The greatest sermon ever given in the history of mankind was delivered more than 1,400 years ago on the plains of Arafat near Makkah. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ spoke eloquently and succinctly against oppression and exploitation, ethnic arrogance and racial superiority, tyranny and injustice. He also expounded on the sanctity of life, rights and property as sacred trusts between Muslims.
The Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was delivered on the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah, 10 AH [632 CE], in the Uranah Valley of Mount Arafat near Makkah. It took place during the annual rites of Hajj and is also known as the Farewell Pilgrimage.
After praising and thanking Allah, the Prophet ﷺ began with the words:
“O People! Lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore, listen carefully to what I am saying and take these words to those who could not be present here today.
“O People! Just as you regard this month, this day and 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. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds.
“Allah has forbidden you to take usury. Therefore, all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequality. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest, and that all interest due to Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib shall 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 Rabiah ibn al-Harith.
“O men! The unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible that which Allah forbade, and to prohibit what Allah has made permissible. With Allah, the months are twelve in number. Four of them are holy; three are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Shaban.
“Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will be able to lead you astray in major things, so beware of following him in minor things.
“O People! It is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your rights, 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. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well never to be unchaste.”
“O People! Listen to me in earnest. Worship Allah, perform your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadan, give your wealth in zakat and perform Hajj if you can afford it.
“All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab. A white person has no superiority over a black person, nor does a black person have any superiority over a white person, except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that 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 that one day you will meet Allah and answer for your deeds. So beware, and do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.
“O People! No Prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand the words that I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Quran and the Sunnah, and if you follow these, you will never go astray.
“All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others, and those to others again. May the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly.”
“O Allah, bear witness that I have conveyed Your message to Your people.”
As part of this sermon, the Prophet ﷺ recited to them a revelation from Allah, which he had just received and which completed the Quran, for it was the last passage to be revealed:
“This day the disbelievers despair of prevailing against your religion, so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion, fulfilled My favour upon you, and chosen Islam for you as your religion.” [Quran 5:3]
The sermon was repeated sentence by sentence by Rabiah, who had a powerful voice, at the request of the Prophet ﷺ. He faithfully proclaimed it to more than 10,000 people gathered on the occasion. Towards the end of his sermon, the Prophet ﷺ asked: “O people, have I faithfully delivered unto you my message?” A powerful murmur of assent, “O Allah, yes,” arose from thousands of pilgrims, and the words “Allahumma na‘m” rolled like thunder throughout the valley. The Prophet ﷺ raised his forefinger and said: “O Allah, bear witness that I have conveyed Your message to Your people.”
The Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ farewell sermon, delivered during the farewell Hajj, is preserved through a number of authentic narrations recorded across the following books of hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawud, Imam Malik’s Al-Muwatta, as well as Ibn Ishaq and Al-Tabari.
