Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

Tabuk, Holy Prophet’s Last Military Expedition
The Tabuk Expedition was the last military expedition in which the Holy Prophet personally took part, though measures of defend the frontiers of the State and prevent aggression continued till the end of his life.
Sved Asad Gilani P 148
Abdul Hameed Siddiqui. P 268

CHAPTER
15

MUHAMMAD’S (PBUH) LAST MESSAGE
KHUTBAH HAJJATUL WADA’
’ This day have those who reject Faith given up all hope of your religion: Yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have 1 perfected your religion for you. completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion ’”
The farewell Pilg mage of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) may rightly be called the culminating point in his Prophetic career. It was in the sixty-third year of tie Holy Prophet’s life which coincided with the close of the 10th of Hijra that he decided to perform Hajj, which in history, goes by the nime of Hajja-tul-Wada. The Holy Prophet’s mission, had, by this time, been completed to all intents and purposes. To a people steeped in ignorance, he gave light and inspired them with belief in Allah, the sole Creator, Master and Sustainer of the Universe. To a disunited mass, engaged the love of God and His will, be nankind and had given it visible expression by founding a society on the basis of righteousness, piety and Godconsciousness, the ’ike of which is not to be found in the whole history of mankind In short, Muhammad (PBUH) had dehveied to the human race the final Truth with all its necessary implications.
The completion of his Prophetic mission implied his departure from his earthy home to his heavenly abode. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) had clearly visualized it He, therefore, decided to give the finishing touch to his massive work and to imprint its salient points on the minds of his devoted followers so that they might
1 Al-Quran. V
Muhammad’s (PB UH) Last Message 173
always keep before them the system of life-values enunciated by Islam. It was with this object in view that messengers were sent to all parts of Arabia inviting people to join him in this great Pilgrimage.
After performing several rites of Hajj from 5th to 8th, on the

9th Dhu-al-Hijjah in the presence of more than 114,000 Muslims and all his wives (Ummahatul Mumineen) he delivered the famous sermon. The sermon of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is not only remarkable for its eloquence, but it contains a sublime message for the whole of the human race. The world has not been able to lay down better principles of ethics and morality than those enunciated in it. Every word of it breathes a spirit of magnanimity and aims at establishing righteousness and fait dealing among men on a workable basis. It establishes brotherhood among Muslims irrespective of the divergences of their geographical, racial and colour backgrounds and provides an outline of a social order, perfectly free from oppression and injustice.

After the conquest of Makkah, Muhammad (PBUH), appeared more than satisfied with the progress of events. The reason was that he had nearly accomplished his work and fulfilled mostly the obligations of the divine mission. However, he never seemed to have made any claims to achievements, even though he had succeeded at the end of a long struggle. With the advance of time his inner-most and genuine desire was to perform a pilgrima^’ of the Haram-al-Makki in accordance with the perfect rules and rites of Islam. No doubt, he ’had performed Umrah some time before, he wanted to fulfil the fundamental duty of the Quranic Hajj under the aegis of the State of Islam which he headed himself. The atmosphere at Makkah was clear and the sacred sites cleansed of polytheistic practices.
An important reason could bct that he had not seen the masses of Arabia who had become convt rts to the Faith of an unseen Holy Prophet. He wanted to meet and teach as many of them as the energy and resources of those people wa-ranted. Again, the question how to perform the Hajj in true Islamic manner necessitated his coming to Makkah and demonstrate the ritual aspect of the religious duty. He would leave ”Nothing to cnance or theory. Everything that he preached he carried out in practice, and God saw to it that he (the Apostle) did not miss anything.” He Lad many nobler ideas in besides perhaps a socio-religicus anxiety whether he had convey ej the Message of the Supreme Lord to Humanity. He wanted to
havj

174 Political and Cultural History of Islam

general view of the multitude of Muslims at Arafat, Mina and in the Ka’bah whom he wished to give his last sermon, _ never to be repeated on earth’s surface and to declare that Paganism was a matter of the past. The whole programme which the Apostle adhered to from his Mijrat to Medina until he stood on the Rock at the foot of he Mount of mercy (in Arafat), comprised a thousand lessons or more of pious association, culture, prayer, preaching and over all enlightenment.2
The address which the Holy Prophet, on him be peace, delivered from the Rock near the mount of mercy is an etoquent pice in the Sirah literature. It encompasses all the requisite ?ngred,ents of an Apostle’s perfect message meant for the Muslims as well as tae rest of mankind. In fact there is on record no speech discourse or sermon of any prophet or apostle (preceding Muhammad (PBUH)), in part or in whole wh.ch could claim ptSon or auftenticity as’that given by the FjnaTMessenger on him be peace. The address is remarkable for its length, lucidity and enthusiasm. It has been rendered into various foreign languages. We reduce here the English translation of it from a <^ble »urce namely, Dr. M. Hamidullah. The Apostle of God thus began his Khutbah in front of the masses of pilgrims:
”Praise be to God! We praise Him, we ask Him for help, we demand of Him pardon, and make regrets to Him. We ask the protection of God against the ills of our souls and the evils of our acts. Whomsoever God leads aright, there is none .ead him astray; and whosoever wishes to go astray there is none to lead him aright. I attest that there is no god if not God Himself, the One, without and associate, and I attest that Muhammad (PBUH) is His Servant and His Messenger.” . .
”I enjoin you, O devotees of God, to fear God, and I invite you to obey Him. And I begin with what is good. ”Where after, O people, listen to my words so that I may make things clear to you. For I do not know, perhapsj may not meet you in this place again after this present year. ”O people verily, your blood and your property, and your honours are sacrosanct to you until the (Day) you meet your Lord as sacrosanct as this present day, in this present