The Farewell Pilgrimage
As a farewell pilgrimage (Arabic حجة الوداع Hiddschat al - Wada ʿ, DMG Ḥiǧǧat al - Wada ʿ ) is in Islamic literature refers to the Hajj Pilgrimage, the Prophet Mohammed in March 632 from Medina along with his wives and great participation of his followers undertook. It is therefore called the farewell pilgrimage, Muhammad because a few months later, on June 8, 632, died. Mohammed is said to have spent a total of ten days in Mecca during the pilgrimage.
Importantly, the farewell pilgrimage was mainly because her originally pagan pilgrimage was celebrated for the first time exclusively by Muslim pilgrims, because in the previous year (631) Mohammed had had read a proclamation at the pilgrimage by ʿ Alī ibn Abī Taalib, the pagan the Arabs forbade to approach again the Holy City after the end of the year ( see Sura 9:28 ). The Farewell Pilgrimage was named for the first time this pure Islamic character also Hiddschat al -Islam ( حجة الاسلام, DMG Ḥiǧǧat al -Islam ). While Mohammed had 631 his companion Abu Bakr entrusted to lead the Hajj, he took over at the farewell pilgrimage throughout the ceremony itself, the guide and slaughtered in Mina hand several camels. After this sacrifice, he was the head hair scissors, the Muslims should have stood around him, to catch something out of his hair.
To issue the Muslim pilgrimage rites of pagan customs, Muhammad led at the farewell pilgrimage through various cultic reforms. So he moved the outflow from the ʿ Arafat level to Muzdalifa to the time after sunset and the running of Muzdalifah to Mina to the time before sunrise, to the Muslim community in this way "from the polytheists and idolaters " (ahl aš Sirk wa l awṯān ) market, which had performed these rituals to the sun worship each during sunset and sunrise. Even the held in the Quran prohibiting the ancient Arab intercalary month (Sura 9:37 ) to have been made during the farewell pilgrimage Mohammed. With him the pure lunar calendar was introduced, which distinguishes the Islamic era until today. On the second or third day of the farewell pilgrimage, he is said to have preached a sermon in which he enjoined the Muslims different rules of Islam, such as the prohibition of interest.
About Mohammed's actions during the farewell pilgrimage, there are minutely accurate reports because the Muslims they saw as the ultimate role model for the correct execution of the pilgrim rites. So, for example, Ibn Ishaaq reported, citing various authorities that Muhammad's wife, Aisha bint Abi Bakr before the pilgrimage burst into tears because she had gotten her period and therefore feared not being allowed to take part in the rites. However, Muhammad is said to have peace of mind that she could perform all rites, alone on the Tawaf around the Kaaba should not participate.
The Andalusian scholar Ibn Hazm wrote in the 11th century, a monographic work on the Farewell Pilgrimage, in which he was compiling all known him hadiths about this historic event and tried to eliminate contradictions. The work follows Muhammad's pilgrimage from the dawn of Medina about the arrival in Mecca and the individual completed rituals there until his return to Medina. His detailed study of the topic justifies Ibn Hazm with the fact that Mohammed himself had pointed out the inspiring nature of this pilgrimage, saying: ". . Take from me your pilgrimage rites because I do not know if I will do another pilgrimage to this pilgrimage "