Messages from the Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad Pbuh - An Elixir for a Decaying Human Society
By
Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
22 July
2021
Prophet
Muhammad Pbuh's Farewell Pilgrimage To Mecca For Haj Was Destined To Be A
Momentous Historical Event
Main
Points:
1. The Last
Sermon is a treasure of the ethics of Islam, a religion of peace and pluralism.
2. The Last
Sermon teaches the positive characteristics of human life here and heavenly
life hereafter.
3. The Last
Sermon is a guiding light for a just and upright world society.
4. Following
the Last Sermon to bring back serenity and tranquillity in the world society is
a must.
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(Courtesy: Countercurrents)
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Prophet
Muhammad Pbuh's farewell pilgrimage to Mecca for Haj was destined to be a
momentous historical event. On the 9th of Zil-Hijjah, 10 AH (6 March 632),
Prophet Muhammad Pbuh delivered a sermon that exhibited the ethics of Islam, a
religion of peace and pluralism teaching the positive characteristics of human
life here and heavenly life hereafter.
The
messages delivered to the world by Prophet Muhammad Pbuh during his farewell
pilgrimage of 632 AD are a guiding light for a just and upright world society.
The commands and the advice are not meant for any particular community
(Muslims) but it is addressed to the humanity (followers of all the religions
and religious faiths) at large. The last sermon carries a cure to all the
social ills that are diminishing the divine essence of life. Following are the
messages from the Last Sermon that need our utmost attention being serenity to
the world order:
Human
Dignity; a Foremost Requirement for a Humane Society
The war
being fought in various quarters of the world on lame excuses created by us
have harmed the basic of humanity. These wars have lowered human dignity to the
lowest ebb. People are dying of hunger, living in the most unhygienic
conditions, children are being used as shields during the fights, women have
lost their womanhood in the eyes of their abusers and no one seems to be aware
of the situation as no one is even talking of these inhuman acts of the
humanity.
The last
sermon of the Prophet of Islam impressed upon its listeners to uphold human
dignity as serving humanity is a charity that has to be rewarded at the Day of
the Judgment with a heavenly abode in the hereafter life. Prophet Muhammad Pbuh
said in his last sermon:
"Hurt
no one, so that no one may hurt you"
If the
world follows the golden words mentioned above the dying human dignity will
find a breathing space that will create a world where people will live with the
assurance of no hurt to their social feelings. Bringing the eroded human
dignity back to life should be the world’s first concern.
The
Rights of the Women
The world
has various organisations that are fighting for the rights of women but to no
avail. The rights of women are being abused in every stratum of society
irrespective of the social norms they are living in. Prophet Muhammad Pbuh
said:
“O People,
it is true that you have certain rights concerning your women, but they also
have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives, only
under Allah's trust and with his permission."
The
above-mentioned part of the last sermon is a reminder to the human being that
women as wives have been taken by us with the permission of Allah, the Most
Gracious, hence we must respect them. The Prophet of Islam further said, “I
enjoin you to treat women well and be kind to them”
Economic
Inequality
Economic
inequality is a bane of society. The divide between the rich and the poor is
growing at a speed that seems to be difficult to bridge. Islam has shown the
path of economic equality by commanding charity, Zakat and Fitrah in favour of
the poor of the society. The Holy Quran says:
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ
وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱرْكَعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلرَّٰكِعِينَ
“Establish prayer, pay alms-tax (Zakat), and
bow down with those who bow down.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 43)
خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ
صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا
“Take (O Muhammad s.a.w.), from their wealth a
charity by which you purify them and cause them to increase.” (Surah At-Taubah: 103)
The Holy
Prophet of Islam in his last sermon commanded his follower in the following
words:
“And give
your wealth in Zakat”
The
Curse of Discrimination
The curse
of discrimination has epidemically spread all over the world society,
irrespective of the educated, uneducated, rich or poor. Allah the Most Gracious
says in the Holy Quran:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ
إِنَّا خَلَقْنَٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَٰكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟
ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
“O humankind, indeed We have created you from male
and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another.
Indeed, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.
Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” (Surah Al-Hujurat: 13)
In the
light of the above mentioned Ayat, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said in his last
sermon:
“All humankind is from Adam (AS) and Hawwa
(AS). An Arab has no superiority over a non- Arab, nor does a non-Arab have
superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black, nor a black
has any superiority over a white - except by piety and good action."
