The Farewell Pilgrimage

During the Sermon of Arafat, the last passage of the Quran was revealed: “Today I have completed your religion for you and completed My blessing upon you. I have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5:3) This proved to be the Prophet’s last visit. That is why it came to be called the “Farewell Pilgrimage”. Only three months after returning to Madinah, he fell ill and stayed in Aishah’s house with the consent of his wives. He had fever and headache. He remained ill for about two weeks and breathed his last on 12 Rabiul Awwal 10 AH. He continued leading prayers till he became too weak to go to the mosque. However, before his death, he said his last prayer in the Masjid-e-Nabawi and made Abu Bakr, his closest companion, the Imam of this prayer. This was a clear sign that he wanted Abu Bakr to succeed him as the leader of the believers. The Prophet Muhammad became ill in the 11th year after the hijra and died several days later (8 June 632 AD). He was 63 years old when he died. Prophet