Sermon at Arafah: Upholding Trust

Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily, all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty. You have no partner. Praise be to Allah, we praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, and turn to Him in repentance. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our souls and the consequences of our deeds. Whoever Allah guides cannot be led astray, and whoever He misguides cannot find a guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. I advise you, servants of Allah, to fear Him and obey Him. I begin with the best words. Now, people, listen to me as I explain to you, for I do not know if I will meet you again after this year at this gathering. O people, your blood and wealth are sacred to you until you meet your Lord, just as this day, this month, and this land are sacred. Have I conveyed it? O Allah, bear witness. Whoever holds an entrusted item must return it to its rightful owner. The usury of the pre-Islamic era is abolished, and I begin with the usury of my uncle Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib. The blood feuds of the pre-Islamic era are abolished, and I begin with the blood of Amr ibn Rabi’ah ibn al-Harith ibn Abd al-Muttalib. The traditions of the pre-Islamic era are abolished, except for the duties of custodianship and water provision. Intentional murder entails retaliation, while quasi-intentional murder (killed by stick or stone) requires 100 camels as compensation. Whoever adds to this is from the people of ignorance. O people, the devil has despaired of being worshipped in your land, but he is content to be obeyed in other matters you consider trivial. Beware of him regarding your faith. O people, the intercalation of months is an increase in disbelief, by which the disbelievers are led astray—they permit it one year and forbid it another to align with what Allah has forbidden, thereby making lawful what Allah has prohibited. Time has returned to its original state as when Allah created the heavens and earth. The number of months with Allah is twelve, as written in His Book on the day He created the heavens and earth. Four are sacred: three consecutive months—Dhu al-Qa’dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, and Muharram—and Rajab, which falls between Jumada and Sha’ban. Have I conveyed it? O Allah, bear witness. O people, your wives have rights over you, and you have rights over them. You have the right that they do not allow anyone you dislike into your beds or homes without your permission, and that they do not commit clear indecency. If they do, Allah has permitted you to admonish them, avoid them in bed, and strike them gently. If they desist and obey you, then provide for them and clothe them kindly. Women are your trust; you have taken them under Allah’s covenant and made their intimacy lawful through His word. Fear Allah regarding women, and treat them well. Have I conveyed it? O Allah, bear witness. O people, believers are brothers. It is not lawful for a Muslim to take his brother’s property without his consent. Have I conveyed it? O Allah, bear witness. Do not revert to disbelief after me, striking each other’s necks. I have left among you that which, if you hold onto it, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and my Sunnah. O Allah, have I conveyed it? O Allah, bear witness. O people, your Lord is One, and your father is one. All of you are from Adam, and Adam is from dust. The most noble among you in Allah’s sight is the most righteous. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. No Arab has superiority over a non-Arab except by piety. Have I conveyed it? O Allah, bear witness. O people, Allah has allocated a share of inheritance for each heir. No heir may make a will, and a will cannot exceed one-third of the estate. The child belongs to the marital bed, and the adulterer receives the stone. Whoever claims a father other than his own or takes allegiance to someone other than his patrons, may Allah curse him, the angels, and all people—his testimony and evidence will not be accepted. Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily, all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty. You have no partner. Dear guests of the Merciful, may Allah have mercy on you. Praise be to Allah, all gratitude and praise are offered to Allah SWT, the Sovereign of the universe, the Most Merciful and Compassionate. Allah SWT, the All-Knowing, has chosen us as dhuyufur rahman (guests of the Merciful). Among us are those who have waited years for this blessed day, while others have been blessed by Allah to perform Hajj. Today, the hope and desire to fulfill the fifth pillar of Islam—Hajj to the House of Allah and standing at Arafah, the pinnacle of Hajj—has been granted by Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Hajj is Arafah. Whoever arrives at Arafah before the dawn of the night of Jam’ (the night of Eid al-Adha), his Hajj is complete. (HR Ahmad)