What is the Farewell Sermon of the Prophet ﷺ?
The Prophet's ﷺ Farewell Sermon at ʿArafah is the testament of Islam to the world. Ibn Kathīr's <em>Sīrah</em> gathers the narrations into a single coherent address — the equality of humankind under taqwā, the sanctity of life and property, the obligations left behind.
10 passages from 7 books in the library
The single cited passage draws on the Farewell Pilgrimage for its counsel concerning women, which al-Ghazali notes is well known and was narrated by Muslim. On this point the tradition records the Prophet's ﷺ charge to treat women well and to be mindful of one's duties toward them. The page offers only this one fragment, so it captures just one strand of the sermon's teaching; the full address — with its themes of human equality under God-consciousness and the sanctity of life and property — is best heard in the complete book in the library.
Drawn from the classical sources below — in the scholars' own words.
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 7 books by Ibn Kathir, Imam al-Dhahabī, Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Battuta, and Imam al-Ghazali — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
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"They differed on the timing of Rajab with Mudar placing it between Jumadah and Shaban while Rabi'ah placed it between Shaban and Shawwal The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him clarified this in his farewell pilgrimage sermon affirming Mudar's position Allah the Exalted states in the Quran Indeed the number of months with Allah is twelve months in the book of Allah on the day He created the heavens and the earth of them four are sacred This verse refutes the claim of Banu Auf Ibn Luay that the sacred months are eight The hadith also refutes the practice of delaying Muharram's prohibition and confirms Mudar's view on Rajab"
14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir →
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"of Hunayn and the siege of Ta'if in Shawwal of the eighth year. Abu Bakr performed Hajj in the ninth year, and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, performed the Farewell Pilgrimage in the tenth year. Additionally, there were twelve battles in which there was no fighting, the first being the expedition to al-Abwa. The first verse revealed concerning fighting was, Permission is given to those who are being fought because they have been wronged, as found in Surah al-Hajj. This revelation came after the arrival of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in Medina. The first battle he witnessed was the Battle"
13th–14th century · Damascus, Syria
Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ — the monumental biographical dictionary of Islamic scholarship, from the companions of the Prophet ﷺ through al-Dhahabī's own era. A working-scholar reference used for seven centuries.
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"It is also said that he was among the early forerunners and migrated to Abyssinia in the first migration, may Allah be pleased with him. Al-Waqidi mentioned that when Abu Bakr led the people in Hajj before the Farewell Pilgrimage, Suhayl ibn Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, met him and said: "I have heard, O Abu Bakr, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: 'The martyr will intercede for seventy of his family.' So I hope that Abdullah will begin with me.""
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"did not demand blood money from Khalid due to his reasoning. It is also narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, sent Khalid to Al-Harith ibn Ka'b as a leader and caller to Islam. Khalid accompanied the Messenger of Allah during the Farewell Pilgrimage. When the Prophet shaved his head, he gave Khalid a lock of his hair, which was placed at the front of Khalid's cap."
14th century · Damascus, Syria
Madārij al-Sālikīn — the classical map of the spiritual journey — and a vast body of work on the soul, love, the traps of the ego, and the nature of the heart.
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"For example, he said: "If I had wealth, I would do as so-and-so does, who fears his Lord with his wealth, maintains family ties, and gives its due right." He said, "They are equal in reward." During the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet, peace be upon him, wished that he had performed the lesser pilgrimage and exited the state of ihram without offering the sacrificial animal, as he had combined the pilgrimage rites."
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
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"From there, the mother of the believers, Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, performed Umrah, sent by the messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, during the farewell pilgrimage, accompanied by her brother, Abdur-Rahman, may Allah be pleased with them. He instructed her to perform Umrah from Al-Tanim and three mosques attributed to Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, were built there on the road."
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"at the lower part of Mecca. It is from there that the messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, departed during the year of farewell pilgrimage. It lies between two mountains, and within its narrow passage, there is a mound of stones placed on the path, which passers-by throw stones at. It is said to be the grave of Abu Lahab and his wife, the bearer of firewood."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
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"peace and blessings be upon him, stopped between the Jamarat during his pilgrimage and said, “What day is this? and it includes mentioning, then he bid farewell to the people, saying, “This is the Farewell Pilgrimage.” The narration about visiting the House during the nights of Mina and spending the nights there is taken from Abu Dawud’s collection in his Mursal narrations from Tawoos."
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"The Sunnah for the Imam on this day is to deliver a sermon after the sun has passed its zenith. This includes the Farewell Sermon of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. During Hajj, there are four sermons: the sermon on the seventh day, the sermon on the Day of Arafah, the sermon on the Day of Sacrifice, and the sermon on the first day of Nafr."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"In Al-Bukhari, from Anas's hadith, it is mentioned the Prophet had a she-camel named Al-Adba. In Muslim's hadith from Jabir during the Farewell Pilgrimage, it is noted he rode Al-Qaswa. Al-Hakim's narration from Ali mentions his she-camel was Al-Qaswa, his mule Al-Duldul, and his donkey Ufair. In the Fawaid of Ibn Dahdah, it states his donkey was Ya'fur and his sheep Baraka."
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