Chief of the Prophets — Page 223

Chapter Ten 223 During this Ḥajj , Muḥammad sa delivered a famous sermon while riding on a camel. Because of the size of the gathering, the arrangements were made such that some people were made to stand at a certain distance from each other loudly repeating Muḥammad’s words. The following is a gist of that sermon. After praising the Lord, Muḥammad sa said: O People! Listen to me carefully, for I know not whether I will ever stand before you in this valley and address you as I address you now 1 … O People! Remember that as this day and this month is sacred to you, so are your lives and possessions sacred for each other… Whosoever of you is keeping a trust of someone else should return that trust to its rightful owner… It is the responsibility of each of you to convey my message that I am giving today to the others who are not here. Remember, you will be asked about your deeds… Allah has forbidden you to take usury, therefore, all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived… Retribution for all the bloodshed committed in the Age of Ignorance is pardoned. . . O People! Today, Satan has lost all hope of ever being worshipped in the world, so beware of following him in small matters 2. . . O People! Women have rights over you, as you have rights over them. They are a trust given to you by God the Exalted. You should treat them well, and slaves should also be taken 1 Muslim and Sunan Abī Dāwūd. 2 Ibni Mājah and Tirmidhī.