Prophet Muhammad’s last Sermon, mount Arafat
On the return of the sacred month of pilgrimage, the Prophet, under the presentiment of his
approaching end, determined to make a farewell pilgrimage to Mecca. In February 632, he left
Medina with a very considerable concourse of Muslims. It is stated that from ninety thousand to
one hundred and forty thousand people accompanied the Prophet. Before completing all rites of
the pilgrimage, he addressed the assembled multitude from the top of Mount Arafat in the
following words:
“O people! Listen to my words, for I know not whether another year will be vouchsafed to me
after this year to find myself among you. Your lives and property are sacred and inviolable among
one another until you appear before the Lord, as this day and this month are sacred for all; and
remember, you will have to appear before your Lord Who will demand from you an account for
all your actions. O people, you have rights over your wives, and your wives have a right over you.
Verily you have taken them on the security of Allah and have made their people lawful unto you
by the words of Allah. And your slaves, see that you feed them with such food as you eat
yourselves, and clothe them with the stuff you wear, and if they commit a fault which you are not
inclined to forgive, then part with them; for they are the servants of the Lord and are not to be
harshly treated. O people, listen to my words and understand them. Know that all Muslims are
brothers. You are one brotherhood; but no man shall take ought from his brother, unless by his
free consent. Keep yourselves from injustice. Let him who is present tell this to him who is absent.
It maybe that he who is told this afterward may remember better than he who has now heard it.
The Prophet concluded his sermon by exclaiming: “O Lord, I have fulfilled my message and
accomplished my work.” The assembled multitude, all in one voice, cried: “Yea, verily you have.”
The Prophet again exclaimed: “O Lord, I beseech You, bear witness to it.”
Prophet returns to Madina
Having rigorously performed all the ceremonies of the pilgrimage, that his example might be
followed by all Muslims for all succeeding ages, the Prophet returned with his followers to
Medina.
The eleventh year of the hijrah, being the last year of Muhammad’s life, was spent at Medina.
There he settled the organization of the provincial and tribal communities which had adopted
Islam and become the component parts of the Muslims federation. More officers had to be
deputed to the interior provinces for the purpose of teaching their inhabitants the precepts of the
religion, administering justice, and collecting Zakat.
Muadh Ibn Jabal was sent to Yemen. On his departure to that distant province the Prophet enjoined him to use his own discretion in the event of his being unable to find express authority in the Quran. Ali was deputed to Yamama in the southeast of the peninsula. To him the Prophet said: “Never decide between any two parties who come to you for justice unless you first hear both of them.”
Murders and false claims of Prophethood arise
A force was being prepared under Usama Ibn Zaid, whose father was killed at Muta, against the
Byzantines, to exact the long-delayed reparation for the murder of the envoy to Syria.
However,
the news of the Prophet’s sickness and failing health caused that expedition to be stopped. This
news was soon noised abroad and produced disorder in some districts. Three pretenders had
arisen who gave themselves out as prophets and tried by all kinds of imposture to win over their
tribes. The most dangerous of these pretenders was known as Al Aswad.
He was a chief of Yemen and a conjurer. He soon succeeded in gaining over his tribesmen and, with the help, reduced to subjection many of the neighboring towns. He killed Shahr, whom the Prophet had
appointed as Governor of Sana in the place of his father Bazan, who had just died. Bazan had
been the viceroy of Yemen under Chosroes of Persia; after he had adopted Islam he was allowed
by the Prophet to remain as Governor of Yemen.
He was able to convert to Islam all the Persian colony in that province. Al-Aswad, the conjurer, had now killed Shahr, but soon after he was massacred by the Persians of Yemen.
The other two pretenders, Tulayha and Haroun by name, were not suppressed until after the death
of the Prophet, during the reign of Abu Bakr. Haroun, better known as Mussaylamah, addressed
to the Prophet a letter which ran as follows:
“From Mussaylamah the Prophet of Allah, to Muhammad the Prophet of Allah. Peace be to you. I am your partner. Let the exercise of authority be divided between us. Half the earth will be mine, and half will belong to your Quraish.But the Quraish are too greedy to be satisfied with a just division.”
To this letter the Prophet replied as follows:
“From Muhammad the Messenger of Allah to Mussaylamah the liar. Peace be
to those who follow the right path. The earth belongs to Allah. It is He Who makes the reign
whomsoever He pleases. Only those will prosper who fear the Lord.”
Prophet Muhammad’s last days
The health of the Prophet grew worse. His last days were remarkable for the calmness and
serenity of his mind. He was able, though weak and feeble, to lead the public prayers until within
three days of his death. He requested that he might be permitted to stay at ‘Aisha’s house close to
the mosque during his illness, an arrangement to which his other wives assented. As long as his
strength lasted, he took part in the public prayers. The last time he appeared in the mosque he
addressed the congregation, after the usual prayers were over, in the following words:
“O Muslims, if I have wronged anyone of you, here I am to answer for it; if I owe anything to
anyone, all I may happen to possess belongs to you.” A man in the crowd rose and claimed three
Dirhams which he had given to a poor man at the request of the Prophet. They were immediately
paid back with these words: “Better to blush in this world than in the next.”
The Prophet then prayed and implored Allah’s mercy for those who had fallen in the persecution
of their enemies. He recommended to all his followers the observance of religious duties and the
leading of a life of peace and goodwill. Then he spoke with emotion and with a voice still so
powerful as to reach beyond the outer doors of the mosque:
“By the Lord in Whose hand lies the soul of Muhammad as to myself, no man can lay hold on me in any matter; I have not made lawful anything excepting what Allah has made lawful; nor have I prohibited anything but that which Allah in His Book has prohibited.”
Then turning to the women who sat close by, he exclaimed: “O Fatimah, my, daughter, and Safia,
my aunt, work you both that which procure you acceptance with the Lord, for verily I have no
power to save you in any wise.” He then rose and re-entered the house of Aisha.
The death of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him
After this, the Prophet never appeared at public prayers. A few hours after he returned from the
mosque, the Prophet died while laying his head on the bosom of Aisha. As soon as the Prophet’s
death was announced, a crowd of people gathered at the door of the house of Aisha, exclaiming:
“How can our messenger be dead?”
Umar said: “No, he is not dead; he will be restored to us, and
those are traitors to the cause of Islam who say he is dead. If they say so let them be cut in
pieces.”
But Abu Bakr entered the house at this moment, and after he had touched the body of the
Prophet with a demonstration of profound affection, he appear at the door and addressed the
crowd with the following speech: “O Muslims, if anyone of you has been worshipping
Muhammad, then let me tell you that Muhammad is dead. But if you really do worship Allah then
know that Allah is living and will never die.
Do you forget the verse in the Quran:
“Muhammad is not more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away
before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn your back on your heels (as disbeliveers)?
And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah, and Allah will give
reward to those who are grateful.” (Ch 3:144 Quran).
Upon hearing this speech of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar acknowledged his error, and the crowd was
satisfied and dispersed.
Al-Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, presided at the preparation for the burial, and the body was duly
washed and perfumed. There was some dispute between the Quraish and the Ansars as to the
place of burial; however, Abu Bakr settled the dispute by affirming that he had heard the Prophet
say that a prophet should be buried at the very spot where he died.
A grave was accordingly dug in the ground within the house of Aisha and under the bed on which the Prophet died. In this grave the body was buried, and the usual rites were performed by those who were present.
Thus ended the glorious life of that Prophet Muhammad.
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
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