Once the Prophet (ﷺ) was riding his camel and a man was holding its rein. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked, "What is the day today?" We kept quiet, thinking that he might give that day another name. He said, "Isn't it the day of Nahr (slaughtering of the animals of sacrifice)" We replied, "Yes." He further asked, "Which month is this?" We again kept quiet, thinking that he might give it another name. Then he said, "Isn't it the month of Dhul-Hijja?" We replied, "Yes." He said, "Verily! Your blood, property and honor are sacred to one another (i.e. Muslims) like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours and in this city of yours. It is incumbent upon those who are present to inform those who are absent because those who are absent might comprehend (what I have said) better than the present audience."
The Farewell Sermon Context
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari 67 captures a pivotal moment from the Prophet's Farewell Pilgrimage, delivered during his final Hajj in the 10th year of Hijrah. The setting on camelback at Arafat emphasizes the solemnity and universal nature of this message.
Pedagogical Methodology
The Prophet's questioning technique demonstrates profound teaching wisdom. By asking about the day and month, he engaged his companions in active learning, creating anticipation and emphasizing the sacredness of these established Islamic institutions.
His rhetorical questions about Nahr day and Dhul-Hijja month affirmed the permanence of Islamic rituals while preparing listeners for the weighty declaration to follow.
Sacred Inviolability
The triple sanctity declaration establishes the fundamental rights of Muslims: life (blood), wealth (property), and dignity (honor). By linking these to the established sanctity of Mecca, the Hajj month, and Nahr day, the Prophet gave these rights divine protection.
This formulation makes violating Muslim rights equivalent to violating the sanctity of Islam's holiest spaces and times - a powerful deterrent against oppression.
Transmission Responsibility
The command "those present must inform those absent" establishes the principle of knowledge transmission (tabligh) as a collective religious obligation. The remarkable insight that "those absent might comprehend better" acknowledges that later generations, with reflection and study, may achieve deeper understanding than eyewitnesses.
This anticipates the development of Islamic scholarship through careful study of transmitted knowledge rather than mere personal experience.
Legal and Social Implications
Scholars derive from this hadith the permanent inviolability of Muslim life and property, the foundation of Islamic criminal law regarding homicide and theft, and the prohibition of backbiting and slander as violations of honor.
The timing during Hajj universalizes these principles beyond tribal or national affiliations, establishing the global Muslim community (ummah) as the new basis for human brotherhood.