PROPHET*(ﷺ) FAREWELL 'KHUTBAH' AT MOUNT 'ARAFAT' and misc. news

 *PROPHET*(ﷺ) FAREWELL 'KHUTBAH' AT MOUNT 'ARAFAT'* ~{ خطبة الوداع,'KHUTBATUL-WADA'

 

{ خطبة الوداع, Khutbatul-Wada’}

{ 9 Dhul Hijjah 10 AH  at Mount Arafat }

 

 Prophet (ﷺ) undertook his Farewell Pilgrimage in 10 A.H.

The farewell pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the most significant historical events in the minds of Muslims, for it was the first and last pilgrimage performed by  Prophet(ﷺ) as well as being the model for performing the fifth pillar of Islam, 'Hajj'.

 

 Prophet(ﷺ)  final sermon was delivered during the Hajj of the year 632 C.E., the ninth day of 'Dhul Hijjah', the 12th month of the lunar year, at 'Arafat', the most blessed day of the year.

There were numerous Muslims present with the Prophet(ﷺ) during his last pilgrimage when he delivered his last 'Khutbah'.

 

Prophet (ﷺ) completed his last 'Khutbah' near the summit of 'Arafat', whereby the following revelation came down...

 

'This day I have perfected for you your religion and

  completed My favor upon you and have approved

for you Islam as your religion.'

{Source~ Qur`an~ Surat Ma`idah ~5. A # 3}

 

Even today, the last 'Khutbah' of Prophet (ﷺ) is passed to every Muslim in every corner of the world through all possible means of communication. Muslims are reminded of it in 'Masjids' and in lectures. Indeed the meanings found in this sermon are astounding, touching upon some of the most important rights that Allah Almighty has over humanity, and humanity has over each other. Though the Prophet’s (ﷺ) soul  has left this world, his words are still living in our hearts. {Alhamdulillah}

 

After praising and thanking Allah...

Prophet (ﷺ) said...

“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 to you 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.

 

Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib  (the Prophet's (ﷺ) uncle) 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 of following him in small things.

 

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission. 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 partners and 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 be unchaste.

 

O People, listen to me in earnest... worship Allah, perform your five daily prayers ('Salah'), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in 'Zakat'.

Perform 'Hajj' if you can afford it.

 

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor does a black have any superiority over a white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

 

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 words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QUR`AN 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 have conveyed your message to your people”.

 

Running the Vermont City Marathon for Aafia

By Nadrat Siddique

 

I drove to Vermont (almost 500 miles!) and didn't arrive until 10:00 PM the night before the race due to too many last minute family demands (unexpected), and massive amounts of preparation for my usual caregiver responsibilities (expected). The drive was not an easy one, as it was unrelenting rain throughout. And sadly, none of this was ideal for a 7:15 AM race start, particularly considering I didn’t have my bib, and race morning bib pickup was 5:00 - 6:00 AM.

I and another runner (she'd flown in very late last night from Chicago) got there a little after that time. As a result, the staffer handing out the bibs for us stragglers had disappeared. And we had to wait for what seemed an inordinate amount of time to get our bibs. Not fun, particularly when one is on 4 hours of sleep.

 

It was raining for the duration of the race (although it was just light rain for a good portion of it). The biggest surprise of all was the absence of GI tract issues, despite the terribly truncated sleep I got. (I'm attributing this to Divine intervention, plus the fact that I was super careful with what I ate leading up to the race).

 

The race course, though a bit hilly, was very conducive for a PR, so I was disappointed I could not seize the occasion for that (considering all of the suboptimal conditions I was running under). I would have been within 3 minutes of qualifying for Boston, if the organizers had not made the qualifying standards even more rigorous than previously starting from 2026.

All things considered, I was really shocked I was able to do this race. I think the main reason I persevere--despite overwhelming odds--was that I was running it to call for the freedom of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, an innocent Pakistani woman neuroscientist being held political prisoner by the US government. Alhamdulillah wa shukrAllah!

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About the Woman Inspiring All of This

 

Aafia Siddiqui is a Pakistani neuroscientist who has been unjustly detained by the US government under horrific conditions since 2003 (so 23 years- or most of her adult life).

