Farewell Pilgrimage
Everything had come about as willed by Allah. The faith in One God had cleansed and illu-
minated the souls. The devil within had been cast away together with the vileness of the
pagan past. The false deities been removed from the House of God.
Once again, the believers' hearts were set on going to the holy sanctuary for it was already
a very long time since they had been there. The mission of the Prophet of God (r) was also
nearing completion, as he was soon to bid farewell to his loving companions. And so, Allah
permitted His Messenger to take them for pilgrimage, and thus, it was the first Hajj of the
Prophet (r) in Islam.
EDUCATIONAL ASPECT OF THE PILGRIMAGE
The reason for the Prophet (r) setting out from Madinah for the pilgrimage were many.
He had to meet the Muslims coming from far and near; to teach them the observances of
faith and the rituals of Hajj; to bear witness to the truth and thus finally redeem his pledge
to God; to advise them as well as to give them final instructions: to administer them an oath
to follow his teachings and to trample under his feet the last remnants of the pagan past.
His pilgrimage was, in truth and reality, better than a thousand sermons and lessons. It was
an itinerant school, a mosque on the move or an ongoing training center which imparted
knowledge to the unenlightened, animated the languid and indolent souls and invested the
weak in spirit with the power of faith. All this was achieved under the benevolent and affec-
tionate care of the greatest teacher, the Prophet of God (r).
UNIQUE RECORD OF THE FAREWELL PILGRIMAGE
The minutest details of the Prophet’s journey have been preserved by the most trustwor-
thy narrators, the companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them). It is a
record so authentic and detailed for never before did there exist any historical document of
such comparable genuineness be that of an Emperor’s itinerary or of the memoirs of any
saint or scholar.
A SYNOPIS OF THE FAREWELL PILGRIMAGE
The Prophet (r) set out from Madinah on Saturday, the 25th of Dhul Q’ada, after perform-
ing the four Noon prayer followed by a sermon in which he explained the essentials of en-
tering the pilgrim state known as Ihram.
The Messenger of God (r) then went ahead raising his voice in praise of God: "At Your
service, O God, at Your service, at Your service; You have no partner, at Your service; praise
and grace art Thine, and the Dominion: You have no partner.” The entire crowd chanted this
Talbiya along with the Prophet (r) where some curtailed a few words while others supple-