Religious
Teaching Are the Torch Bearers of Dignified Human Life
In his last
sermon, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) gave the message of happy tidings if life is
lived on the path shown by the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet.
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said in his last sermon:
"O
people, no Prophet or Messenger will come after me and no new faith will be
born. Therefore, understand the words which I convey to you. I will leave two
things; the Quran and the Sunnah, and if you follow these you will never go
astray."
The holy
Prophet of Islam asked people to spread his message to others so that they also
could get the blessings of success on the enlightened path to life hereafter.
“All those who
listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again;
perhaps some of those who receive my words would understand them better than
those who listened to me directly.”
The last
Sermon Delivered by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) at His Farewell Haj Pilgrimage
The
following sermon was delivered on the Ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah, 10 A.H. (623AD)
in the Uranah valley of Mount Arafat in Mecca. It was the occasion of the
annual rites of Haj. It is also known as the Farewell Pilgrimage.
After
praising and thanking Allah the Prophet (SAW) began with the words:
"O, People! Lend me an attentive ear, for
I know not whether after this year I shall ever be amongst you again.
Therefore, listen carefully to what I am saying and take these words to those
who could not be present here today."
"O, People! Just as you regard this month,
this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim
a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners.
Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet
your Lord and that he will indeed reckon your deeds."
"Allah has forbidden you to take usury,
therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital is
yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequality. Allah has
judged that there shall be no interest and that all interest due to Abbas Ibn
'Aal-Muttalib be waived."
"Every right arising out of homicide in
pre-Islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that I waive is
that arising from the murder of Rabiah ibn al-Harithiah."
"O, men! The unbelievers indulge in
tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible that which Allah
forbade and to prohibit what Allah has made permissible. With Allah, the months
are twelve in number. Four of them are holy, there are successive and one
occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Shaban."
"Beware of Satan, for the safety of your
religion. He has lost all hope that he will be able to lead you astray in big
things so beware of following him in small things."
"O People it is true that you have certain
rights concerning your women but they also have rights over you. Remember that
you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His
permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be
fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for
they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do
not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well never to be
unchaste."
"O, People! Listen to me in earnest,
worship Allah, say your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadan,
and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Haj if you can afford it."
"All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab
has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an
Arab; also a White has no superiority over a Black nor a Black has any
superiority over a White except by piety and good action. Learn that every
Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one
brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow
Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly."
"Do not, therefore, do injustice to
yourselves. Remember one day you will meet Allah and answer your deeds. So
beware, do not astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone."
"O, People! No Prophet or apostle will
come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore O People!
And understand the words that I convey to you. I leave behind me two things,
the Quran and the Sunnah and if you follow these you will never go
astray."
"All those who listen to me shall pass on
my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand
my words better than those who listen to me directly."
"O Allah, be my witness, that I have
conveyed your message to Your people."
(At the
request of the Prophet of Islam, the sermon was repeated by Rabiah (RA), who
had a powerful voice.)
Following
Ayat from Surah Al-Maidah was revealed during the last sermon that the Holy
Prophet of Islam recited to the gathering:
"Today I have perfected for you your
religion, and completed My blessing upon you, and approved for you Islam as
religion"
(Surah Al-Ma'idah:3)
Bringing
Serenity and Tranquillity in the World Society
Our world
today has fallen prey to inequality, hatred, supremacism and disrespectful
attitude towards our fellow women folk among many other negativities of the
social environment. And we, the human being are watching the happenings,
helplessly, as if there is nothing we can do to bring the world order back to
its humane face that is ingrained in our social fabric.
It is not
only that we have forgotten the message of the Holy Quran and the Prophetic
traditions but all the messages Allah the Most Gracious has revealed to human
beings through His Holy Books and the prophets sent in all the communities.
Religious
leaders like Prophet Muhammad, Pbuh (Prophet of Islam), Guru Nanak (founder of
Sikhism), The Buddha (founder of Buddhism), Zoroaster (founder of
Zoroastrianism) and Rishabhanatha (the first Tirthankara), to name a few and
scholars of every age and strata of the society have advocated pluralism and
humane ethics, for the world to be a dwelling of peace, serenity and
tranquillity. The world should follow them and be at peace with ourselves and
others.
And
Allah Knows the Best.
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Arman
Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/last-sermon-prophet-human-society/d/125114
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