14.2 Farewell Pilgrimage

Setting the Stage for the Final Hajj

The Farewell Pilgrimage took place in the tenth year after Hijrah, in the month of Dhu al Hijjah. By this time, almost the whole of the Arabian Peninsula had either accepted Islam or entered into peaceful agreements with the Muslims. The Prophet ﷺ had lived in Madinah for about ten years, teaching, judging, leading, and guiding. Islam was no longer a small, persecuted call in Makkah. It had become a complete way of life, with beliefs, worship, law, and manners all revealed and practiced.

This pilgrimage was the first and only complete Hajj that the Prophet ﷺ performed after Hijrah, and it came very close to the end of his blessed life. For that reason, the scholars call it “Hajjat al Wadaʿ”, the Farewell Pilgrimage, because he ﷺ bid farewell to the people and summed up the message that he had been given.

The Prophet ﷺ informed the people and encouraged them to join him. Many tribes and individuals came from every part of Arabia, eager to follow his actions and learn the rites of Hajj directly from him, so that they could pass them on to their families and future generations.

Departure from Madinah

When the Prophet ﷺ decided to perform Hajj, he informed the people of Madinah and those in the surrounding areas. They gathered in huge numbers. The reports mention tens of thousands, with numbers often cited around one hundred thousand or more, although exact counting was not done. The important point is that there had never been a larger Muslim gathering with the Prophet ﷺ before this time.

He ﷺ left Madinah in the month of Dhu al Qaʿdah, at the end of the month, intending Hajj. Before leaving, he ﷺ prayed two units of prayer in the masjid, then began the journey. His behavior on the journey was full of humility and worship. He made dhikr, supplicated, and taught those around him. A famous supplication that he would say on travel was:

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ، وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِي الأَهْلِ
“O Allah, You are the Companion on the journey and the Guardian over the family.”
(Muslim)

He reached the place called Dhul Hulayfah, which is the miqat for the people of Madinah. There, he ﷺ taught the pilgrims how to enter into ihram, how to make intention, and how to begin the talbiyah.

Entering Ihram and the Talbiyah

At Dhul Hulayfah, the Prophet ﷺ bathed, applied perfume to his body, and put on the two white garments of ihram. This showed the importance of cleanliness and dignity when starting an act of worship. From here he ﷺ instructed the people regarding their intentions, whether they would perform Hajj alone, ʿUmrah with Hajj, or ʿUmrah followed by Hajj.

He ﷺ then pronounced the talbiyah, which is the special call of the pilgrim:

لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ،
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ
“Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am.
Surely all praise, and all blessing, and all sovereignty belong to You. You have no partner.”
(Bukhari, Muslim)

This talbiyah became the continuous dhikr of the pilgrims. The valleys of Arabia echoed with these words as the believers moved toward Makkah, all dressed in similar garments, without display of wealth or rank.

The Prophet ﷺ corrected their understanding of Hajj by his actions, removing the leftover influences of pre Islamic customs. For example, the Quraysh in the days of ignorance used to feel superior and would not go out to ʿArafah with the rest of the Arabs. The Prophet ﷺ would later stand at ʿArafah with everyone, showing that no tribe has a special privilege in front of Allah.

Arrival in Makkah and Beginning the Rites

When the Prophet ﷺ approached Makkah, he entered it with humility and reverence, in a state of ihram, remembering Allah. He proceeded to al Masjid al Haram and began with the Kaʿbah. He ﷺ touched the Black Stone, if possible, and started the tawaf. His actions were a practical lesson for the entire Ummah. He showed them the correct number of circuits, the direction, and the remembrance to say.

