The Farewell Pilgrimage
The Farewell Sermon before ~100,000 companions; the religion is perfected.
In his final pilgrimage, the Prophet ﷺ delivered the Farewell Sermon at ʿArafah before roughly a hundred thousand companions, affirming the sanctity of life, property, and honour, the rights of women, the end of tribal vengeance, and the brotherhood of all believers.
It was here that the verse was revealed: 'This day I have perfected for you your religion.'
The verses revealed
'This day I have perfected for you your religion'
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةُ وَٱلدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ وَٱلْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَٱلْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَٱلْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَٱلنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ ٱلسَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى ٱلنُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسْتَقْسِمُوا۟ بِٱلْأَزْلَٰمِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ ۗ ٱلْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِ ۚ ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَٰمَ دِينًۭا ۚ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ فِى مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍۢ لِّإِثْمٍۢ ۙ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ ﴿٣﴾
Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Reflections
- A complete way of life founded on rights, justice, and brotherhood.
Watch on the Seerah
The Life of 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra) - TV Series 2012 [English Subtitles] - Part 30
The Life of 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra) - TV Series 2012 [English Subtitles] - Part 29
The Life of 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra) - TV Series 2012 [English Subtitles] - Part 28
The Life of 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra) - TV Series 2012 [English Subtitles] - Part 27
The Life of 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra) - TV Series 2012 [English Subtitles] - Part 26
Read more
The Global Messenger
Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him), the Prophet of Mercy
Polygamy and Prophet Muhammed: A Proof of His Prophethood and Testament to Truth of His Message
The Preaching of Islam
Muhammad the Prophet of Mercy
Source & authenticity · Compiled from standard Seerah works, principally Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar) by S. al-Mubarakpuri. Editorial summaries in our own words; dates per traditional sources. Long-form detail is expanded from vetted sources and under scholarly review.