This sermon was delivered on the Ninth day of Dhul
al Hijjah 10 A.H. in the 'Uranah
valley of Mount Arafat.
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After praising, and thanking God, he said: "O People, listen well to my words, for I do not know
whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen
to what I am saying to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO
COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY. O People, just as you regard this month, this day, 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. Treat others justly so that no one would be unjust to you.
Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon
your deeds. God has forbidden you to take usury (riba), therefore all riba
obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital ,
however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer inequity. God
has judged that there shall be no riba and
that all the riba due to `Abbas ibn `Abd al Muttalib
shall henceforth 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 Rabi`ah ibn
al Harith ibn `Abd al Muttalib. O Men, the Unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in
order to make permissible that which God forbade, and to forbid that which
God has made permissible. With God the months are twelve in number. Four of
them are sacred, three of these are successive and one occurs singly between
the months of Jumada and Sha`ban. Beware of the devil, for the safety of your
religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray
in big things, so beware of following him in small things. O People, it is true that you have certain rights over your
women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them
as your wives only under God's trust and with His permission. If they abide
by your right 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. It is your right and they do not make friends
with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste... O People, listen to me in earnest, worship God (The One Creator
of the Universe), perform your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during
the month of Ramadan, and give your financial obligation (zakah)
of your wealth. Perform Hajj if you can afford to. All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority
over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white
has no superiority over a black nor a black has any
superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every
Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the 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, one day you will appear before God (The Creator) and
you will answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of
righteousness after I am gone. O People, NO PROPHET OR MESSENGER WILL COME AFTER ME AND NO NEW
FAITH WILL BE BORN. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words
which I convey to you. I am leaving you with the Book of God (the QUR'AN*)
and my SUNNAH (the life style and the behavioral mode of the Prophet), if you
follow them you will never go astray. All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and
those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than
those who listen to me directly. Be my witness O God, that I have conveyed
your message to your people. |
*The Qur'an: Revealed to Prophet Muhammad
during the period from 610-632 AC. The first five verses revealed are: (1) Read
in the name of your Lord, Who created. (2) Created man out of a clot that
clings (in the womb). (3) Read and your Lord is the Most Bountiful. (4) Who
taught by the pen. (5) Taught man that which he knew not.