7. The Last Pilgrimage & Death
In the tenth year of the hijrah, the Prophet decided to go for hajj
(pilgrimage).HeinvitedMuslimstojoinhimandbeacquaintedwiththe
hajjrituals.OverahundredthousandMuslimsjoinedhiminthehajj.Al-
thoughthiswasthefirstandthelasthajjoftheProphet,itisknownas
“al-Hajjājtu‘l-widā’—theLastPilgrimage.”Heseizedtheunprecedented
gathering to remind the Muslims of many important values of Islam.
On the way backto Medina,he stopped atGhadirKhumm andde-
liveredalengthysermoninwhichhesummarizedthemajorteachingsof
Islam,informed the Muslims of his approaching death and appointed
‘Alī bin Abi Tālib as his successor.
AftertenyearsofstayinMedina,theProphetfellillanddiedaftera
fewdaysofillness.Accordingtoexistingtraditions,thelastwordsonhis
lips were advice concerning slaves and women.