Ḥajjat al-Wadāʿ

Ḥajjat al-Wadāʿ (the Farewell Pilgrimage) was the final pilgrimage performed by the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ in 10 AH / 632 CE, only a few months before his passing. It represents one of the most significant events in sīrah history, as it marked the completion of the Prophet’s public mission and served as a comprehensive articulation of Islamic teachings for the Muslim community (ummah). During this pilgrimage, the Prophet ﷺ combined the performance of ritual worship with final moral, legal, and social instruction for his followers.

By 10 AH, Islam had become firmly established across the Arabian Peninsula. Following the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah and the Conquest of Makkah, the Prophet’s ﷺ authority was widely recognized, and large parts of Arabia had entered Islam. In this context, the Prophet ﷺ announced his intention to perform Ḥajj, and a large number of Muslims gathered to accompany him. Reports estimate the number of pilgrims at approximately 70,000, though some narrations suggest even greater numbers. This gathering enabled the Prophet ﷺ to demonstrate the correct performance of the pilgrimage rites and to deliver his final public address.

In the month of Dhū al-Qaʿdah, the Prophet ﷺ departed for Makkah. He performed the rites of ḥajj according to established Prophetic practice, including ṭawāf around the Kaʿbah, saʿy between Ṣafā and Marwah, standing at ʿArafāt (wuqūf), and the symbolic stoning at Minā (ramy al-jimār). He repeatedly instructed the community regarding the proper observance of these rites, emphasizing: “Take your manāsik (rituals) from me” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim). His actions during this pilgrimage became the normative model for Islamic ḥajj practice.

The most significant moment of the pilgrimage was the Farewell Sermon delivered on the plain of ʿArafāt on the 9th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. In this sermon, the Prophet ﷺ summarized the ethical, social, and legal foundations of Islam. He emphasized the sanctity of human life and property, stating: “Your blood, your property, and your honour are as sacred to one another as this day, this month, and this city.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book 32, Ḥadīth 6348)

He also proclaimed the principle of human equality in explicit terms: “All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, and a non-Arab has no superiority over an Arab. A white person has no superiority over a black person, and a black person has no superiority over a white person. None have superiority over others except by piety and good deeds.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book 34, ḥadīth 6455).

The Prophet ﷺ emphasized adherence to divine guidance after his passing through traditions known as Ḥadīth al-Thaqalayn (“the Tradition of the Two Weighty Things”). In many Sunnī sources, one version states: “I am leaving among you two precious things… the Book of Allah and my Sunnah,” underscoring the authority of the Qurʾān and the Prophetic sunnah as the primary sources of guidance.¹ In Shīʿī tradition, the most authoritative version reads: “I am leaving among you two weighty things: the Book of Allah and my Ahl al-Bayt.” This wording is also transmitted in several Sunnī collections, including Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī, and is understood by Shīʿī scholars as affirming the religious authority of the Prophet’s family alongside the Qurʾān.² Both traditions therefore regard the ḥadīth as central to preserving divine guidance after the Prophet’s ﷺ death, while differing on the identification of the second source of authority.

Concerning the treatment of women, he instructed: “Fear Allah concerning women. Verily, you have taken them on the trust of Allah and have made their bodies lawful to you by the words of Allah.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book 8, Ḥadīth 3469)

At the conclusion of the sermon, the Prophet ﷺ addressed the assembled Companions: “O people, have I conveyed the message?” They responded affirmatively, and he declared: “O Allah, bear witness. I have conveyed Your message.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book 30, Ḥadīth 5731)

Shortly after the Farewell Sermon, the Qurʾānic verse was revealed: “This day I have perfected for you your religion, and have completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Qurʾān 5:3). In sīrah and tafsīr literature, this verse is widely understood as signifying the completion of divine legislation and the perfection of the Islamic message.

After completing the pilgrimage, the Prophet ﷺ returned to Madīnah. During the months that followed, his health gradually declined, and he passed away in Rabīʿ al-Awwal of 11 AH. Consequently, Ḥajjat al-Wadāʿ became the final major public event of his life and marked the conclusion of his prophetic mission.

The Farewell Pilgrimage occupies a central place in Islamic thought and historiography. It represents the final comprehensive articulation of Islamic principles, integrating ritual instruction with ethical and social guidance. The themes emphasized during this pilgrimage—unity, justice, human dignity, and adherence to revelation—continue to serve as foundational principles of Islamic teaching. In sīrah literature, Ḥajjat al-Wadāʿ is regarded both as the culmination of the Prophet’s ﷺ mission and as a legacy for the Muslim community.