When was the Farewell Sermon?

The Farewell Sermon (Khutbat al-Wada) was delivered on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, 10 AH (March 632 CE), on the plain of Arafat during the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) first and only Hajj pilgrimage. It came approximately three months before the Prophet's death and is considered the culmination of his 23-year prophetic mission.

What did Muhammad say in his last sermon?

The Prophet addressed numerous fundamental principles: the sanctity of every Muslim's life, property, and honor; the abolishment of all pre-Islamic practices of usury (riba); the equal rights and dignified treatment of women; the complete equality of all human beings regardless of race or lineage ('No Arab has superiority over a non-Arab... except by piety and good deeds'); and the importance of holding fast to the Quran as the ultimate guide. He concluded by asking the congregation to bear witness that he had delivered the message.

How many people attended the Farewell Hajj?

Historical estimates suggest that over 100,000 pilgrims attended the Farewell Hajj (Hajjat al-Wada). This massive gathering represented the extraordinary growth of Islam from a small group of persecuted believers to a faith that had united virtually the entire Arabian Peninsula within just 23 years of the first revelation.

What rights did Muhammad emphasize?

The Prophet emphasized several categories of rights: the right to life (declaring all blood and property sacred), women's rights (commanding men to treat women well and honor their rights), economic justice (abolishing usury and all forms of financial exploitation), racial equality (declaring that no Arab is superior to a non-Arab except through piety), and the right to religious guidance (leaving the Quran as the ultimate reference for all matters of faith and life).

When did Muhammad pass away after the sermon?

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) passed away approximately 80 days after the Farewell Sermon, on the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal, 11 AH (June 8, 632 CE), in Medina. His death came in the arms of his wife Aisha, and he was buried in her chamber, which is now part of the Prophet's Mosque (Al-Masjid an-Nabawi) in Medina. Many scholars note that Surah An-Nasr (Chapter 110), revealed shortly before, was a divine signal that his mission was complete.

Prophet Muhammad's Farewell Sermon - Last Hajj & Final Message

On a radiant day in the tenth year after the migration to Medina... the desert plains of Arafat became the stage for an event that would forever echo in the hearts of Muslims.

The sky, vast and unyielding, stretched above a sea of devoted believers gathered in anticipation.

It was during the Farewell Pilgrimage — a sacred journey undertaken by the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him — that he prepared to deliver a message destined to guide generations.

As the pilgrims assembled on that expansive plain east of Makkah, the air was thick with a mix of solemnity and hope.

For the believers, this was more than a routine act of worship.

It was a moment of profound unity... a gathering that transcended tribal, ethnic, and social divides.

In the midst of this diverse crowd, the Prophet's presence shone as a beacon of mercy, wisdom, and justice.

He knew that his time among them was drawing to a close.

And with a heart filled with both compassion and resolve... he stepped forward to speak.

The Prophet's voice, steady and imbued with sincerity, rose above the murmur of the crowd.

"O people! Lend me your attentive ears," he began, his words carrying the weight of divine authority.

He reminded them that he could not be with them forever — that the moments they shared were precious and fleeting.

His message was clear: cherish every word, for within them lay the foundation of a life guided by truth and righteousness.

In that sacred moment, he laid out principles that would become the moral bedrock of the Muslim community.

He spoke of the sanctity of every human life... and the inviolable trust in the property and rights of one another.

"O people," he declared, "your blood, your property, and your honor are sacred — as sacred as this day, in this month, in this city." With these words, the Prophet established a universal principle of human rights that predated modern declarations by over a thousand years. Every person's life, wealth, and dignity were inviolable — not by the decree of a king or the agreement of a council, but by the command of Allah Himself.

He then addressed the economic exploitation that had plagued Arabian society: "All interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer inequity." The Prophet began with his own family, abolishing the usury owed to his uncle Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib — demonstrating that reform starts from within, not from the demands placed on others.

Turning to the rights of women — a subject revolutionary in the context of 7th-century Arabia — the Prophet spoke with deliberate emphasis: "O people, it is true that you have certain rights over your women, but they also have rights over you. Treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers." In a society where women were often treated as property, these words established a framework of mutual respect and dignity between the genders.

Perhaps the most powerful passage of the sermon addressed the deeply entrenched tribalism and racism of Arabian society: "All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab. A white person has no superiority over a black person, nor does a black person have any superiority over a white person — except by piety and good deeds." These words shattered the foundations of racial hierarchy fourteen centuries before the modern civil rights movement.

The Prophet reminded the vast assembly of their fundamental obligation: "I leave behind me two things — the Quran and my Sunnah. If you hold fast to them, you shall never go astray." This was the covenant between the Messenger and his Ummah — a promise that divine guidance would remain available until the Day of Judgment for those willing to seek it.

He then asked the assembled multitude: "O people, have I faithfully delivered the message to you?" The congregation responded with a thunderous "Yes!" The Prophet raised his finger to the sky and said three times: "O Allah, bear witness! O Allah, bear witness! O Allah, bear witness!" This solemn invocation established that the burden of the message had been transferred — from the Messenger to the Ummah — and that every individual was now responsible for living by these principles.

