Maryam Sakeenah
Dhul-Hijjah also commemorates the Last Sermon of the Prophet (sa) which is strikingly relevant to the world todayx`
Both the Abrahamic sacrifice and the Hajj are very visible rituals we easily associate with the month of Dhul-Hijjah. However, the month of Dhul-Hijjah also commemorates another epic moment in Islamic history: the delivery of the Farewell Sermon (Khutbah Hujjat ul-Wida) by the Prophet (sa).
Being the very last public address of the Prophet (sa) with his indication that he was soon to depart with the fulfillment of his grand mission, the Sermon bears extraordinary importance for all those who take the Prophet (sa) as their ultimate guide.
The Prophet (sa) began the sermon by establishing the absolute and inviolable sanctity of the lives of Muslims, nullifying all justification for any lingering violence, feuds or conflict among Muslims that violate the God-given right to life and dignity. He made it clear that the vicious cycle of violence and vengeance had ended with the establishment of Islam. In a tribalist society with endemic and inter generational violence, this was groundbreaking and revolutionary to say the least. As was his way, he set a personal precedent by publicly forgiving the murder of his clansman.
As Muslim societies wallow in spiraling cycles of violence plaguing Yemen, Syria, Nigeria, Sudan, Iraq and Pakistan, among others, this message calls us to the only path that will salvage our communities: the complete renunciation of violence among Muslim communities as a means to achieve any purpose, through the understanding that Muslim life and blood is sacrosanct and inviolable by the decree of God and his Prophet (sa). Ongoing cycles of endemic violence among Muslim groups and factions occur because we do not see life as an ‘Amanah’ (trust) from Allah (swt). Just this fundamental understanding that the Last Sermon opens with, is the panacea for violent conflict in Muslim lands.
Next, the Prophet (sa) stressed upon the prohibition and absolute unacceptability of Riba (usury) in all its forms and manifestations in Muslim society. The modern commercial banking system is based upon usury and interest, the consequences of which lie at the heart of the socio economic injustices, spiraling poverty, economic disparity, concentration of wealth, capitalistic exploitation and deprivation that characterize modern societies. The sermon underscores this express prohibition in clear terms.
Pakistan is currently mulling over the transitioning of the interest-based commercial banking system with the Riba-free Islamic banking system. There is skepticism, lack of will and even resistance to this Islamic requirement from some major stakeholders. Revisiting the Last Sermon of the Beloved Prophet (sa) makes it clear that there can be no grounds for any flexibility whatsoever in the matter of the banning of all usurious transactions. The transition will be hard and fraught with challenges, but it will eventually be the groundwork for the establishment of a just and egalitarian social order.
Another vital point that the Prophet (sa) emphasized in his very last message to us was with regard to the protection of the rights of women. He urged Muslim men to be mindful of their duties towards their women, over whom they have been made ‘Qawwam’, that is, providers, protectors and maintainers. The status of Qawwam entails responsibility and accountability to God rather than the wielding of authority. The language used by the Prophet (sa) with regard to women is beautiful, defining the nature of the marital relationship as one that is premised on gentleness, kindness, mutual respect and mindfulness towards one’s responsibility. At the same time, women have been reminded of their duty to fear Allah (swt) and be supportive of their husbands, guarding their chastity and providing a nurturing domestic environment for the family to flourish.
Patriarchal modes of thinking prevalent among Muslim societies have driven us away from the ethos of this message. The marital bond is seen as based on the domination of the man and the subjugation of the woman. Domestic violence, physical and emotional abuse and non fulfillment of the fundamental rights of women to be provided for, maintained and protected have resulted in abusive, unhappy and empty shell marriages. Divorce rates continue to soar. On the other end of the spectrum, some radical shades of feminism have upset the gender balance that lies at the heart of a stable marriage. By reminding Muslim women of their responsibilities towards Allah (swt) and their spouses as well as progeny, that balance is restored as a secure foundation of a beautifully balanced, enduring and fulfilling relationship.
Racism and other forms of social segregation, discrimination, prejudice and inequality continue to plague human society. In one fell sweep, the Prophet (sa) destroyed all bases for any form of social stratification based on the idea of inherent superiority or inferiority. He reminded us of our collective origin from a single source; our fraternal bond as a single human family, and our humble genesis ‘from dust’ which nullifies any notion of earthly superiority we may assume. This essential understanding of the origins of the ‘human family’ absolutely destroys all markers of division among human beings: race, class, ethnicity, tribe, nationality or sect. These words of the Prophet (sa) deserve being inscribed in gold as we continue to divide ourselves up on the basis of man-made, temporal and meaningless criteria, leading to structural violence and the suffering of millions who fall short in our fallible and errant estimation.
The Sermon is replete with references to the final accountability in the hereafter and the need to cultivate Taqwa (God consciousness / fear of Allah (swt) / self restraint). Without the essential requisite of Taqwa, these epic words are mere rhetoric. The sermon ends with a call to unity through holding fast to the Quran, the way of the Prophet (sa) and his Family (Ahl-ul-Bayt). Fidelity to these are what hold all Muslims together, regardless of the minutiae of difference and disagreement that have hardened over the years of juristic interpretation, political intrigue and debate. As long as we are submitted to Allah (swt), the Prophet (sa) and His righteous descendants and associates, the differences pale away: we can live with them, seeking strength from what we hold in common.
As all bore witness to the Prophet (sa) having conveyed the message fully and perfectly, Allah (swt) revealed the final verses which reassure us that the religion we have been blessed with is enough to show us the way forward till the end of times. The sources are an eternal treasury that enables inference and interpretation according to the exigencies of the changing times (Ijtihad).
The relevance of the Farewell Sermon to issues faced by the Muslim world today is extraordinarily striking. It is a powerful reminder beckoning us forever with a clarion call that rings loud, deep and resonant. It would be a tragic misfortune to continue to live our lives in ignorance of its epic message.
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