Week Eight: The Delegations, Farewell Hajj and The Passing Away of the Prophet ﷺ Contents The Tenth Year of Hijrah: Delegations... 2 Hajjatul-Wada (The Farewell Pilgrimage)... 3 Eleventh Year of Hijrah: The Military Expedition of Usamah bin Zaid (radiallahu anhu)... 4 Preparation for the Journey to the Hereafter... 5 1
The Tenth Year of Hijrah: Delegations After the Conquest of Makkah and seeing the Quraysh and other Arab seniors accepting Islam, other tribes concluded that Islam was the true religion and that it would certainly spread throughout the world. Therefore, delegations and representatives from all the tribes presented themselves before Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). After learning the facts about Islam, they would take their shahadah and promise to make the rest of their people Muslim as well. 2
Hajjatul-Wada (The Farewell Pilgrimage) The help and assistance of Allah came, Makkah was conquered, people embraced Islam in droves, the responsibilities of Prophethood were fulfilled and the injunctions of Islam were taught both verbally and physically. Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) was sent in 9 A.H. to Makkah to completely wipe out the traces of Jahiliyyah. The time now came for Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) to personally perform the Hajj so people, until the end of time, would know how Hajj should be performed. In Dhul Qa'dah 10 A.H., Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) made the intention of performing Hajj and the Muslims left on Saturday 25th Dhul Qa'dah, between Dhuhr and Asr. The Sahabah (radiallahu anhum) numbered between 90,000 and 114,000. Nine of his wives and his daughter Fatimah (radiallahu anha) joined him. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) fulfilled the various rites of Hajj and delivered a lengthy sermon on the fields of Arafat. He spoke regarding the sacredness of one's life, honour and wealth and the mutual rights of husbands and wives. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also said that he was leaving behind such a firm thing that if we held onto it we would never go astray which was the Book of Allah and the Sunnah. Thereafter Bilal (radiallahu anhu) called out the Adhan, and after performing Salah, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) remained in praising, thanking and seeking forgiveness from Allah. Whilst he was engaged in this, the following verse was revealed, This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. [5:3] In Mina on the 10th, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) slaughtered 63 camels equivalent to his age with his own hands. He eventually made the farewell tawaaf and when he shaved his hair, he distributed it amongst the Sahabah (radiallahu anhum). As Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not get the opportunity of performing Hajj the following year, this is known as the Farewell Pilgrimage in the sense that he bade farewell to his Ummah. It is also referred to as Hajjatul Islam because it was the first Hajj in Islam after it was made compulsory. The Muslims returned to Madinah towards the end of Dhul-Hijjah. A few days after his return, Jibra'eel ( alayhis salaam) came to Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in the form of a stranger dressed in pure white clothes and asked him questions regarding Imaan, Islam, Ihsan, resurrection and its signs. After he left, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) told the Sahabah (radiallahu anhum) that he was Jibra'eel (alayhis salaam) who had come to teach them about Islam. 3
Eleventh Year of Hijrah: The Military Expedition of Usamah bin Zaid (radiallahu anhu) On 26th Safar, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered the Sahabah (radiallahu anhum) to prepare for war against the Romans in Ubna, the place where the Battle of Mu'tah took place and where Usamah's (radiallahu anhu) father, Zaid ibn Harithah, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib and Abdullah bin Rawahah (radiallahu anhum) and others were martyred. This was the last military expedition and army prepared by Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and he appointed Usamah bin Zaid (radiallahu anhu) as the commander in chief and ordered many other senior Sahabah (radiallahu anhum) to join. The following day, despite his illness which began on Wednesday, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) personally gave a map to Usamah (radiallahu anhu) and he gathered the army at Juruf, about 2 miles from Madinah. On Thursday, Rasulullah s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) illness intensified and he was unable to go to the Masjid for Isha Salah. Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) was therefore ordered to lead the Salah. When Rasulullah s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) condition improved on Sunday, Usamah (radiallahu anhu) made the decision to proceed. However, soon after the army received the news of the deterioration of Rasulullah s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) health and his subsequent passing from this world. After Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) became Khalif, he immediately dispatched the army which then continued and returned victorious after 40 days. 4
Preparation for the Journey to the Hereafter After his return from Hajj, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) remained fully engaged in the glorification and praise of Allah, repenting to Him and seeking His forgiveness as he realised the approach of his death with the revelation of Surah Nasr wherein Allah speaks of the help and victory that He promised had come. During the month of Ramadhan, Jibra'eel ( alayhis salaam) would come and make one recitation of the Qur'an with him however, that Ramadhan he made two recitations. During that Ramadhan Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sat in I'tikaaf (seclusion) for 20 days whereas previously, he would sit for 10 days. In his sermon on Hajjatul Wada', Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also made an indication to his death by saying, "It is possible that I will not meet you next year During one of the last 10 nights of Safar, after returning from Jannatul Baqi, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) suddenly fell ill and complained of a headache and flu. It was a Wednesday and after a few days he sought permission from his wives to spend his time with A'isha (radiallahu anha). He went to her room on Monday and passed away in it the following week on Monday. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) remained ill for 13-14 days. During his illness, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) received information that a few people were claiming Prophethood. He emphasised on the Sahabah (radiallahu anhum) the importance of waging Jihad against them and sent a group against them. He also called for Fatimah (radiallahu anha) and whispered something into her ears. She began crying and after he whispered something again into her ears, she began smiling. After Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) passed away, when she was asked about this she said that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) told her that he felt he was going to pass away that year. On this she began crying. He then said to her that she would be the first from his family to join him, and on hearing that she smiled. Four days before his demise, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) felt a bit better and taking the support of Abbas and Ali (radiallahu anhum) he went to the Masjid and performed the Dhuhr Salah, delivering a sermon which would be his final one. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) spoke regarding the martyrs of Uhud and sought forgiveness for them, the merits of Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu), the quick dispatching of the army of Usamah (radiallahu anhu), the approach of his death and that he would meet them at the Haudh-e-Kauthar. At Isha, after attempting to get up several times and falling unconscious, Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu ) was ordered to lead the Salah. On Saturday or Sunday, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) entered the Masjid whilst Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) was performing the Dhuhr Salah and sat to the right of Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu), leading the people for the remainder of the Salah. This was last Salah led by Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and after this he did not come to the Masjid at all. On Saturday, Usamah and the 5
other Sahabah (radiallahu anhum) came to meet Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) before leaving in Jihad. They left Madinah and stopped over at Juruf but after hearing about Rasulullah s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) condition, Usamah (radiallahu anhu) came back. On Monday at the time of Fajr, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) raised the curtain of his room and saw the Sahabah (radiallahu anhum) standing in their lines offering the Fajr Salah and smiled. He indicated to Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) to continue. The Sahabah (radiallahu anhum) thought that the condition of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had improved and they returned home. After a short while, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) began experiencing the pangs of death and lay down, placing his head in the lap of A'isha (radiallahu anha). Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) expressed his desire to use the miswak which A'isha (radiallahu anha) softened for him. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) thereafter looked at the ceiling, raised his hands and said, "Oh Allah, I want to go to Ar Rafeeq Al-A'laa- the highest companionship." As he said this his soul traversed this realm towards the upper realm and his hands which were raised fell down. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oon. This took place on Monday, 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal around mid-day. He was 63 years old at the time of his demise. 6