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After the accomplishment of the Call, the
proclamation of the Message and the establishment of a new society on the basis of
‘There is no god but Allâh,’ and on Muhammad’s mission, a secret call
uprose in the heart of the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] telling him that his stay in the
Lower World was about to terminate. That was clear in his talk to Mu‘adh whom he had
dispatched to Yemen in the tenth year of Al-Hijra: "O, Mu‘adh! You may not see
me after this current year. You may even pass by this very Mosque of mine and my
tomb." Upon hearing that Mu‘adh cried for fear that he would part with the
Messenger of Allâh [pbuh].
Allâh’s care was so bounteous as to let the
Prophet [pbuh] see the fruits of his Call for the sake of which he suffered various sorts
of trouble for over twenty years. Those twenty years had elapsed actively. He used to
spend his last days meeting, at the outskirts of Makkah, members of tribes and their
representatives who used to consult him and learn the laws and legislation of Islam from
him, and in return he used to exact their testimony that he had delivered trust and
communicated the Message and counselled the people.
The Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] announced an
intention to proceed with this blessed pilgrimage journey himself. Enormous crowds of
people came to Madinah, all of whom seek the guidance and Imamate of the Messenger
of Allâh [pbuh]in the pilgrimage (Al-Hajj). [Sahih
Muslim 1/394] On a Saturday of the last four days of Dhul-Qa‘dah, the
Prophet [pbuh] started the departure preparations procedure. [Fath Al-Bari 8/104] He combed his hair, applied some
perfume, wore his garment, saddled his camel and set off in the afternoon. He arrived at
Dhul-Hulaifa before the afternoon prayer. He performed two Rak‘a and spent the
night there. When it was morning he said to his Companions:
"A comer, sent by my
Lord, has called on me tonight and said: ‘Pray in this blessed valley and say: I
intend ‘Umrah combined with pilgrimage (‘Umrah into Al-Hajj).[Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/207]
Before performing the noon prayer, he bathed for Ihram
(ritual consecration), and ‘Aishah [R] perfumed him on both his
body and head with her hand with a Dharira (a plant) and with a
perfume containing musk. The thick sticky layer of perfume could be seen among his parts
of hair and beard. He left it unwashed, wore his loincloth and garment. He performed the
noon prayer shortened, two Rak‘a. He proclaimed pilgrimage procedure
associated with ‘Umrah at his prayer-place. He, then mounted his she-camel
‘Al-Qaswa’, and proclaimed: ‘There is no god but Allâh’. When he
moved into the desert, he acclaimed the Name of Allâh.
He proceeded with his journey till he approached
Makkah. He spent the night at Dhi Tuwa and entered Makkah after performing the dawn
prayer. He had a bath on Sunday morning, the fourth of Dhul-Hijjah the tenth year of
Al-Hijra. He spent eight days on the way, which was an average period. As soon as he
entered Al-Haram Mosque he circumambulated Al-Ka‘bah and walked to and fro (Sa‘i)
between As-Safa and Al-Marwah. He did not finish the Ihram (ritual consecration)
because he was Qarin (i.e. intending ‘Umrah and Al-Hajj
associated). He then took Al-Hadi (i.e. the sacrificial animals) in order to
slaughter them. He camped on a high place of Makkah — Al-Hajun. As for
circumambulation, he performed only that of Al-Hajj (pilgrimage circumambulation).
Those of his Companions who had no Hadi with
them to sacrifice, were ordered to observe Ihram (i.e. the state of ritual
consecration) into ‘Umrah (i.e. lesser pilgrimage), and circumambulate
Al-Ka‘bah and stride ritually to and fro between As-Safa and Al-Marwah. After that
they could relieve themselves from Ihram. They, however, showed reluctance to do
what they had been told. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] said: "Had I known
beforehand what I knew afterward, I would not bring Hadi, and if I did not have Hadi,
I would break Ihram. On hearing these words, his Companions obeyed the orders to
the latter.
On the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah — that is the
Day of Tarwiyah, he left for Mina where he performed the noon, the afternoon, the
sunset, the evening and the dawn prayers. — i.e. five prayers. Then he stayed for a
while till the sun rose up then he passed along till he reached ‘Arafah, where there
was a tent built for him at Namirah. He sat inside till the sun went down. He ordered that
Al-Qaswa’, his she-camel, should be prepared for him. They saddled it and had it
ready, so he went down the valley where a hundred thousand and twenty-four or forty-four
thousand people gathered round him. There he stood up and delivered the following speech:
" O people! Listen to
what I say. I do not know whether I will ever meet you at this place once again after this
current year. [Ibn Hisham
2/603] It is unlawful for you to shed
the blood of one another or take (unlawfully) the fortunes of one another. They are as
unlawful, (Haram) as shedding blood on such a day as today and in such a month as
this Haram month and in such a sanctified city as this sacred city (i.e. Makkah and
the surrounding areas)."
