The
Prophet (PBUH) had become the most powerful leader in the
whole of Arabia. After the idols in the Ka'bah had been
smashed and Quraysh had become Muslim, most of the other
tribes of Arabia came to declare their Islam. The year in
which they came was later to be called the Year of
Deputations. As each tribe joined Islam, the Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) sent his men to teach them about their new
religion. Many people also came to Medina to question the
Prophet (PBUH) himself. One tribe sent a man called Dimam,
who was large and strong. On arriving in Medina, he went
straight to the mosque, where the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)
was sitting with some of his companions, and stood over the
Prophet (PBUH). In a loud, rough voice he asked, 'Which of
you is the son of 'Abd al-Muttalib?' When the Prophet (PBUH)
answered him Dimam went on, 'I am going to ask you a hard
question, so do not misunderstand me. I ask you to swear by
Allah, your Allah, the Allah of those before you and the
Allah of those who will come after you, has He sent you to
us as a messenger?' 'Yes, He has', replied the Prophet (PBUH).
'Has Allah instructed you to order us to serve Him; to pray
these five prayers; to pay alms; to fast; to make the
pilgrimage and to follow the other laws of Islam)?'
continued Dimam. When the Prophet(pbuh) answered that Allah
had indeed instructed him in this way, Dimam became a Muslim
and, as he left, added, 'Then I will do the things we are
told to do and avoid the things we are forbidden-no more and
no less.` As Dimam mounted his camel to leave, the
Prophet(pbuh) told the people around him, 'If this man is
sincere, he will go to Paradise.' When Dimam reached his
people they all thought he had gone mad but by nightfall,
after he had finished speaking, there was not among them
that had not accepted Islam.When the time came for the
yearly pilgrimage, it was proclaimed That the prophet (PBUH)
would be going to Mecca. The Muslims flocked to Medina from
all over Arabia to join him on his journey to the Ka’bah.
As the tribes arrived they camped around the city until they
finally numbered more than thirty thousand. The Prophet (PBUH)
went out with his family and friends to pilgrimage, but
before setting off, he led all the Muslims in prayer. After
the prayers, the Prophet (PBUH) got on his camel and headed
towards Mecca followed by the pilgrims, all of whom, for the
first time in centuries, worshipped Allah, the One God.The
Prophet (PBUH) and his companions were deeply moved by the
sight of the huge number of Muslims accompanying them to
Mecca, carrying no arms, and fearing no one. They could not
help but remember their original flight from Mecca when they
had been so few in number and were forced to leave in order
to avoid the anger of Quraysh.Throughout the journey the
Muslims repeated a prayer taught to them by the Prophet (PBUH)
which he in turn had received from the Archangel Gabriel.
This prayer, the talbiyah, has been part of the Hajj ritual
ever since. It is in answer to the call Abraham was
commanded to make when he and Ishmael finished building the
Ka’bah. Labaik Allahumma labaik, labaik la sharika laka
labaik in al-hamd wa al-ni'amatu laka wal-mulk, la sharika
laka. Here I am, O Allah, at Thy service. Here I am, Thou
art without partner, here I am. All Praise and blessings are
thine, and Dominion! Thou art without partner! After ten
days the pilgrims marched at sunset through the same pass by
which they had entered on the Day of Conquest of Mecca. When
they reached the Ka’bah, the Prophet (PBUH) stood before
it in prayer, then he and all the Muslims walked around it
seven times saying their prayer aloud. Next, just as Abraham
had done, they went towards the Mount of Mercy at 'Arafah,
which the Prophet (PBUH) ascended on a camel.From the
mountain he led the people in prayer and then spoke to them
as they stood assembled on the vast plain below. What the
Prophet (PBUH) said is known as the ‘Farewell Sermon’,
because it was the last speech the Prophet (PBUH) made
before he died. He said, 'surely you will meet your Lord and
He will question you about your works.' He asked the Muslims
to take their guidance from the Koran and from his own
example. This, he said, was the best way to live. He ordered
them to cease living in the way they had before Islam.
Revenge, one of the oldest traditions in Arabia, was ended
forever; usury was prohibited; property was to be respected.
Things which previously were forbidden during the four
sacred months of the year were now forbidden at all times.
He then commanded, 'Know that every Muslim is a Muslim's
brother', which was a completely new idea to the tribes who
had so often quarreled in the past. He also said, 'Allah has
given everyone his due-exactly what each one deserves. After
each point the Prophet (PBUH) asked, 'Have I explained it
well? Is it perfectly clear?'Everyone answered, 'Yes.' For
these were the people who would have to pass on the
Prophet's message and instructions to those who were unable
to be present that day and to future generations. The
Prophet (PBUH) said, 'I have left you two things. If you
hold on to them you will be saved. They are Allah's Book and
the words of your Prophet.' He then asked, 'Have I not
conveyed the message?' The multitude shouted out, 'By Allah,
yes!' The Prophet (PBUH) ended, 'O Allah! Bear witness to
that.' In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
… This day those who disbelieve are in despair of (ever
harming) your religion; so do not fear them, but fear Me!
This day I have perfected your religion, for you, and I have
completed My favor unto you, and have chosen for you as a
religion AL-ISLAM (Koran v.3) Many Muslims started to shed
tears, knowing that if the Prophet (pbuh) had completed his
message, his life must be near its end. After spending the
rest of the day of ‘Arafah in prayer and contemplation,
the Muslims began to complete the pilgrimage by returning to
Mecca with the talbiyah prayer still on their lips. The
first night of the return journey was spent at Muzdalifah.
Here they gathered pebbles, which they carried with them the
next day to Mina. There they stood before a huge rock and
stoned it in remembrance of Abraham's meeting with the Devil
in that very place. When Abraham received the order from
Allah to sacrifice his son Ishmael as a test of his faith,
the Devil had tried to convince him not to do it. He came to
Abraham at Mina, as he was on his way to carry out Allah's
command, but Abraham took some stones and hurled them at the
Devil to drive him away since the casting of stones at Mina
on the Prophet's 'Farewell Pilgrimage', this has become
another ritual which Muslims perform on the annual
pilgrimage to remind them that they, too, must continue to
drive the Devil away when he tries to prevent them from
being obedient to Allah. After throwing the stones, the
pilgrims sacrificed sheep and camels and gave the meat to
the poor. In this way the great faith of Abraham was
remembered, for when he had been ready to sacrifice Ishmael,
Allah had sent a sheep in his place. The Muslims then
completed the pilgrimage by again circling the Ka’bah
seven times. They then cut their hair and nails and changed
out of their white clothes to show they had returned to
their daily lives. Before returning to Medina, the Muslims
spent three nights in the valley at Medina where the final
preparations were made for the journey home. As for the
Prophet (PBUH), he made one final visit before leaving
Mecca. This was to the grave of his devoted wife, Khadijah,
who had been the first person to believe in Allah's
Revelation through him. The Prophet (PBUH) knew that this
would be the last time he would see the grave, or Mecca,
because during the pilgrimage he had received the chapter of
the Koran called 'Help', form which he knew that his death
was not far away.In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the
Merciful When Allah's help and triumph comesAnd thou seest,
mankind entering the religion of Allah in troops, Then hymn
the praises of thy Lord, and seek forgiveness ofHim. Lo! He
is ever ready show mercy.(Koran cx.1-3)
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