The Farewell Sermon — The Prophet’s Final Address to the Ummah
During the Hajj of 10 AH (632 CE) — the only Hajj the Prophet (SAW) performed after the migration to Medina, known as Hajjat al-Wida’ (the Farewell Pilgrimage) — the Prophet delivered his most comprehensive address to approximately 100,000 people at the plain of ‘Arafah and repeated at Mina.
Key declarations of the Farewell Sermon:
On human dignity and equality: “O people! Your Lord is one, and your father is one. You are all from Adam, and Adam was from dust. The Arab has no superiority over the non-Arab, nor does the non-Arab have any superiority over the Arab; nor the white over the black, nor the black over the white — except through piety.”
On women’s rights: “You have rights over your women and your women have rights over you… treat women well.”
On the sanctity of life and property: “Your blood, your wealth, and your honor are sacred to you, as sacred as this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this city of yours.”
On the end of pre-Islamic practices: “All the blood feuds of the time of ignorance are abolished… all usury from the time of ignorance is abolished.”
On the transmission of the message: “I leave among you two things — if you hold fast to them, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet.”
(In some narrations: “The Book of Allah and my household [Ahl al-Bayt].” — This variant is central to Shi’a and Ismaili understanding of post-prophetic authority.)
The Revelation of Completion
Shortly after the Farewell Sermon, the verse was revealed:
“Today I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as a religion.” (5:3)
This verse was understood as a signal of closure. Umar wept when it was revealed. The Prophet reportedly said: “I wish it not be, for I feel that my departure [from this world] is near.”
The Final Illness — Last Thirteen Days
The Prophet fell ill in Safar, 11 AH. The illness was described as a severe headache with high fever. He continued to lead prayer for as long as he could; as he weakened, he asked Abu Bakr to lead the prayers in his place.
He requested permission to spend his final days in the house of Aisha (RA). The other wives agreed. He died in her house, on her day of the rotation.
His last words as narrated by Aisha: He repeated “The most high companion, the most high companion” (al-rafiq al-a’la, al-rafiq al-a’la) — understood as a prayer to be joined with the divine presence. His hand fell, and he had departed.
The Community’s Response
Umar ibn al-Khattab initially refused to accept the Prophet’s death, declaring he would strike anyone who said the Prophet had died. Abu Bakr entered the mosque, quieted the people, and delivered the famous address:
“O people, whoever worshipped Muhammad — Muhammad has died. Whoever worships Allah — Allah is living and does not die.”
He then recited: “Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels?” (3:144)
The Ismaili Understanding — The Transition of Authority
In Ismaili theology, the Prophet’s death did not end divine guidance — the Imam (Ali ibn Abi Talib) was explicitly designated by the Prophet to continue his mission of guiding the community to the batin (inner meaning) of the religion. The hadith of Ghadir Khumm — “Whoever I am his master (mawla), Ali is his master” — is interpreted as the formal appointment. The closure of prophethood (khatm al-nubuwwa) was simultaneous with the inauguration of the Imamate (imamat al-‘Ali). See [[wasiyyat]] and [[ali-ibn-abi-talib]].
See also: Prophet Muhammad, Seerah Medina, Seerah Hijra, Wasiyyat, Ali Ibn Abi Talib, Bohra History, Ummah, Khilafa