After praising, and thanking God,
he said: "O People, listen well to my words, for I do not know whether, after this
year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you
very carefully 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 as
a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Treat others
justly so that no one would be unjust to you. Remember that you will indeed meet your
LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. God has forbidden you to take usury
(riba), therefore all riba obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your
capital , however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer inequity. God
has judged that there shall be no riba and that all the riba due to `Abbas
ibn `Abd al Muttalib shall henceforth 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 Rabi`ah ibn al Harith ibn `Abd al Muttalib.
O Men, the Unbelievers indulge in tampering with the
calendar in order to make permissible that which God forbade, and to forbid that which
God has made permissible. With God the months are twelve in number. Four of them are
sacred, three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumada
and Sha`ban. Beware of the devil, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope
that he will ever 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 over your women, but they also have rights over
you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under God'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. Treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your
partners and committed helpers. It is your right and they do not make friends with
anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste...
O People, listen to me in earnest,
worship God (The One Creator of the Universe), perform your five daily prayers (Salah),
fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your financial obligation (zakah) of your
wealth. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.
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 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 appear before God (The
Creator) and you will answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of
righteousness after I am gone.
O People, NO PROPHET OR MESSENGER WILL COME AFTER ME
AND NO NEW FAITH WILL BE BORN. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words
which I convey to you. I am leaving you with the Book of God (the QUR'AN*) and my SUNNAH
(the life style and the behavioral mode of the Prophet), if you follow them 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. Be my witness
O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people.
*The Qur'an: Revealed to Prophet Muhammad during
the period from 610-632 AC. The first five verses revealed are: (1) Read in the name of
your Lord, Who created. (2) Created man out of a clot that clings (in the womb). (3)
Read and your Lord is the Most Bountiful. (4) Who taught by the pen. (5) Taught man that
which he knew not.