Historical Context
In the tenth year after the Hijrah, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ performed his first and final pilgrimage to Makkah. On the Day of Arafah, standing on the Mount of Mercy before more than 100,000 Muslims, he delivered what would become known as the Farewell Sermon (خطبة الوداع)—a comprehensive summary of Islamic principles and a final message to humanity.
During this sermon, the following verse was revealed, signaling the completion of Islam as a religion: “This day 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 wept upon hearing this verse, understanding it indicated the approaching end of the Prophet’s life.
The Complete Text of the Farewell Sermon
الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينه ونستغفره ونتوب إليه، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا من يهده الله فلا مضل له ومن يضلل فلا هادي له، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله.
All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, ask for His forgiveness, and turn to Him in repentance. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and from our bad deeds. Whomever Allah guides, none can lead astray, and whomever Allah leads astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
أوصيكم عباد الله بتقوى الله وأحثكم على طاعته وأستفتح بالذي هو خير. أما بعد أيها الناس اسمعوا مني أبين لكم فإني لا أدري لعلى لا ألقاكم بعد عامي هذا في موقفي هذا.
I advise you, O servants of Allah, to have taqwa (consciousness) of Allah, and I urge you to obey Him, and I begin with that which is best. O people, listen to me carefully, for I do not know whether I will meet you again in this place after this year.
🛡️ The Sanctity of Life, Honor, and Property
أيها الناس إن دماءكم وأعراضكم حرام عليكم إلى أن تلقوا ربكم كحرمة يومكم هذا في شهركم هذا في بلدكم هذا – ألا هل بلغت اللهم فاشهد، فمن كانت عنده أمانة فليؤدها إلى من ائتمنه عليها.
O people! Your lives, your property, and your honor are as sacred to one another as the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this land of yours. Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness! Whoever has been entrusted with something, let him return it to the one who entrusted him with it.
— Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness! —
💰 The Abolition of Usury (Riba)
وإن ربا الجاهلية موضوع ولكن لكم رؤوس أموالكم لا تظلمون ولا تظلمون وقضى الله أنه لا ربا. وإن أول ربا أبدأ به عمي العباس بن عبد المطلب.
All usury (interest) of the pre-Islamic era is abolished. You shall have your capital back. Wrong not and you shall not be wronged. Allah has decreed that there shall be no usury. The first usury I abolish is that of my uncle, Al-Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib.
⚖️ The Abolition of Blood Feuds
وإن دماء الجاهلية موضوعة، وإن أول دم نبدأ به دم عامر بن ربيعة بن الحارث بن عبد المطلب وإن مآثر الجاهلية موضوعة غير السدانة والسقاية والعمد قود وشبه العمد ما قتل بالعصا والحجر وفيه مائة بعير، فمن زاد فهو من أهل الجاهلية – ألا هل بلغت اللهم فاشهد.
All blood revenge from the pre-Islamic era is abolished. The first blood revenge I abolish is that of Aamir ibn Rabee’ah ibn Al-Harith ibn Abdul Muttalib. All customs of the pre-Islamic era are abolished except the custodianship of the Ka’bah and providing water to pilgrims. Intentional murder requires retaliation, and accidental killing (as with a stick or stone) requires a compensation of one hundred camels. Whoever demands more is from the people of ignorance. Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness!
— Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness! —
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⚠️ Warning Against Satan’s Deception
أما بعد أيها الناس إن الشيطان قد يئس أن يعبد في أرضكم هذه، ولكنه قد رضي أن يطاع فيما سوى ذلك مما تحرقون من أعمالكم فاحذروه على دينكم.
O people! Satan has despaired of being worshipped in this land of yours, but he is content to be obeyed in matters you consider trivial. So beware of him in your religion.
📅 The Islamic Calendar Established
أيها الناس إنما النسئ زيادة في الكفر يضل به الذين كفروا يحلونه عاماً ويحرمونه عاماً ليوطئوا عدة ما حرم الله فيحلوا ما حرم الله ويحرموا ما أحل الله. وإن الزمان قد استدار كهيئته يوم خلق الله السماوات والأرض، وإن عدة الشهور عند الله اثنا عشر شهراً في كتاب الله يوم خلق الله السماوات والأرض، منها أربعة حرم ثلاثة متواليات وواحد فرد: ذو القعدة وذو الحجة والمحرم ورجب مضر الذي بين جمادى وشعبان – ألا هل بلغت اللهم فاشهد.
O people! Postponing (of sacred months) is an increase in disbelief, by which those who disbelieve are led astray. They make it lawful one year and unlawful another year. Time has completed its cycle and returned to its original state as it was when Allah created the heavens and the earth. The number of months with Allah is twelve in the Book of Allah since the day He created the heavens and the earth. Of these, four are sacred: three consecutive (Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, and Muharram) and one separate (Rajab of Mudar, which comes between Jumada and Sha’ban). Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness!
— Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness! —
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👰 Rights and Duties in Marriage
أما بعد أيها الناس إن لنسائكم عليكم حقاً ولكم عليهن حق. لكم أن لا يواطئن فرشهم غيركم، ولا يدخلن أحداً تكرهونه بيوتكم إلا بإذنكم ولا يأتين بفاحشة، فإن فعلن فإن الله قد أذن لكم أن تعضلوهن وتهجروهن في المضاجع وتضربوهن ضرباً غير مبرح، فإن انتهين وأطعنكم فعليكم رزقهن وكسوتهن بالمعروف، واستوصوا بالنساء خيراً، فإنهن عندكم عوان لا يملكن لأنفسهن شيئاً، وإنكم إنما أخذتموهن بأمانة الله واستحللتم فروجهن بكلمة الله فاتقوا الله في النساء واستوصوا بهن خيراً – ألا هل بلغت….اللهم فاشهد.
O people! Your women have rights over you, and you have rights over them. Your right over them is that they should not allow anyone you dislike to sit on your beds, nor admit anyone into your homes whom you dislike except with your permission, and that they should not commit any act of open indecency. If they do, then Allah has permitted you to admonish them, to forsake them in beds, and to strike them with a light blow that leaves no mark. If they cease and obey you, then you must provide for them and clothe them in a proper manner. Treat women well, for they are with you like captives and prisoners; they have no control over themselves. You have taken them as a trust from Allah, and you have made their bodies lawful to you by the word of Allah. So fear Allah regarding women and treat them well. Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness!
— Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness! —
Fear Allah regarding women and treat them well, for you have taken them as a trust from Allah.
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🤝 Brotherhood and Property Rights
أيها الناس إنما المؤمنون إخوة ولا يحل لامرئ مال لأخيه إلا عن طيب نفس منه – ألا هل بلغت اللهم فاشهد.
O people! The believers are brothers, and it is not lawful for a person to take anything from his brother except what he gives willingly. Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness!
📖 The Two Sources of Guidance
فلا ترجعن بعدى كافراً يضرب بعضكم رقاب بعض، فإني قد تركت فيكم ما إن أخذتم به لن تضلوا بعده: كتاب الله وسنة نبيه، ألا هل بلغت … اللهم فاشهد.
Do not return to disbelief after me by striking the necks of one another. I have left among you that which, if you hold fast to it, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet. Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness!
— Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness! —
I have left among you that which, if you hold fast to it, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet.
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🌍 The Equality of All Humanity
أيها الناس إن ربكم واحد وإن أباكم واحد كلكم لآدم وآدم من تراب أكرمكم عند الله اتقاكم، وليس لعربي على عجمي فضل إلا بالتقوى – ألا هل بلغت….اللهم فاشهد قالوا نعم – قال فليبلغ الشاهد الغائب.
O people! Your Lord is One, and your father is one. All of you are from Adam, and Adam was created from dust. The most noble among you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous. No Arab has superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have superiority over an Arab, except through taqwa (righteousness). Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness! They said: “Yes.” He said: “Then let those who are present convey it to those who are absent.”
— Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness! —
They said: “Yes.”
He said: “Let those who are present convey it to those who are absent.”
No Arab has superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have superiority over an Arab, except through righteousness.
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💼 Laws of Inheritance
أيها الناس إن الله قد قسم لكل وارث نصيبه من الميراث ولا يجوز لوارث وصية، ولا يجوز وصية في أكثر من ثلث، والولد للفراش وللعاهر الحجر. من ادعى إلى غير أبيه أو تولى غير مواليه فعليه لعنة الله والملائكة والناس أجمعين لا يقبل منه صرف ولا عدل.
O people! Allah has assigned to every heir his due share of inheritance. No bequest can be made to an heir, and no bequest can exceed one-third of the estate. The child belongs to the marriage bed, and the adulterer gets nothing (stones). Whoever claims to belong to other than his father or attributes himself to other than his patrons, upon him is the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people. Neither repentance nor compensation will be accepted from him.
والسلام عليكم.
Peace be upon you.
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The Timeless Principles
The Farewell Sermon stands as one of the most comprehensive declarations of human rights, social justice, and spiritual guidance in history. Delivered over 1,400 years ago, its principles remain profoundly relevant today:
🛡️ Sanctity of Life and Property
The Prophet ﷺ established that human life, honor, and property are sacred and inviolable. This principle laid the foundation for Islamic law’s protection of basic human rights.
🌍 Racial Equality
In an era of tribal superiority and racism, the Prophet ﷺ declared that all humans are equal, descending from Adam, and that superiority is determined only by righteousness—not by race, ethnicity, or lineage.
💰 Economic Justice
The abolition of usury (riba) established economic justice, protecting the vulnerable from exploitation and ensuring fair dealings in commerce.
👫 Women’s Rights
The sermon outlined mutual rights and responsibilities in marriage, emphasized kind treatment of women, and established their right to maintenance and respect—revolutionary concepts in 7th-century Arabia.
📖 Divine Guidance
The Prophet ﷺ left humanity with two eternal sources of guidance: the Quran and his Sunnah, ensuring that future generations would have clear direction.
The Final Message
After delivering this sermon, the Prophet ﷺ repeatedly asked, “Have I conveyed the message?” and the multitude of over 100,000 Muslims responded in unison, “Yes, you have!”
He then raised his finger toward the sky and pointed it at the people, saying, “O Allah, bear witness! O Allah, bear witness! O Allah, bear witness!”
This was the final public sermon of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Within three months, he would return to his Lord, having fulfilled his mission of conveying Islam in its complete and perfect form.
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family, his Companions, and all who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment.
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا
“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)
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