He urged those present to convey his words to those who were absent, saying: "Let the one who is present inform the one who is absent, for perhaps the one who is told may understand better than the one who heard directly." This instruction established the principle of transmitting knowledge — a tradition that would give rise to the vast hadith sciences and Islamic scholarly tradition.

It was on this very day, as the Prophet stood on the plain of Arafat surrounded by over 100,000 believers, that one of the most significant verses of the entire Quran was revealed: "This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as your religion" (Quran 5:3). When Umar ibn al-Khattab heard this verse, he wept — for he understood that the completion of the message signaled the approaching end of the Messenger's earthly life.

The Farewell Hajj was completed with the Prophet performing every rite of pilgrimage — demonstrating to the Ummah the correct way to perform Hajj for all future generations. He said: "Take your rituals from me, for I do not know whether I will be able to perform Hajj after this one." These words, heavy with the intimation of farewell, moved many companions to tears.

True to Umar's premonition, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, fell ill approximately two months after returning to Medina. On the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal, 11 AH — roughly 80 days after the Farewell Sermon — the Seal of the Prophets returned to his Lord. He died in the arms of his wife Aisha, his last words being: "Rather, the Highest Companion... Rather, the Highest Companion in Paradise." The mission was complete. The message was delivered. And the words spoken on that day at Arafat continue to illuminate the path of over two billion Muslims around the world.

The Farewell Sermon remains one of the most important speeches in human history — a charter of human rights, social justice, and spiritual guidance that transcends time, culture, and geography. It is a reminder that Islam's final message was not one of war or conquest, but of mercy, equality, and submission to the One God. Discover more about the stories of the Quran and the lessons they hold for our lives.

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About This Story

Quran Reference

Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:3)

Key Themes

EqualityHuman RightsFinal GuidanceLegacy

Audio Duration

12 min of professional narration

Available In

English, Arabic, German, Dutch, French, Turkish

Key Lessons from This Story

The absolute equality of all human beings — The Prophet's declaration that "an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab... except by piety" dismantled the tribal and racial hierarchies that had defined Arabian society for centuries. This principle, articulated fourteen centuries before modern civil rights movements, establishes that the only criterion of superiority in Islam is taqwa (God-consciousness) — a quality that is known only to Allah. It calls every generation to fight racism, tribalism, and all forms of discrimination.
The sacred rights of women — In an era when women were often treated as property and buried alive at birth, the Prophet's emphatic command to "treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners" was revolutionary. He established women's rights to inheritance, property, education, and dignified treatment as divine mandates — not social courtesies — making these rights inviolable and eternal.
Economic justice and the prohibition of usury — By abolishing riba (interest/usury) and starting with his own family's financial claims, the Prophet established the principle that economic exploitation has no place in a just society. This teaches that true reform begins with personal accountability, not external demands, and that financial systems must serve people rather than enslave them.
The Quran as the eternal guide — The Prophet's instruction to hold fast to the Quran and his Sunnah is the foundational principle of Islamic guidance. It means that the Muslim community will never lack direction as long as it returns to these two sources. This is both a comfort and a responsibility — comfort that guidance exists, and responsibility to study, understand, and implement it.
The duty to transmit knowledge — The Prophet's instruction that "those present should convey to those absent" established the Islamic obligation of passing on beneficial knowledge. This principle gave rise to one of the most rigorous scholarly traditions in human history — the science of hadith, Islamic jurisprudence, and a culture of learning that built universities, libraries, and centers of scholarship across the world.

Historical and Theological Context

The Farewell Sermon (Khutbat al-Wada) was delivered on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, 10 AH (March 6, 632 CE), on the plain of Arafat during the Prophet Muhammad's first and only complete Hajj pilgrimage. Known as Hajjat al-Wada (the Farewell Pilgrimage), this event drew over 100,000 Muslims from across the Arabian Peninsula — a testament to the extraordinary growth of Islam from a handful of persecuted believers to a faith that united virtually all of Arabia within 23 years.

The sermon's content addressed themes that modern scholars have recognized as anticipating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by over thirteen centuries. The Prophet's proclamation of racial equality, women's rights, economic justice, and the sanctity of human life established a comprehensive ethical framework that remains the foundation of Islamic social teaching. Particularly significant was the revelation of Quran 5:3 — "This day I have perfected for you your religion" — which scholars consider the last verse of legal significance revealed to the Prophet. Umar ibn al-Khattab famously wept upon hearing it, understanding that the perfection of the religion implied the imminent departure of the Messenger.

The Prophet's death approximately 80 days later, on the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal, 11 AH (June 8, 632 CE), sent shockwaves through the Muslim community. Umar initially refused to accept it, and it was Abu Bakr who steadied the community with his words: "Whoever worshipped Muhammad, let him know that Muhammad has died. And whoever worshipped Allah, let him know that Allah is alive and does not die." The Farewell Sermon, preserved through multiple chains of narration documented by scholars including Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Bukhari, and Muslim, continues to be recited and studied as the definitive summary of Islam's message to humanity — a charter of justice, mercy, and human dignity that transcends every era and every culture.

The Farewell Sermon