Page 216 - The Importance of the Ahl Al-Sunnah

HARUN YAHYA

forbidden to approach the Masjid al-Haram, only Muslims
were present and listened to the Farewell Sermon. This also
ensured that idolaters could not make any additions to the rel-
evant hadiths. In fact, following the conquest of Makkah so
many polytheists converted to Islam that only a handful
remained, and they left the city. The Prophet (saas) and
approximately 100,000 Companions left Madinah to make hajj.
The Prophet (saas) proceeded to teach Muslims the necessary
principles and rituals by personally performing them, and thus
completed all of the acts related to hajj. Verses indicating that
Islam had now been fully established were therefore also
revealed during the Hajj al-Wada`.
During the Age of Ignorance (Ayyam al-Jahiliyyah), pilgrims
who had come from afar used to stand at Mount Arafat, while
the Qurayshi leaders stood on the open area of Muzdalifah to
indicate that they regarded themselves better than other peo-
ple. The Prophet (saas) abolished this custom and stood on
Mount Arafat for the waqfah (the ritual of standing before
Allah at Mount Arafat), like all other pilgrims did. To indicate
Islam’s completion, this verse was revealed:

… Today those who disbelieve have despaired of over-
coming your religion. So do not be afraid of them, but
be afraid of Me. Today I have perfected your religion
for you, completed My blessing upon you, and am
pleased with Islam as a religion for you… (Surat al-
Ma’ida, 3)
While all Muslims rejoiced at Islam’s perfection, only Abu
Bakr (ra) understood that this was a sign of our Prophet’s
(saas) imminent passing, and thus he cried. The Prophet (saas)
only lived for eighty-two days after this event.

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