"Behold! all practices
of paganism and ignorance are now under my feet. The blood-revenge of the Days of
Ignorance (pre-Islamic time) are remitted. The first claim on blood I abolish is that of
Ibn Rabi‘a bin Harith who was nursed in the tribe of Sa‘d and whom Hudhail
killed. Usury is forbidden, and I make a beginning by remitting the amount of interest
which ‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib has to receive. Verily, it is remitted
entirely."
"O people! Fear Allâh
concerning women. Verily you have taken them on the security of Allâh and have made their
persons lawful unto you by Words of Allâh! It is incumbent upon them to honour their
conjugal rights and, not to commit acts of impropriety which, if they do, you have
authority to chastise them, yet not severely. If your wives refrain from impropriety and
are faithful to you, clothe and feed them suitably."
"Verily, I have left
amongst you the Book of Allâh and the Sunnah (Traditions) of His Messenger which
if you hold fast, you shall never go astray." [Sahih Muslim 1/397]
"O people, I am
not succeeded by a Prophet and you are not succeeded by any nation. So I recommend you to
worship your Lord, to pray the five prayers, to fast Ramadan and to offer the Zakat
(poor-due) of your provision willingly. I recommend you to do the pilgrimage to the Sacred
House of your Lord and to obey those who are in charge of you then you will be awarded to
enter the Paradise of your Lord." [Rahmat-ul-lil'alameen 1/263]
"And if you were asked
about me, what wanted you to say?"
They replied:
"We bear witness
that you have conveyed the message and discharged your ministry."
He then raised his forefinger skywards and then
moved it down towards people while saying:
"O Allâh, Bear
witness."
He said that phrase thrice. [Sahih Muslim 1/397]
The one who repeated the Prophet’s [pbuh]statements loudly at ‘Arafat was Rabi‘a bin Omaiyah bin
Khalaf. [Ibn Hisham 2/605]
As soon as the Prophet [pbuh] had accomplished
delivering the speech, the following Qur’ânic verse was revealed to him:
"This day I have
perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you
Islam as your religion." [Al-Qur'an 5:3]
Upon hearing this verse ‘Umar cried. "What
makes you cry?" He was asked. His answer was: "Nothing succeeds perfection but
imperfection." [Rahmat-ul-lil'alameen 1/265]
Bilal called for prayer after the speech, and then
made the second call. The Prophet [pbuh] performed both of the noon and the afternoon
prayers separately, with no prayers in between. He then mounted his she-camel
Al-Qaswa’, approached the location of the vigil, directed his face towards Al-Qiblah,
kept on standing till sunset when the sky yellow colour vanished a bit and the disc of the
sun disappeared. Osamah added that the Prophet [pbuh]moved onward to Muzdalifa. where he
observed the sunset and the evening prayers with one ‘First call’ and two
‘second calls’. He did not entertain the Glory of Allâh between the two
prayers. Then he lay down till it was dawn prayer time. He performed it with one first
call and one second call at almost daybreak time. Mounting on his Al-Qaswa’, he moved
towards Al-Mash‘ar Al-Haram. He faced Al-Qiblah and started
supplicating: "Allâh is the Greatest. There is no god but Allâh." He remained
there till it was clear morning and before the sun rose high, he made his way to Mina. He
walked a little and threaded the mid-road leading to the big Jamrah where he
stopped and pelted seven pebbles at it saying "Allâh is the Greatest" each
time. They were like small pebbles hurled from the bottom of the valley. Then he set off
to the sacrificial place, where he sacrificed sixty-three camels with his hands, and asked
‘Ali to slaughter the others, a hundred and thirty-seven altogether. He made
‘Ali share him in Al-Hadi. A piece of meat from each slaughtered animal was
ordered to be cooked in a pot and from which both men ate, and drank the soup.
Then the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] mounted his
she-camel and returned to the House where he observed the noon prayer at Makkah and there
he came upon the children of ‘Abdul Muttalib were supplying drinking water to people
at Zamzam Well. "Draw up water, children of ‘Abdul Muttalib, I would draw up
with you if I were not afraid that people would appropriate this honour after me."
