Period 16 of 18
The Farewell Pilgrimage
In his only Hajj as Prophet, he delivered his great sermon at Arafah and the religion was declared complete.
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Setting out for Hajj
Jabir ibn Abdullah رضي الله عنهما described the Prophet's Hajj in detail. He said that the Prophet ﷺ stayed nine years in Madinah without performing Hajj, then in the tenth year it was announced that he would perform it, and a very large number of people came to Madinah to follow him and do as he did. They set out together, and at Dhul-Hulayfah he entered the state of ihram. At Mina on the Day of Sacrifice he said: “Take your rites from me, for I do not know whether I will perform Hajj after this Hajj of mine.”
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The sermon at Arafah
At the valley of Arafah the Prophet ﷺ addressed the people on his camel: “Your blood and your wealth are sacred to you, like the sacredness of this day of yours in this month of yours in this land of yours.” He abolished the blood-feuds and interest of the pre-Islamic era, told them to fear Allah in their treatment of women, and said: “I have left among you that which, if you hold fast to it, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah.” He asked: “Have I conveyed?” They said that he had, and he raised his finger and said: “O Allah, bear witness,” three times. He repeated the sanctity of life, wealth and honour on the Day of Sacrifice.
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The completion of the religion
On the Day of Arafah the verse was revealed: “Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and approved Islam as your religion” (5:3). Umar رضي الله عنه told a man who said the Jews would have made that day a festival that he knew where and when it was revealed, on the day of Arafah, while they were standing at Arafah. Aisha رضي الله عنها said that after Surah an-Nasr was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ would say in every prayer: “Glory be to You, our Lord, and praise; O Allah, forgive me.”
How the sources are used
Sources are chosen in this order: the Quran first, then the hadith collections of al-Bukhari and Muslim, and then other collections such as al-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Malik. The sirah books, mainly Ibn Ishaq as transmitted by Ibn Hisham, are used only for details not found in the hadith, and these are marked as “recorded in the sirah books.” Dates in the Christian era are approximate, and hadith numbers follow the hadith library of this website.
Hadith numbers follow the hadith library on this site, and each source opens its hadith there. Details that are not in the hadith collections are marked as coming from the sirah books.
General information for learning, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.