The Holy Prophet (SAW) performed Hajj in 10 AH (10th year of Hijra), which corresponds to the year 632 AD. This event is famously known in Islamic history as Hajjat al-Wida or the Farewell Pilgrimage. It was the only Hajj performed... Read More
The Holy Prophet (SAW) performed Hajj in 10 AH (10th year of Hijra), which corresponds to the year 632 AD.
This event is famously known in Islamic history as Hajjat al-Wida or the Farewell Pilgrimage. It was the only Hajj performed by the Holy Prophet (SAW) after the migration to Madinah, and it served as the definitive model for how the fifth pillar of Islam should be observed by all future generations.
By the 10th year of the Hijri calendar, Islam had spread across the Arabian Peninsula. After the conquest of Makkah and the subsequent cleaning of the Kaaba from idols, the spiritual environment was prepared for the first purely Islamic pilgrimage. In the month of Dhul-Qadah, the Prophet (SAW) announced his intention to perform Hajj. This news spread rapidly throughout the desert, and thousands of Muslims from various tribes flocked to Madinah to join the Prophet (SAW) on this historic journey.
On the 25th of Dhul-Qadah, the Prophet (SAW) left Madinah. He was accompanied by an immense caravan of followers, estimated by various historical accounts to be between 90,000 and 124,000 people. Upon reaching Dhu al-Hulayfah, the Prophet (SAW) and his companions entered the state of Ihram, marking the beginning of the sacred rituals.
The caravan reached Makkah on the 4th of Dhul-Hijjah. The Prophet (SAW) entered the Masjid al-Haram and performed the Tawaf (circumambulation) of the Kaaba, followed by the Sa'i between the hills of Safa and Marwa. These actions established the Sunnah for the rites of Hajj.
On the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah, known as Yawm at-Tarwiyah, the Prophet (SAW) moved to Mina, where he stayed until the following morning. On the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, he proceeded to the plains of Arafat. This day is considered the pinnacle of Hajj. It was here, atop the Mount of Mercy (Jabal al-Rahmah), that he delivered his historic Farewell Sermon.
The sermon delivered at Arafat was a masterpiece of human rights and social justice. The Prophet (SAW) emphasized the equality of all humans, regardless of race or ethnicity, and strictly forbade the shedding of blood and the practice of usury (Riba). He urged the followers to treat women with kindness and to remain steadfast in following the Quran and his Sunnah.
During this stay at Arafat, a momentous revelation was received, which many scholars consider one of the final verses of the Quran: "This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion" (Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:3). This verse signaled that the divine mission of the Prophet (SAW) was reaching its completion.
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