14.2.1 Events of Hajj al-Wada‘

Setting Out for the Final Pilgrimage

In the tenth year after Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ announced his intention to perform Hajj. This was the only Hajj he performed after migration to Madinah, and it later became known as Hajj al‑Wada‘, the Farewell Pilgrimage, because he ﷺ said during it that he might not meet the people again in that place.

When the news spread in Madinah and beyond, Muslims came from every direction, wanting to imitate his actions and to see him one more time. Jabir ibn Abdullah رضي الله عنه described the scene:

كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى مَدَّ بَصَرِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنْ رَاكِبٍ وَمَاشٍ، وَعَنْ يَمِينِهِ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ، وَعَنْ يَسَارِهِ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ، وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ
“We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I looked in front of him, to the extent my eyes could see, and there were riders and pedestrians; and the same to his right, to his left, and behind him.”
(Sahih Muslim)

The Prophet ﷺ left Madinah in Dhul Qa‘dah and reached the Miqat of Dhu’l Hulayfah, which was the Miqat for the people of Madinah. There he taught the pilgrims the intention of Hajj, the types of Hajj, and the Talbiyah that would mark the start of the rites.

The Miqat and the Talbiyah

At Dhu’l Hulayfah, the Prophet ﷺ entered the state of Ihram. He instructed the people in the correct way to begin Hajj, tying their intention to the command of Allah. He ﷺ said:

لَبَّيْكَ حَجًّا
“Here I am, O Allah, for Hajj.”
(Sahih Muslim)

From this Miqat he taught the Talbiyah, the response to Allah’s call to pilgrimage:

لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْك، 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 blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty. You have no partner.”
(Sahih al‑Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

The companions repeated this Talbiyah loudly as they travelled toward Makkah. The entire journey became a moving lesson in remembrance of Allah, and the Prophet ﷺ corrected people’s words and intentions, shaping the spiritual atmosphere of the Hajj before they even reached the Sacred Mosque.

Arrival in Makkah and the First Tawaf

When the Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah, he ﷺ proceeded to al‑Masjid al‑Haram and began with the Tawaf around the Ka‘bah. This was the first ritual action he performed upon arrival, and it demonstrated that the House of Allah was the central point of the pilgrimage and of Muslim life.

He ﷺ touched the Black Stone, if able, and began his circuits, making remembrance and supplication. Allah had already mentioned the Ka‘bah and its role in guiding people:

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
“Indeed, the first House established for mankind was that at Bakkah, blessed and a guidance for the worlds.”
(Quran 3:96)

During this arrival in Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ showed that Tawaf is not an empty ritual. It is a deliberate walking in obedience, a physical acknowledgment that a believer’s life revolves around the worship of Allah alone.

After Tawaf, he ﷺ prayed behind Maqam Ibrahim, in line with the verse revealed earlier in Madinah:

وَاتَّخِذُوا مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى
“And take the standing place of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.”
(Quran 2:125)

In this way, his actions brought the commands of the Quran to life before the eyes of thousands of companions.

Sa‘i Between Safa and Marwah

After Tawaf, the Prophet ﷺ went to Safa to begin Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah. He recited the verse which clarified that this practice belonged to the religion of Ibrahim and was not an act of idolatry, as some people had feared in the early days of Islam:

إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ
“Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.”
(Quran 2:158)

Then he ﷺ said:

أَبْدَأُ بِمَا بَدَأَ اللَّهُ بِهِ
“I will begin with that which Allah began with.”
(Sahih Muslim)

So he ﷺ started at Safa and moved between the two hills, walking where walking was prescribed and hastening in the marked area. His Sa‘i was a living reminder of the struggle of Hajar and the mercy of Allah in providing Zamzam, and yet he did not turn the story into a speech here. Instead, he let the action itself nurture faith.

Standing at ‘Arafah

The most decisive event of Hajj al‑Wada‘ took place at ‘Arafah. After spending the night at Mina on the day of Tarwiyah, the Prophet ﷺ proceeded to ‘Arafah on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah. He stayed in a tent at Namirah until the sun had passed its zenith, then he moved to the valley, led the combined and shortened prayers of Dhuhr and ‘Asr, and then rode to the plain of ‘Arafah.

He ﷺ stood near the rocky area at the foot of Jabal al‑Rahmah, facing the qiblah, raising his hands, making abundant supplication, and teaching the people that the essence of Hajj is this standing at ‘Arafah. He ﷺ said:

الحَجُّ عَرَفَةُ
“Hajj is ‘Arafah.”
(Sunan al‑Tirmidhi, Sunan al‑Nasa’i)

From after the prayer until sunset, he remained engaged in du‘a, humility, and remembrance. The day of ‘Arafah was marked by a divine announcement of the completion of the religion. Allah revealed:

ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ، وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي، وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا
“Today I have perfected for you your religion, and completed My favor upon you, and have approved for you Islam as religion.”
(Quran 5:3)

Many companions understood that such a declaration of perfection indicated that the mission of the Prophet ﷺ was nearing its end. The day of ‘Arafah in that Hajj joined ultimate mercy, forgiveness, and also a subtle farewell to the community that had grown under his guidance.

The Farewell Sermon on the Plain of ‘Arafah

While at ‘Arafah, the Prophet ﷺ delivered what is known as the Farewell Sermon. It was not only a set of instructions but a summary of the core teachings that his life had carried to humanity. He opened with a reminder of the sanctity of life, property, and honor, and he used the sacred place and sacred day as a comparison so that everyone would feel the weight of the message.

