THE FAREWELL SERMON OF THE BELOVED RASULULLAH S.A.W. (PART 1)

By
Ustaz Syed Hasan Alatas

Translation by
Syed Abdul Rahman Al-'Idrus  

Towards the end of his most eventful life, the Beloved Rasulullah S.A.W., together with the faithful and abled Muslims who came from all parts of the Muslim land, converged to Makkah in the tenth year of Hijrah to perform the Hajj and Umrah. This particular Hajj was also known as the Hajj Wadda’ or Farewell Hajj, so named because hardly eighty days after that the Beloved Rasulullah S.A.W. passed away, returning to the Grace of Rahmatullah.  

A large crowd of some one hundred thousand devoted Muslims were gathered on the Plain of Arafat, a large plain at the foot of Jabal Rahmah (a small hill called Rahmah – the Blessing), which was located some twenty-two kilometres from Makkakh. 

In what turned out to be the most notable khutbah (sermon) by the Beloved Prophet, who delivered the most profound and meaningful message of any time, to those who were present then and were passed down to succeeding generations of the Ummah until the Last Day. No further communication would be possible when the world witnesses the gigantic and complete  destruction of all its contents and when mankind will be dazed by and lost in the commotion of the huge disaster.  

Before the Day of Judgement, there is ample opportunity for the Muslim Ummah to seriously study and observe as well undertake to act and obey the full score of the meaning in the khutbah of the Beloved Prophet S.A.W. The words and meaning of the khutbah were resoundingly the most profound and affectionate  advice from the most outstanding leader of mankind, for all generations of the Muslim Ummah, who were firm and devoted in faith and sincerely loved Allah and His Messenger.      

With the Mercy from Allah S.W.T and in seeking His Blessings, the translation of the Farewell Sermon of our Beloved Rasulullah S.A.W is rendered below so that each one of us will prolong the chain of transmission to those within our reach:  

EXALTING ALL PRAISE TOWARDS ALLAH S.WT.

“All praise are for Allah, the Lord of the Universe. We seek His Help and we seek His Forgiveness for all our sins and we submit our regret and repentance before Him. We seek His Protection from the malice of our hearts and from all evils  that we have committed. Those who were Guided by Allah on the right path , none could put them astray; and those who were denied Guidance by Allah, no one could guide them on the path of Truth.” 

DECLARATION OF TAWHID AND WORSHIP  ALLAH ALONE 

“I proclaim the Truth that there is no God except Allah alone and I also proclaim that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. 

O servants of Allah, I advise you to worship Allah alone. I delivered my words beginning with the sacred words and I have so declared!”

INVIOLATION OF LIFE AND PROPERTIES 

“O people! Listen well to my words, for I do not know whether I shall meet you again on such an occasion as this in the future. O people! Your lives and your properties are sacred until you meet your Lord. The safety of your lives and of your properties shall be as inviolable as this holy day and this holy month.” 

REMEMBER THE RECKONING IN AKHIRAT 

“You are going to meet your Lord and He will question about your deeds. Have I delivered (the Message)?” 

The gathering spontaneously answered: “Yes indeed, you have delivered.” 

Rasulullah then said: “O Allah! Do witness me!”  

TRUST AND INTEREST 

Continuing his khutbah, the Beloved Rasulullah said: “Whoever among you keeps a trust for someone else shall return that trust to the rightful owner. All interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. Do not be wrongdoers nor be the one who is wronged. Allah has enjoined that there shall be no interest, and that all interest due to Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib shall henceforth be waived.”  

HOMICIDE 

“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 Abdul Muttalib.”