The Farewell Hajj - 10 AH

In the 10th year of Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ performed his first and only Hajj, known as Hajjat al-Wada’, the Farewell Hajj. Massive crowds accompanied him from Madinah and joined him along the route to Makkah, making it the largest gathering in the entire Seerah. During this Hajj, the Prophet ﷺ declared, “Take your rites of Hajj from me,” making this Hajj the definitive model for all future fiqh rulings on Hajj.

Journey to Makkah

The Prophet ﷺ left Madinah on the 25th of Dhu al-Qa’dah. He entered into the state of ihram at Dhu al-Hulayfah after praying two rak'ahs. After a ten-day journey, he arrived in Makkah on the 4th of Dhu al-Hijjah. He camped overnight just outside the city and entered the next morning after performing Fajr and making ghusl, showing reverence to the sanctity of the Kaʿbah.

Entering Makkah and the Change in Hajj Plans

Upon entering Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ performed Tawaf around the Kaʿbah, walking briskly in the first three rounds and more slowly in the last four. He then made a significant announcement: if he ﷺ had known earlier, he ﷺ would have performed Tamattuʿ (Umrah followed by Hajj) rather than Qiran (Umrah and Hajj combined under one ihram). He ﷺ commanded all companions who had not brought sacrificial animals to exit their ihram.

The Prophet ﷺ introduced three valid forms of Hajj:

• Qiran – Performed by the Prophet ﷺ himself; involves combining both Umrah and Hajj under a single ihram.

• Ifrad – Involves performing only Hajj.

• Tamattuʿ – Involves performing Umrah first, exiting ihram, and then re-entering ihram for Hajj.

All three types are permissible, though scholars have debated which is superior. Most companions performed Tamattuʿ, some did Ifrad, and a few stayed in Qiran.

Ali’s Arrival

Ali رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ arrived from Yemen with 100 camels designated for sacrifice. Upon seeing his wife, Fatimah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا, out of ihram and wearing perfume, he was confused. The Prophet ﷺ explained that he ﷺ had ordered those without animals to exit ihram. However, since Ali رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ had entered ihram with the intention of mirroring the Prophet’s ﷺ Hajj, he was required to remain in that state and continue as a Qārin.

The Hadith of Jabir – Key Source of Fiqh

A foundational account of the Farewell Hajj is the hadith of Jabir رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, narrated in Sahih Muslim to Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husayn رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ. Jabir رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ described the Prophet ﷺ reciting the Talbiyah aloud while mounted on his camel. He detailed how the Prophet ﷺ performed Tawaf around the Kaʿbah, prayed at Maqam Ibrahim, and completed the Saʿī between Safa and Marwah. The Prophet ﷺ reiterated that if not for his sacrificial animals, he ﷺ would have preferred to do Tamattuʿ. He ﷺ also declared that Tamattuʿ would remain valid until the Day of Judgment.

Actions Performed by Prophet ﷺ

On the 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah, known as Yawm al-Tarwiyah, the Prophet ﷺ and the companions set out for Mina. There, they performed the five prayers: Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha, and then Fajr the following morning. On the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, the Day of Arafah, they remained in Mina until just past midday (Zawāl), and then proceeded to Arafah. The Prophet ﷺ initially camped at Namirah, and at the onset of Zuhr, he entered the plain of Arafah and made his way to the Valley of Uranah.

There, in the Valley of Uranah, the Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon and then led the people in combined Zuhr and Asr prayers, each shortened to two rak’ahs, with one adhan and two iqāmahs. Following this, he ﷺ moved to the area now known as Jabal al-Rahmah, where he ﷺ stood in earnest dua until sunset, pouring out his heart in supplication.

At sunset, the Prophet ﷺ departed Arafah and headed toward Muzdalifah, gently signaling the people with his hand to slow their pace. Upon arriving, he ﷺ led them in Maghrib and Isha prayers, again with one adhan and two iqāmahs, then laid down to rest. After rising for the Fajr, he ﷺ remained there making dua until the sky brightened. He ﷺ then proceeded to al-Mashar al-Haram, faced the qiblah, and engaged in glorifying and supplicating to Allah.

Afterwards the Prophet ﷺ departed for Mina, taking the middle path that led to Jamrat al-Aqabah (al-Kubrā). There, he ﷺ threw seven pebbles, saying “Allāhu Akbar” with each throw, casting them from the base of the valley. He ﷺ then moved to the site of sacrifice, where he ﷺ personally slaughtered 63 camels, one for each year of his life, and entrusted Ali رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ to sacrifice the remaining animals to complete the total of one hundred camels.

Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ instructed that a piece of meat be taken from each animal and placed into a pot. Once cooked, he ﷺ tasted the meat and drank some of its broth. Then he ﷺ mounted his ride and made his way to the Kabah, where he ﷺ prayed Zuhr in the Sacred Mosque.

Following the prayer, he ﷺ went to visit Banu Abd al-Muttalib, who were responsible for managing the Zamzam water. The Prophet ﷺ addressed them, saying: “Draw water, O Banu Abd al-Muttalib. Had it not been that the people would rush to take this honor from you, I would have joined you in drawing the water myself.”

The Farewell Sermon (Khutbat al-Wada’)

The most famous of the Prophet’s ﷺ sermons was delivered on the plains of Arafah, on Friday, the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah in the 10th year of Hijrah. He ﷺ gave this khutbah from a camel’s back and addressed an enormous crowd. In this khutbah, he ﷺ touched on the sanctity of life, property, and honor, declaring that they were as sacred as that day, month, and land. He ﷺ abolished all practices of the pre-Islamic era, including blood feuds, even those involving his own relatives, and declared all forms of riba (usury) void, beginning with that of his uncle, Abbas رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ.

He ﷺ emphasized the rights of women, instructing men to fear Allah regarding them and to treat them well. He ﷺ reminded them that women were entrusted by Allah and were to be supported financially. He ﷺ warned against returning to disbelief and bloodshed after his death. He ﷺ urged the people to hold firmly to the Book of Allah, promising that they would never go astray if they did so. The Prophet ﷺ concluded by asking the crowd if he had conveyed the message. When they affirmed, he ﷺ raised his finger to the sky and said, “O Allah, bear witness,” three times.

One of the most remarkable moments during this khutbah was the revelation of a verse from Surah al-Maidah (5:3): “This day, I have perfected for you your religion, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” This cemented the Farewell Hajj as the culmination of the Prophet’s ﷺ mission.

Further Sermons

On the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, the Prophet ﷺ delivered a khutbah affirming that time had returned to its original order as set by Allah when He created the heavens and the earth. He ﷺ emphasized the sanctity of the four sacred months: Dhu al-Qadah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab (of Mudar). He ﷺ reinforced the holiness of life, property, and honor, declaring them as inviolable as the sanctity of that day, place, and month.

Prophet ﷺ warned the Ummah not to relapse into disbelief by turning against one another in violence and bloodshed. He ﷺ instructed the attendees to convey the message to those absent, as they might understand it even better.

In other narrations, the Prophet ﷺ stated that Shaytan had lost hope of being worshipped in Arabia, but would still try to sow discord over minor matters. In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ warned that Shaytan may cause internal division and conflict among the believers.

He ﷺ defined a true Muslim as one from whom others are safe, a Mumin as one trusted with people’s property, a Muhājir as one who abandons sins, and a Mujāhid as one who strives in the path of Allah.

Finally, he ﷺ reminded the people of their shared humanity, saying:
“O people, your Lord is one, and your father is one. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab, and neither does a white person over a black person, nor a black person over a white person, except by taqwā.”

Return to Madinah

The Prophet ﷺ remained in Mina for three nights, whereas most pilgrims depart after two. On the 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah, he ﷺ performed Tawaf al-Wada (the Farewell Tawaf) during the night before leaving Makkah and then began his journey back to Madinah.

Aisha’s Additional ʿUmrah

Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا faced an emotional moment when she began her menses just before entering Makkah on the 4th of Dhu al-Hijjah. She was upset, but the Prophet ﷺ comforted her, saying, “This is something Allah has written for all the daughters of Adam. Do everything the hujjāj do except Tawaf.” Once her menses ended before the 13th, she performed Tawaf al-Ifādah and completed her Hajj.

However, she requested to perform an Umrah so she could have both Hajj and Umrah like the other wives of the Prophet ﷺ. He ﷺ initially told her that her Hajj was sufficient, but when she insisted, he ﷺ instructed her brother, Abd al-Rahman رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, to take her to Tan’im, the nearest boundary of the Haram. From there, she entered into ihram and performed Umrah. She and her brother then rejoined the Prophet ﷺ and the caravan on the way back to Madinah.