- During that time, she has been separated from her children (elementary school age when she was initially abducted, leading to her incarceration);

- Her youngest child, Sulaiman, an infant, was killed (perhaps inadvertently) by the authorities during the course of her abduction;

- She has been the victim of international kidnapping by the US authorities;

- She has been repeatedly raped, both at the "black site," where she was initially held, and at FMC Carswell near Dallas, where she currently is, but no major US-based women’s rights groups have spoken out about this, perhaps because she's a Muslim;

- She has been beaten, to the extent that she's lost several teeth;

- She was shot in the stomach by US soldiers who were holding her on bogus charges in Afghanistan, and almost died. The US government, in a classic bait-and-switch, later charged HER with assaulting and trying to kill them!

- At FMC Carswell, well known for sexual abuse of female inmates, she has suffered near daily threats of sexual and psychological abuse;

- She has been denied visits by clergy of her faith;

- For the first two decades of her incarceration, she was denied calls and video calls with her family, most of whom are in Pakistan;

- Her holy book, the Qur'an, was desecrated by prison staff;

- She had hot coffee thrown on her face by a fellow inmate, and the only remedy provided by the prison was to place her (not the offending inmate) in solitary.

- There is literally no evidence whatsoever that she did what she was charged with (assault and attempted murder of US servicemen in Afghanistan).

- It's time to release Aafia now!

New York Mayor Stands His Ground Against Israel

 

By Sis. 'Aisha

 

On Sunday, May 31st, New York City will host the Israel Day Parade. All politicians will be in attendance, minus one: New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. The Zionists want people to view Mayor Mamdani's absence as an affront to the Jewish community. Zionists equate Zionism, which is White Jewish supremacy, to the same Judaism in the Torah.

 

Recently, Mayor Mamdani drew Zionist ire when he posted photos showing Palestinian starvation as others celebrated Israel's founding. How dare he! In response, a large group of Zionist Jewish protestors gathered outside Gracie Mansion, which is where the New York City Mayor resides, to voice their anger. As usual, there were counterprotests, including Orthodox Jews with anti-Israel and anti-Zionist signs. Practicing Jewish protestors emphasize that Zionism and Judaism are not the same.

 

Many New York politicians attend the Israel Day Parade regardless of their ethnic or racial background. So, Mayor Mamdani's refusal to attend the parade is viewed as an anti-social move. His critics claim that not attending is a bad look for a mayor who is supposed to represent all New Yorkers. However, at the press conference, Mamdani discussed the security detail for the parade and reiterated that his role as mayor is to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers.

 

Regardless of criticism, Mamdani is not rubbing elbows or breaking bread with Zionists who maintain supremacist beliefs over nonwhites and non-Jews (Goyim). His move to avoid the Israel Day Parade tells the Zionists that there is nothing they can do for him. Mamdani is not even looking in their direction, unlike bootlicking mayors such as Eric Adams and Bill de Blasio.

 

On Wednesday, May 27th, Mayor Mamdani also participated in the Eid al-Adha prayer. Zohran Mamdani and other assimilators may want us all to believe that it is possible to practice Islam, on some level, and run a government in a kuffar country. But there is no compromise with Islam according to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Mamdani can be as good a practicing Muslim as he can be; however, if he is surrounded by kuffar in a system that operates by kuffar laws, then how stable is his mayoral position? Will Mamdani be a 2-term mayor or a 1-term mayor?

 

The Zionists, greedy billionaire businessmen, capitalists, etc, will work together to make this Mamdani's first and last mayoral term. These people are not above creating campaigns rooted in lies.

 

(Source: NY1.com - Spectrum News)

 

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The Illusion of Political Campaigns - Nothing is as it Seems

 

By Sis. 'Aisha

Jamaat al-Muslimeen New York City

 

There is a political ad with an intro of Al Jolson's "California, Here I Come" tune. It is an anti-Alex Bores political campaign accusing him of being in league with Palantir, which builds prisons overseas, and pro-ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Ironically, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale is a part of the anti-Bores campaign, even though Bores worked there briefly.

 

However, the backstory is that New York Assemblyman Alex Bores is the artificial intelligence industry's public enemy #1 because he has introduced legislation, RAISE Act, regulating artificial intelligence (AI), which AI creators do not like. They have organized a well-funded campaign accusing Bores of immoral acts.

 

Alex Bores and quite a few other mostly Jewish candidates are running to fill former Congressman Jerry Nadler's seat in Manhattan's 12th Congressional District. The 12th Congressional District consists of predominantly wealthy Jewish areas in Manhattan: The Upper East Side and the Upper West Side.

