasulullah completed his announcement and conveyance to the people of what had been commanded by Allah to announce and to convey.