They handed him a pail of water and he drank to his fill. [Sahih Muslim 1/397-400]
At the daytime of the tenth of Dhul-Hijjah on the
Slaughtering Day (Yaum An-Nahr) The Prophet [pbuh] delivered another speech. That
was at high time morning, while he was mounting a grey mule. ‘Ali conveyed his
statements to the people, who were standing or sitting. [Abu Da'ud 1/270] He repeated some of the statements that he
had previously said the day before. The two Sheikh (Bukhâri and Muslim) reported a
version narrated by Abi Bakrah who said:
The Prophet [pbuh] made a speech on Yaum An-Nahr (day
of slaughtering) and said:
"Time has grown similar
in form and state to the time when Allâh created the heavens and the earth. A year is
twelve months. Four of which are Sacred Months (Hurum). Three of the four months
are successive. They are Dhul-Qa‘dah, Dhul-Hijjah, and Al-Muharram. The fourth Month
is Rajab Mudar, which comes between Jumada and Sha‘ban."
"What month is this
month?" He asked. We said: "Allâh and His Messenger know best of all." He
kept silent for a while till we thought he would attach to it a different appellation.
"Is it not Dhul-Hijjah?" He wondered. "Yes. It is." We said. Then he
asked, "What is this town called?" We said: "Allâh and His Messenger know
best of all." He was silent for a while till we thought he would give it a different
name. "Is it not Al-Baldah? (i.e. the town)" asked he. "Yes. It
is." We replied. Then he asked again, "What day is it today?" We replied:
"Allâh and His Messenger know best of all." Then he kept silent for a while and
said wondering: "Is it not ‘An-Nahr’ (i.e. slaughtering) Day?"
"Yes. It is." Said we. Then he said:
"(Shedding) the blood
of one another and eating or taking one another’s provisions (unwillingly) and your
honour are all inviolable (Haram). It is unlawful to violate their holiness. They
must be as sacred to one another as this sacred day, in this sacred month, in this sacred
town."
"You will go back to be
resurrected (after death) to your Lord. There you will be accounted for your deeds. So do
not turn into people who go astray and kill one another."
"Have I not delivered
the Message (of my Lord)?" "Yes you have." Said they. "O Allâh! Bear
witness! Let him that is present convey it unto him who is absent. For haply, many people
to whom the Message is conveyed may be more mindful of it than the audience,." said
he. [Sahih Al-Bukhari
1/234]
In another version it is said that the
Prophet [pbuh] had said in that very speech:
"He whoever plunges
into misfortune will certainly aggrieve himself. So let no one of you inflict an evil upon
his parents. Verily Satan has utterly despaired being worshipped in this country of yours;
but he will be obeyed at your committing trivial things you disdain. Satan will be
contented with such things." [At-Tirmidhi 2/38, 135; Mishkat Al-Masabih 1/234]
The Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] spent At-Tashreeq Days
(11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) in Mina performing the ritual teachings of Islam,
remembering Allâh (praying), following the ways of guidance of Ibrahim, wiping out all
traces and features or polytheism. On some days of At-Tashreeq he delivered some
speeches as well. In a version to Abu Da’ûd with good reference to Sira,’ the
daughter of Nabhan; she said: "The Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] made us a speech at the
Ru’us (Heads) Day in which he said: "Is it not this the middle day of At-Tashreeq
Days." [Abu
Da'ud 1/269]
His speech that day was similar to that of An-Nahr
Day’s. It was made after the revelation of Surat
An-Nasr.
On the second day of An-Nafr (i.e. Departure)
— on the thirteenth of Dhul-Hijjah, the Prophet [pbuh] proceeded with An-Nafr
to Mina and stayed at a high place of a mountain side at Bani Kinanah from Al-Abtah. He
spent the rest of that day and night there — where he performed the noon, the
afternoon, the sunset and the evening prayers.
Then he slept for a short while and mounted leaving
for the Ka‘bah. He performed the Farewell Circumambulation (Tawaf Al-Wada‘),
after ordering his Companions to do the same thing.
Upon the accomplishment of his religious rituals he
quickened his move to the purified Madinah. He went there not to seek rest but to resume
the strife and struggle in the way of Allâh. [Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/631, 2/631; Ibn Hisham 2/601-605; Za'd
Al-Ma'ad 1/196, 218-220]
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