The Farewell Sermon

THE FAREWELL SERMON T he Farewell Sermon is the final and most significant address given by the Prophet Muhammad. This sermon was delivered on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah in the 10th year of Hijrah in the plains of Arafat. The Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajj) was the largest Islamic gathering during the Prophetic era, with approximately 125,000 Companions in attendance. About two months before his passing, the Prophet delivered this sermon, making a final proclamation of all the teachings for which he had been sent. The Farewell Pilgrimage is extensively mentioned in the books of Hadith, yet the complete text of the Farewell Sermon is not found in any single narration. Different narrations contain various parts of it. Numerous scholars have attempted to compile these parts into a cohesive collection. In essence, this sermon proclaimed the greatness of God and the equality of all human beings. The Prophet emphasized that the only valid distinction among people is between those who are pious and those who are not. All other distinctions are artificial and were declared invalid, and the Muslim community was tasked with continuously proclaiming this truth.