I would like to greet all my friends on the occasion of Hajj ul Akbar and wish them blessings of the Creator of us all on this momentous day. As more than a million and a half Muslim pilgrims gather at Mount Arafat (see the attached photo) to hear the Hajj Sermon today this Friday, it will be imperative to recall the Lat Sermon, Khutba tul Wida of the Prophet of Islam (Arabic and English versions attached). This sermon which has come to be known as the Final Sermon is one of the most important documents of Islam even though it is only a one page speech. With the exception of Quran, no other document or speech of the Prophet (pbuh) comes close to it in importance and significance. Its authenticity has been verified in both Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari. And yet it is rarely publicized in Islamic literature or contemporary debates within Islam. Why? Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had been performing his Last Prophet duties for two decades. He had conquered Mecca and most of Arabia for Islam. He had also sent letters to other heads of state inviting them to Islam. He had taught and trained his followers to practice Islam the way Almighty intended. He could have selected hundreds of different topics for his farewell speech to his followers. He could have talked about war or peace, ancient cultures, other religions, foreign lands, Romans or Greeks - topics all covered in revelations and Quran. But he selected just a few issues for the most important speech of his life. Once you read and understand the content of the attached sermon, you will learn why his choice of issues was so profound and how blatantly his instructions were ignored by Muslim rulers within a hundred years of his death. The Prophet did not exhort his followers to kill infidels. He did not even ask his followers to engage in perpetual Jihad or permanent combat. Instead, he talked about the sanctity of human life. He said, hurt no one so that none may hurt you. He reinforced the pillars of Islam and emphasized the central importance of Ibadat such as Salat, Zakat, Ramadan, and Hajj. And then he focused on only three most important issues that he thought would have most impact on the future of Islam and Muslims. First was the elimination of Riba, second, the Status of Women and their Rights, and finally, Racism. One thousand three hundred eighty two years have gone by since the Prophets Final Sermon on Mount Arafat in 632 AD on these three issues. But all Muslim societies are still plagued by these three problems. Muslim rulers from Umayyads, Abbasis, Ottomans, and to the present day, practice Racism, treat women as slaves, and are completely engulfed in Riba. I am not a social reformer and would not offer my opinion on how to end Racism and enhance womens status in the society but I have been teaching Islamic Law for more than forty years. In Fiqh Muamalat, there is no greater sin than Riba. When my Sharia students ask me to name the worst problem affecting all Muslim countries today, I tell them it is Riba. Then they understand why I advocate building Riba free economies in my publications. No Muslim society can flourish or prosper in the long run until Riba is removed in all its forms from the economy and society. That is the command of Allah and His Last Prophet and that should be the number one priority of all Muslims celebrating Hajj today. Dr. Muhammad M. Awan 10/3/2014
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 04:01:53 +0000
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