The Restoration of the Hajj – The Farewell Pilgrimage

The Corruption of the Sanctuary

The Qur’an describes the Ka‘bah as a sanctuary of guidance and unity:

“Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Bakkah, blessed and a guidance for the worlds.”

Qur’an 3:96

By the time of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, the Ka‘bah had become a place of confusion. More than 360 idols surrounded it. These symbols of tribal identity and false worship displaced the House of Ibrahim from its original purpose.

The one who introduced idols to Makkah was ‘Amr ibn Luḥayy al-Khuzā‘ī. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

“I saw ‘Amr ibn Luḥayy dragging his intestines in Hell. He was the first to change the religion of Ibrahim and introduce idols among the Arabs.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

Despite the continuation of Hajj, its rituals had been corrupted. People made tawaf naked, invoked tribal chants, and sacrificed animals in the names of idols.

The Mission to Restore Tawḥīd

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was sent not to invent, but to revive. The Qur’an commands:

“Then We revealed to you, O Muhammad, to follow the religion of Ibrahim, inclining toward truth.”

Qur’an 16:123

The Prophet’s message was a direct threat to the Quraysh. Their religious and economic dominance depended on the idol trade. Despite years of hardship, the Prophet remained committed to restoring the Ka‘bah to the worship of Allah alone.

The Cleansing of the Ka‘bah

In the eighth year after Hijrah, the Prophet peacefully entered Makkah. He walked to the Ka‘bah and, one by one, removed the idols while reciting:

“Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is ever bound to vanish.”

Qur’an 17:81

The sanctuary was returned to its origin. It was once again the House of Allah.

The Farewell Pilgrimage: حجّة الوداع

In the tenth year after Hijrah, the Prophet performed his only Hajj. He was accompanied by more than 120,000 companions. He taught them each step of the pilgrimage, saying:

“Take your rites from me.”

(Sahih Muslim)

He stood on Arafah. He made tawaf. He threw the pebbles. He performed the sacrifice. Every act re-enacted the legacy of Ibrahim. And at its heart was a sermon that gathered everything he had taught.

The Final Sermon: Unity, Justice, and Prophethood Completed

“O people, your Lord is One. Your father is one. You are all from Adam, and Adam was from dust. There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab. There is no superiority of a white person over a black person, nor a black person over a white person, except by righteousness.”

“Convey from me, even if it is a single verse.”

Soon after this, the final verse was revealed:

“This day I have perfected for you your religion, and completed My favour upon you, and have approved for you Islam as your religion.”

Qur’an 5:3

Conclusion: A House Restored

The story that began with Ibrahim laying the stones found its fulfilment in the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. The Ka‘bah, once distorted, was returned to its purpose. The Hajj, in every detail, reflects not innovation, but restoration. And the sermon, delivered on that plain in Arafah, became the voice of unity, mercy, and guidance for all time.