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valley where a hundred thousand and twenty-four or forty-four thousand people gathered round
him. There he stood up and delivered the following speech:
·
“ O people! Listen to what I say. I do not know whether I will ever meet you at this place
once again after this current year. It is unlawful for you to shed the blood of one another or
take (unlawfully) the fortunes of one another. They are as unlawful, (
Haram
) as shedding
blood on such a day as today and in such a month as this
Haram
month and in such a
sanctified city as this sacred city (i.e. Makkah and the surrounding areas).”
“Behold! all practices of paganism and ignorance are now under my feet. The blood-revenge
of the Days of Ignorance (pre-Islamic time) are remitted. The first claim on blood I abolish
is that of Ibn Rabi‘a bin Harith who was nursed in the tribe of Sa‘d and whom Hudhail killed.
Usury is forbidden, and I make a beginning by remitting the amount of interest which ‘Abbas
bin ‘Abdul Muttalib has to receive. Verily, it is remitted entirely.”
“O people! Fear Allâh concerning women. Verily you have taken them on the security of
Allâh and have made their persons lawful unto you by Words of Allâh! It is incumbent upon
them to honour their conjugal rights and, not to commit acts of impropriety which, if they
do, you have authority to chastise them, yet not severely. If your wives refrain from
impropriety and are faithful to you, clothe and feed them suitably.”
“Verily, I have left amongst you the Book of Allâh and the
Sunnah
(Traditions) of His
Messenger which if you hold fast, you shall never go astray.”
“O people, I am not succeeded by a Prophet and you are not succeeded by any nation. So I
recommend you to worship your Lord, to pray the five prayers, to fast Ramadan and to offer
the
Zakat
(poor-due) of your provision willingly. I recommend you to do the pilgrimage to
the Sacred House of your Lord and to obey those who are in charge of you then you will be
awarded to enter the Paradise of your Lord.”
“And if you were asked about me, what wanted you to say?”
They replied:
·
“We bear witness that you have conveyed the message and discharged your ministry.”
He then raised his forefskywards and then moved it down towards people while saying:
·
“O Allâh, Bear witness.”
He said that phrase thrice.
The one who repeated the Prophet’s (Peace be upon him)statements loudly at ‘Arafat was Rabi‘a bin
Omaiyah bin Khalaf.
As soon as the Prophet (Peace be upon him) had accomplished delivering the speech, the following
Qur’ânic verse was revealed to him:
·
“This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have
chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [5:3]
Upon hearing this verse ‘Umar cried. “What makes you cry?” He was asked. His answer was:
“Nothing succeeds perfection but imperfection.”
Bilal called for prayer after the speech, and then made the second call. The Prophet (Peace be upon
him) performed both of the noon and the afternoon prayers separately, with no prayers in between.
He then mounted his she-camel Al-Qaswa’, approached the location of the vigil, directed his face
towards
Al-Qiblah
, kept on standing till sunset when the sky yellow colour vanished a bit and the
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