Honorable Muslims!
Every year until this year, our joy of Eid would be accompanied by the chants of “Labbayk, Allahumma Labbayk” by our pilgrimages. We pray to Allah that He (SWT) may enable us, as soon as possible, to go to those holy places in health, wellness, and safety, and perform tawaf around the Kaaba and attain peace by the Masjid al-Nabawi.
Dear Muslims!
To soothe our longing for the holy lands even a little, let us recall our Prophet’s Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajj al-Wada) today. Let us examine some of the timeless messages that he (saw) bequeathed to all humanity in the khutbas he delivered during the Farewell Pilgrimage.
Dear Believers!
Addressing a large mass at Arafat, the Prophet of Mercy (saw) first extended thanks and praises to Allah (SWT) and said:
“O, people! Know it well that your Lord is one and your father is one. You all are from Adam, and Adam is from dirt. The Arab has no superiority over the non-Arab nor the non-Arab over the Arab nor the white over the black nor the black over the white. The superiority in the presence of Allah is by piety and piety alone.
“Verily! Your blood, property, and honor are sacred to one another (i.e., Muslims) like the sanctity of this day of yours (Arafa), in this month of yours (Dhu al-Hijjah), and this city of yours (Mecca).”
That day, Prophet Muhammad (saw) declared that he would tread down all kinds of interest and blood feuds.
From centuries ago, he warned Muslims about women’s rights, their respectability, and inviolability by stating, “Beware! Just like you have rights over women, they have rights over you.”
“O, people! Listen to me in earnest. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim. Nothing should be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not do injustice… Whatever is borrowed should be returned, and all debts should be paid off. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners.”[1]
“I leave behind me two things, the Qur’an and my example, the Sunnah, and if you follow these, you will never go astray.”[2]
[1] Musnad, VII, 307, 330, 376; Bukhari, Hajj, 132, Maghazi, 78; Muslim, Hajj, 147.
[2] Muwatta’, Qadar, 3