The Farewell Sermon at Arafat

On the day of Arafat, 9 Dhu al-Hijja 10 AH, the Prophet preached the comprehensive Farewell Sermon to more than a hundred thousand people. In it he declared blood and property inviolable, set aside the blood and usury of the Jahiliyya, and took the people's testimony that he had delivered the message. ²

A hundred thousand and twenty-four, or forty-four thousand, gathered around the Prophet in the valley floor at Arafat, and he stood up to preach among them. ³ He opened: "O people, listen to my words, for I do not know; perhaps I will not meet you after this year of mine, in this standing-place, ever." ⁴

He declared that their blood and property are inviolable, like the sanctity of this day, this month and this land. He said that the first blood set aside from the blood of the Jahiliyya is the blood of Ibn Rabi'a ibn al-Harith, and the first usury set aside is the usury of al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib. ⁵

He enjoined good treatment of women. He told them that he had left among them that which, if they held fast to it, they would never go astray after: the Book of God. He said there is no prophet after him and no community after them. ⁶ Then he asked them what they would say about him. They testified that he had conveyed the message, fulfilled his trust and given good counsel. He raised his forefinger to the sky and said: "O God, bear witness," three times. ⁷

The one who called out the Prophet's words to the people at Arafat was Rabi'a ibn Umayya ibn Khalaf. ⁸ After the sermon ended, the verse al-Ma'ida 3 came down. Umar wept and said that after perfection there is only decline. ⁹

Ibn Ishaq says that the Prophet completed his pilgrimage, showed the people their rites and taught them the practices of their pilgrimage. He delivered the sermon to the people, in which he set out what he set out. ¹⁰

He opened it by saying that he did not know; perhaps he would not meet them after this year, at this standing-place, ever. Then he said: "Your blood and your property are sacred to you until you meet your Lord, as sacred as this day of yours and this month of yours. You will meet your Lord, and He will ask you about your deeds. Whoever holds a trust, let him return it to its owner. Every usury is abolished, but you keep your capital. The usury of Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib is abolished entirely. Every blood of the Jahiliyya is abolished, and the first blood I abolish is the blood of Ibn Rabi'a ibn al-Harith ibn Abd al-Muttalib, who was nursed among Banu Layth and whom Hudhayl killed." ^{10 11}

He then warned them against Satan, who had despaired of being worshipped in their land but would be content with the things they belittle among their deeds. He mentioned the intercalation (al-nasi') and the turning of time, the count of twelve months, and the four sacred months, of which Rajab of Mudar is one. See what the sermon said about the calendar. ¹¹

He then set out the duties concerning women. They have a right over their husbands, and the husbands have a right over them: the wives should not let anyone the husband dislikes onto his bed, nor commit a clear indecency, and they have their provision and clothing according to what is customary. "Treat women well, for they are with you as captives." They were taken on God's trust, and their private parts were made lawful by God's words. ¹¹

He said that he had left among them that which, if they held fast to it, they would never go astray: the Book of God and the Sunna of His Prophet. Every Muslim is a brother to a Muslim, and the Muslims are brothers, so nothing of a person's brother is lawful to him except what the brother gives willingly. Then he said: "O God, have I conveyed?" The people said: "O God, yes." He said: "O God, bear witness." ^{11 12}

Ibn Ishaq relates from Yahya ibn Abbad ibn Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, from his father, that the one who called out the Prophet's words among the people at Arafat was Rabi'a ibn Umayya ibn Khalaf. The Prophet would say to him: "Say: O people, do you know what month this is?" They would say: "The sacred month." He would say: "Tell them: God has made your blood and your property sacred to you until you meet your Lord, as sacred as this month of yours, and likewise in the sacred land and on the day of the greatest pilgrimage." ¹²

He relates from Layth ibn Abi Sulaym, from Shahr ibn Hawshab, from Amr ibn Kharija, that he stood beneath the Prophet's camel at Arafat, with its foam falling on his head, and heard him say: "God has given every rightful person his right. No bequest is valid for an heir. The child belongs to the marriage bed, and the adulterer has the stone. Whoever claims to be the son of other than his father, or pledges allegiance to other than his own masters, upon him is the curse of God, the angels and all people." ^{12 13}

"Rajab of Mudar" is so called because Rabi'a used to declare Ramadan sacred and call it Rajab. "Ghayr mubarrih" means not severe. "Awan" is the plural of "aniya," meaning captive. "Al-lughām" is the foam that comes out of a camel's mouth. ^{11 12}

• It was mentioned to me that the people said: "O God, yes." ¹²
• Day: Ibn Ishaq does not name the day of Arafat at the place of the sermon, but only in the report of the one who called out, "and he was at Arafat." ¹²
• In The Sealed Nectar, the verse on the completion of the religion came down after the sermon. Ibn Ishaq does not say so here. ⁷