 

Recently, some old anti-Israel social media posts by William Bores, Alex Bores' father, have surfaced. In a few of William Bores' posts, he equated Israeli soldiers to Nazis. It has been said that a candidate's position on Israel determines success or downfall.

 

In response to this pro-Industry super PAC and its anti-Bores campaign, tech billionaire Chris Larsen and Anthropic employees have spent a combined $4.59 million to support Bores. Anthropic created the Claude AI chatbot. There are other Bores supporters, such as Dream NYC and Public First, who are donating millions of dollars to his campaign.

 

Alex Bores' campaign does not seem to be that negative, with many people viewing him as a poster child "for AI safety."

 

(Source: Hoodline.com and NY1.com)

A message from CAIR

 

CAIR Calls on NY Elected Officials to Apologize for Marching with Racists and War Criminals, Repudiate Israel's Genocide The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on New York elected officials who participated in the Israel Day Parade to apologize for marching alongside extremist Israeli officials with records of racist, anti-Palestinian incitement and to publicly repudiate Israel’s genocide in Gaza, among other ongoing crimes against humanity.   SEE: Far-right Israeli Ministers Join Thousands at Israel Day Parade in New York - Haaretz   Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich participated in the annual parade in New York City. He has faced widespread international condemnation for racist rhetoric, support for illegal settlements, and advocacy of genocidal policies targeting Palestinians civilians.   In 2024, CAIR said his call to “annihilate” cities and refugee camps in Gaza was evidence of Israel’s genocidal intent.   In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:   “New York elected officials who chose to march in the Israel Parade alongside genocidal leaders like Bezalel Smotrich and ignore the Israeli government's ongoing crimes against humanity should apologize to their constituents and to all people of conscience.    "Smotrich and other officials who attended this march have enacted racist and violent policies that would be unacceptable from any other public figure. Their participation in a public celebration American soil, and the willingness of American politicians to appear alongside them, helps normalize hatred, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide.   “New York officials who claim to support human rights, racial justice, and religious freedom cannot credibly stand with figures who have openly advocated the dispossession and dehumanization of Palestinians. Every elected official who participated in this event must repudiate Israel’s genocide in Gaza, renounce the racist ideology Smotrich represents, and apologize for validating it.”   CAIR has repeatedly condemned Smotrich’s racist and genocidal actions and rhetoric, most recently condemning his order for Israeli authorities to uproot 3,000 Palestinian trees in the occupied West Bank.   Last week, CAIR’s New York chapter called on public officials in New York City to condemn racist chants at a rally against Mayor Mamdani. READ MORE

CAIR, CAIR-SFBA Condemn Appointment of Racist Venture Capitalist Shaun Maguire to Pentagon Board In a statement, CAIR and CAIR-SFBA said:   “Someone with a history of racist and bigoted remarks has no place advising the Pentagon. Appointing Shaun Maguire to a Defense Department advisory board sends a disturbing message to every American who supports human rights and the First Amendment. The U.S. military, which includes thousands of Muslim service members, should reject anti-Muslim hate, not reward those who promote it with positions of influence and authority.” READ MORE

CAIR in the News Video: CAIR-MN, CAIR LDF File Federal Lawsuit Against DHS, ICE, for Illegal Targeting and Search of Twin Cities Organizer Advocating for ICE Divestment Video: CAIR-Texas Sees Increase in Reports of Anti-Muslim Incidents CAIR: San Diego’s Muslim community looks to healing in wake of mosque attack. ‘We must find a greater love.’ – San Diego Union-Tribune Tazheen Nizam, executive director of the San Diego office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, said the pain might last forever, even as healing beings. “This is such a devastating act of violence that the community went through. This is such a devastating loss. The grieving in the sense of mourning and crying and all that might stop, but the pain is going to be there. And that wound that has been inflicted on us may never heal completely,” she said. That pain has many facets, she added. There is the “front and center” feeling when children return to the school after the holiday and don’t see Amin. The “back of their mind” feeling when they visit the center. The pain that “we were subject to this, and many questions about the reasoning, and what-ifs.” CAIR: Trump adds another controversial Silicon Valley investor to his team – San Francisco Chronicle CAIR: SF Trump-Backing VC Lands Pentagon Tech Gig, Sparks Uproar - Hoodline CAIR: Muslim Groups Criticize Lieutenant Governor for Calling Religion “Demonic Death Cult” – WZDM CAIR: Muslim families look to Arabic immersion education to give their children a foundation in faith and identity - WBEZ