After completing tawaf, he ﷺ prayed behind Maqam Ibrahim, as Allah says:

﴿وَاتَّخِذُوا مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى﴾
“And take the standing place of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.”
(Surah al Baqarah 2:125)

He then drank from Zamzam, and proceeded to perform saʿy between Safa and Marwah. While climbing Safa, he recited the verse:

﴿إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ﴾
“Indeed Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.”
(Surah al Baqarah 2:158)

The Companions watched his every action and listened to every word, because he ﷺ had said regarding Hajj:

«خُذُوا عَنِّي مَنَاسِكَكُمْ»
“Take your rites of Hajj from me.”
(Muslim)

The Day of Tarwiyah and the Movement to Mina

On the 8th of Dhu al Hijjah, known as Yawm at Tarwiyah, the Prophet ﷺ and those with him set out for Mina. There they prayed and spent the night, teaching the proper way to combine devotion with simplicity and calmness. The Prophet ﷺ did not seek to make Hajj a show of wealth or status. He camped in Mina, performed the prayers, and rested like the rest of the pilgrims.

This stage was part of the step by step preparation for the greatest day of Hajj, the Day of ʿArafah. The movement from Makkah to Mina, then from Mina to ʿArafah, reflected both organization and equality among the Muslims.

Standing at ʿArafah: The Heart of Hajj

On the 9th of Dhu al Hijjah, the Prophet ﷺ moved with the pilgrims from Mina to ʿArafah. He came to the plain of ʿArafah and stayed in a place that had been prepared for him. He remained there until the sun began to decline from its highest point. The standing at ʿArafah is the central pillar of Hajj. The Prophet ﷺ said:

«الْحَجُّ عَرَفَةُ»
“Hajj is ʿArafah.”
(Tirmidhi)

It is at ʿArafah that the mercy of Allah descends in a special way on the pilgrims. The Prophet ﷺ described how Allah boasts to the angels about the people gathered there in dusty and disheveled states, coming from every distant place.

During this day at ʿArafah, the Prophet ﷺ delivered the most famous public address of his life. This is commonly known as the Farewell Sermon, and it will be treated in detail in a later chapter. Here, we focus on its connection with the Pilgrimage itself.

The Farewell Message in the Midst of Hajj

In ʿArafah, the Prophet ﷺ addressed the massive gathering. He spoke about the sacredness of life, property, and honor. He reminded them that they would meet their Lord and be questioned. He cancelled the revenge practices and usury of the pre Islamic period, beginning with his own family, to show that the law of Islam applies to all.

He emphasized the rights of women, the duties between spouses, and the trust of marriage. He spoke about the brotherhood of believers and the end of unjust tribal superiority. It was in this context that he ﷺ declared:

«يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ وَاحِدٌ، وَإِنَّ أَبَاكُمْ وَاحِدٌ، كُلُّكُمْ لِآدَمَ، وَآدَمُ مِنْ تُرَابٍ، لَا فَضْلَ لِعَرَبِيٍّ عَلَى أَعْجَمِيٍّ، وَلِأَعْجَمِيٍّ عَلَى عَرَبِيٍّ، وَلِأَحْمَرَ عَلَى أَسْوَدَ، وَلِأَسْوَدَ عَلَى أَحْمَرَ، إِلَّا بِالتَّقْوَى»
“O people, your Lord is one and your father is one. All of you are from Adam, and Adam is from dust. There is no superiority of an Arab over a non Arab, nor of a non Arab over an Arab, nor of a red over a black, nor of a black over a red, except by taqwa.”
(Ahmad)

He ﷺ also made the people witnesses that he had conveyed the message. He said:

«أَلَا هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ؟»
“Have I conveyed (the message)?”
They replied, “Yes.”
He then said:
«اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَدْ»
“O Allah, bear witness.”
(Muslim)

At ʿArafah, during this Pilgrimage, a monumental verse was revealed, indicating the completion of the religion:

﴿ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمَ دِينًا﴾
“Today I have perfected for you your religion, and completed My favor upon you, and have approved for you Islam as your religion.”
(Surah al Maʾidah 5:3)

Many of the Companions understood from this verse that the mission was reaching its conclusion and that the time of the Prophet ﷺ in this world was nearing its end.

From ʿArafah to Muzdalifah

After the sun had set on the Day of ʿArafah, the Prophet ﷺ left the plain of ʿArafah calmly, advising the people to be gentle and not to harm others in their eagerness. He traveled to Muzdalifah, where he combined the Maghrib and ʿIsha prayers and then rested until dawn. In Muzdalifah, he ﷺ continued to teach practical details of Hajj, such as collecting the pebbles that would be later used for stoning the pillars at Mina.

