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From: azam@ihlpm.UUCP (Azam)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: islam
Message-ID: <417@ihlpm.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 14-Aug-85 18:29:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpm.417
Posted: Wed Aug 14 18:29:36 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 20-Aug-85 07:39:39 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 51


   THE PROPHET MOHAMMED'S (PEACE BE UPON HIM) LAST SERMON
   ------------------------------------------------------

THIS SERMON WAS DELIVERED ON THE NINTH DAY OF DHUL HIJARAH 10 A.H.
IN THE "URANAH VALLEY OF MOUNT ARAFAT:

"O PEOPLE LEND ME AN ATTENTIVE EAR, FOR I KNOW NOT WHETHER, AFTER
 THIS YEAR, I SHALL EVER BE AMONGST YOU AGAIN. THEREFORE LISTEN TO
 WHAT I AM SAYING VERY CAREFULLY AND TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO
 COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.

 O PEOPLE, JUST AS YOU REGARD THIS MONTH, THIS DAY, THIS CITY AS
 SACRED, SO REGARD THE LIFE AND PROPERTY OF EVERY MUSLIM AS A SACRED
 TRUST. RETURN THE GOODS ENTRUSTED TO YOU TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS.
 HURT NO ONE SO THAT NO ONE MAY HURT YOU. REMEMBER THAT YOU WILL 
 INDEED MEET YOUR LORD AND THAT HE WILL INDEED RECKON YOUR DEEDS.
 ALLAH HAS FORBIDDEN YOU TO TAKE USURY (INTEREST), THEREFORE ALL
 INTEREST OBLIGATIONS SHALL HENCEFORTH BE WAIVED.

 BEWARE OF SATAN, FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR RELIGION. HE HAS LOST ALL
 HOPE THAT HE WILL EVER BE ABLE TO LEAD YOU ASTRAY IN BIG THINGS,
 SO BEWARE IN FOLLOWING HIM IN SMALL THINGS.

 O PEOPLE, IT IS TRUE THAT YOU HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS WITH REGARDS TO YOUR
 WOMEN, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS OVER YOU. IF THEY ABIDE BY 
 YOUR RIGHT THEN TO THEM BELONGS THE RIGHT TO BE FED AND CLOTHED IN
 KINDNESS. DO TREAT YOUR WOMEN WELL AND BE KIND TO THEM FOR THEY ARE 
 YOUR COMMITTED HELPERS. AND IT IS YOUR RIGHT THAT THEY DO NOT MAKE 
 FRIENDS WITH ANY ONE OF WHOM YOU DO NOT APPROVE AS WELL AS NEVER TO 
 COMMIT ADULTERY.

 O PEOPLE LISTEN TO ME IN EARNEST, WORSHIP ALLAH, SAY YOUR FIVE DAILY
 PRAYERS, FAST DURING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN, AND GIVE YOUR WEALTH IN
 ZAKAT.  PERFORM HAJ IF YOU CAN AFFORD TO. YOU KNOW THAT EVERY MUSLIM
 IS THE BROTHER OF ANOTHER MUSLIM. YOU ARE ALL EQUAL. NOBODY HAS
 SUPERIORITY OVER OTHER EXCEPT BY PIETY AND GOOD ACTION.

 REMEMBER ONE DAY YOU WILL APPEAR BEFORE ALLAH AND ANSWER FOR YOUR DEEDS.
 SO BEWARE, DO NOT STRAY FROM THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AFTER I AM GONE.

 O PEOPLE, NO PROPHET OR APOSTLE WILL COME AFTER ME AND NO NEW FAITH
 WILL BE BORN.  REASON WELL, THEREFORE, O PEOPLE, AND UNDERSTAND MY
 WORDS WHICH I CONVEY TO YOU.  I LEAVE BEHIND ME TWO THINGS, THE QURAN
 AND MY EXAMPLE THE SUNNAH AND IF YOU FOLLOW THESE YOU WILL NEVER GO
 ASTRAY.

 ALL THOSE WHO LISTEN TO ME SHALL PASS ON MY WORDS TO OTHERS AND THOSE
 TO OTHERS AGAIN, AND MAY THE LAST ONES UNDERSTAND MY WORDS BETTER 
 THAN THOSE WHO LISTEN TO ME DIRECTLY. BE MY WITNESS O ALLAH, THAT I
 CONVEY MY MESSAGE TO YOUR PEOPLE."