The Arakan Army’s Favourite Foreign Correspondent - Same script, different date by Shafiur Rahman

 The other day I wrote about Rajeev Bhattacharyya’s latest piece in The Diplomat on Htan Shauk Khan/Hoyyar Siri, where he tries to push back against Human Rights Watch’s massacre report. He does so by relying on three interviews conducted inside Arakan Army-controlled territory. My point was simple: “from the ground” is not a magic spell. If the ground is controlled by the armed group accused of the atrocity, then access itself becomes part of the story.

Today I want to look back at an earlier piece he wrote in October 2024, also for The Diplomat, on Buthidaung town after the Arakan Army’s takeover. Reading it now, after his May 2026 article, is revealing. 

The same method is already there - AA-mediated access, constrained or captive sources, heavy emphasis on ARSA and junta culpability, and a steady effort to soften or complicate findings by the UN, Human Rights Watch and satellite investigators.

The October 2024 piece reveals that Rajeev Bhattacharyya has a deeply entrenched, long-standing pattern of carrying water for the Arakan Army. His journalistic playbook hasn’t changed at all - he has simply recycled the exact same propaganda mechanics over a two-year period. Same script, different date.

Here is an analysis of what Rajeev is doing in the 2024 text, and how it completely reinforces my critique of his later work:

The Same Script, Just a Different Date

In his 2026 piece on Htan Shauk Khan, he tried to dismiss a Human Rights Watch report by relying on three controlled interviews. Look at what he did here in 2024: he attempts to undermine a major United Nations (OHCHR) report that accused both the military and the AA of targeted atrocities, intentional burning of Rohingya homes, and sexual violence.

To counter the UN, he uses the exact same trick: he embeds himself with the AA for six days, sits in an environment entirely monitored by them, and uses highly curated interviews to write a piece exonerating the Arakan Army.

Just like in 2026, Rajeev’s primary defence narrative for the AA in 2024 is to shift 100% of the blame for violence onto the junta and Rohingya militants (ARSA).

He quotes “captured” junta officers and “escaped Rohingya recruits” (who surrendered to the AA and are being held in AA custody) claiming they were ordered by the military to burn down Buddhist homes.

He presents testimony from people currently being detained by a rebel army as independent, uncoerced truth. He expects the reader to believe that a captured prisoner or a Rohingya man sitting in an AA-run police station is speaking completely freely.

Absolute Blindness to Retaliatory Arson

When confronted with satellite data and independent analysis from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI). .which explicitly accused the Arakan Army of a “systematic campaign of retaliatory arson” against Rohingya neighbourhoods, Rajeev completely folds.

He interviews a Rohingya man named Husan Ahmed, whose house was torched the exact night the AA entered the town. When Ahmed clearly terrified, says it was “too dark” to see who did it, Rajeev notes that the man was “reeling under fear.”

Yet, instead of concluding that the man is terrified of the AA commanders standing nearby, Rajeev uncritically prints an AA coordinator’s claim that “drones or planes” did it, despite admitting the houses showed signs of being manually torched, not bombed. He then muses that if there were retaliatory attacks by the AA, “the victims have long since fled” - completely missing the irony that he is refusing to interview the refugees who fled because they are outside of the AA’s control.

The Arakan Army as Liberators

The final section of his 2024 piece reads like a direct PR pamphlet for the United League of Arakan (the political wing of the AA). He interviews the AA-appointed chief administrator, Aung Thaung Shwe, allowing him to spin a beautiful narrative about “equal rights,” “material support,” and “village security committees.”

He completely ignores the structural reality of ethnic cleansing, framing the mass displacement of 140,000+ people not as a humanitarian crisis driven by targeted violence, but as an orderly, benevolent “evacuation” managed by the AA to save lives.

Rajeev Bhattacharyya is an embedded reporter with systematic access granted by the Arakan Army. He didn’t just stumble into a bad methodology in 2026; he has spent years acting as the AA’s preferred international megaphone, systematically using small, captive sample sizes inside rebel territory to dismiss the findings of the UN, Human Rights Watch, and satellite forensic investigators.