In the morning, he ﷺ stood at al Mashʿar al Haram and made dhikr and duʿa until the light of day had become bright. The Qur’an mentions this:

﴿فَإِذَآ أَفَضْتُم مِّنْ عَرَفَـٰتٍ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عِندَ ٱلْمَشْعَرِ ٱلْحَرَامِ﴾
“Then when you pour down from ʿArafat, remember Allah at al Mashʿar al Haram.”
(Surah al Baqarah 2:198)

This movement from place to place during Hajj showed a pattern of obedience, remembrance, and discipline. The Prophet ﷺ always remained in control, always worshiping, always teaching.

The Days of Mina and Completion of the Rites

From Muzdalifah, the Prophet ﷺ returned to Mina on the 10th of Dhu al Hijjah, which is the Day of Nahr, the day of sacrifice. He performed the stoning of the largest pillar at Jamrat al ʿAqabah, offering sacrifice, shaving his head, and then proceeding to perform the tawaf of Ifadah in Makkah. All of this was done while guiding the people and answering their questions.

Many companions came to him saying they had done certain actions in a different order. His responses were full of mercy and ease, such as:

«لَا حَرَجَ»
“There is no harm.”
(Bukhari, Muslim)

This showed that within the framework of revealed guidance, Islam allows some flexibility, and the aim of the rites is obedience to Allah, not hardship for its own sake.

He ﷺ then spent the days of Tashriq in Mina, continuing the stoning at the three Jamarat, teaching the remembrance to be said, and reminding the people to maintain taqwa and to avoid returning to the ways of ignorance after Hajj. The Qur’an refers to these days:

﴿وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فِىٓ أَيَّامٍ مَّعْدُودَٰتٍ﴾
“And remember Allah during the numbered days.”
(Surah al Baqarah 2:203)

He ﷺ also instructed that their sacrifice, their blood, and their acts of worship are only for Allah, without any share for idols or false gods, which was a clear break from pre Islamic practices.

The Spiritual Atmosphere and the Nearing Farewell

The Farewell Pilgrimage was not just a series of rituals. It was a spiritual summit for the Ummah. The people felt the closeness of Allah’s mercy, the clarity of the message, and the unique honor of being with the Messenger ﷺ in such great numbers. At the same time, certain signs began to appear that the Prophet ﷺ was preparing them for a future when he would no longer be among them.

He repeated fundamental principles, emphasized holding firmly to the Qur’an and his Sunnah, and warned against turning back to disbelief or division. He said:

«تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمْ مَا لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدَهُ، إِنِ اعْتَصَمْتُمْ بِهِ، كِتَابَ اللَّهِ»
“I have left among you something which, if you hold fast to it, you will never go astray after me, the Book of Allah.”
(Muslim)

In other narrations, he mentioned the Qur’an and his Sunnah together as the two weighty sources to cling to. The key idea is that during this Hajj, he turned the attention of the Ummah firmly toward the lasting guidance that would remain after his passing.

Many Companions, when they heard the tone of his address and the content of the revealed verses, sensed a farewell. Some of them even wept, understanding that this might be the last Hajj with the Prophet ﷺ.

Return to Madinah

After completing the rites in Mina, the Prophet ﷺ returned to Makkah and then made his way back to Madinah. On the return journey he remained as he had always been, a servant of Allah, grateful, humble, and constantly remembering his Lord. There was no worldly pride in having led the largest Hajj gathering, nor any display of kingship. He ﷺ traveled as the leader of a spiritual nation whose religion was now complete.

Arriving back in Madinah, the Prophet ﷺ resumed his normal life of worship, teaching, and judgment. However, the Farewell Pilgrimage remained in the minds of the companions as a unique turning point. It had fixed the practical form of Hajj in their memories. It had gathered the core teachings of Islam in a single public sermon. It had signaled that the message had been fully conveyed, and that the Prophet ﷺ had nearly completed his mission on earth.

The more detailed messages and human rights declared in his Farewell Sermon, and the specific spiritual lessons drawn from this Pilgrimage, will be discussed in the chapters that follow.