He ﷺ said:

إِنَّ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَأَمْوَالَكُمْ وَأَعْرَاضَكُمْ، عَلَيْكُمْ حَرَامٌ، كَحُرْمَةِ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا، فِي شَهْرِكُمْ هَذَا، فِي بَلَدِكُمْ هَذَا
“Indeed, your blood, your wealth, and your honor are sacred for you, like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this land of yours.”
(Sahih al‑Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

He abolished the practices of the pre‑Islamic period of oppression and vengeance. He declared that all usury from the time of ignorance was cancelled, starting with the usury that had been claimed by his own family. He declared that the desire for revenge rooted in old blood feuds must end.

In this sermon he reminded the men about their responsibility toward women and the rights they owe to their wives, he emphasized the brotherhood of believers, and he summarized the core basis of accountability by pointing to the Quran and his Sunnah as the guiding legacy. Toward the end, he ﷺ asked the people if he had conveyed the message. When they replied, “Yes,” he raised his finger toward the sky and said:

اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَدْ، اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَدْ
“O Allah, bear witness. O Allah, bear witness.”
(Sahih Muslim)

The sermon was part of the events of ‘Arafah, and it showed that the pilgrimage in that year was both practical worship and final instruction.

Night at Muzdalifah

After sunset, the Prophet ﷺ left ‘Arafah calmly, instructing the people to be gentle and not to harm one another. He ﷺ restrained his camel until its head almost touched the saddle due to the crowd, and he did not let the immense number of pilgrims turn the journey into chaos.

He spent the night at Muzdalifah, combining Maghrib and ‘Isha on arrival. At Muzdalifah, the pilgrims shared the same open space, collecting stones for the next day’s stoning of the Jamrah. The night became a lesson in humility, equality, and patience. In the morning, he ﷺ prayed Fajr early, before it was fully bright, then he moved to the sacred site within Muzdalifah, al‑Mash‘ar al‑Haram, and made prolonged remembrance of Allah until daylight grew stronger.

Allah mentioned this part of Hajj in the Quran:

فَإِذَا أَفَضْتُم مِّنْ عَرَفَاتٍ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عِندَ ٱلْمَشْعَرِ ٱلْحَرَامِ
“Then when you depart from ‘Arafat, remember Allah at al‑Mash‘ar al‑Haram.”
(Quran 2:198)

The Prophet ﷺ’s conduct at Muzdalifah taught the pilgrims that remembrance in the quiet night and at dawn is a central part of this journey, not only the outward movement and crowds.

The Day of Sacrifice at Mina

On the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, the Prophet ﷺ returned to Mina. This day, known as Yawm al‑Nahr, the Day of Sacrifice, gathered several important acts of worship. He first stoned Jamrat al‑‘Aqabah with seven pebbles, saying “Allahu Akbar” with each throw. Then he addressed the people again, reminding them of their duties and reinforcing what he had said before.

He ﷺ performed the sacrifice, slaughtering many animals while declaring Allah’s name, fulfilling the legacy of Ibrahim عليه السلام. Then he shaved his head, and he permitted his companions, when they asked about the exact order of rituals, to perform the acts in slightly different sequences, saying:

افْعَلْ وَلَا حَرَجَ
“Do it, and there is no harm.”
(Sahih al‑Bukhari)

This flexibility within clear limits was itself a lesson in how Islamic law balances precision with ease. The Prophet ﷺ then went to Makkah to perform another Tawaf, known as Tawaf al‑Ifadah, which is one of the pillars of Hajj. The day at Mina, with stoning, sacrifice, shaving, and Tawaf, combined physical effort, remembrance, and the feeling of renewal.

The Days of Tashriq and Continued Teaching

After the Day of Sacrifice, the Prophet ﷺ remained in Mina during the days known as Ayyam al‑Tashriq, the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul Hijjah. These were days of continued remembrance of Allah, as the Quran says:

وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فِىٓ أَيَّامٍ مَّعْدُودَٰتٍ
“And remember Allah during the numbered days.”
(Quran 2:203)

He ﷺ continued to stone the three Jamrat in those days, after the sun had passed its zenith, starting with the smallest and ending with the largest, making du‘a between the first and the second, and between the second and the third. The companions watched the exact way he moved, where he stopped, how he supplicated, and they preserved these details so that future generations could learn.

While in Mina during these days, he ﷺ continued to teach practical rulings to those who came with questions. People asked about doing actions earlier or later than usual, and he showed that the foundation of Hajj is sincerity and following the main commands, with room for minor differences in sequence.

The atmosphere in Mina was one of spiritual joy, remembrance, and learning. The Prophet ﷺ received delegations from various tribes, many of whom had newly entered Islam, and through his presence during Hajj, the religion reached hearts from across the Arabian Peninsula in a concentrated way.

Tawaf al‑Wada‘ and the Return from Hajj

After completing the rites and staying in Mina the required days, the Prophet ﷺ prepared to leave Makkah. Before his departure, he performed Tawaf al‑Wada‘, the farewell circumambulation, and instructed those who were leaving Makkah after Hajj to do the same, so that their last contact with the Sacred Mosque would be the remembrance of Allah around His House.

He ﷺ left behind in Hajj al‑Wada‘ a complete practical example of how the pilgrimage should be performed. Every step, every du‘a, and every instruction was carefully observed by the companions. The events of that Hajj were preserved in narrations such as the lengthy hadith of Jabir رضي الله عنه, in which he described the Prophet’s Hajj in detail, saying at the end that he had not left out anything he had seen.

With this Hajj, the Prophet ﷺ concluded the outward form of the religion in front of a unified community. The events of Hajj al‑Wada‘ combined worship, law, ethics, and farewell in one journey. They remain the clearest model for every pilgrim who follows, and they prepared the believers for the final stage of his blessed life that would follow after his return to Madinah.