Once the Prophet ﷺ ascended the pulpit and it was the last gathering in which he took part. He was covering his shoulder with a big cloak and binding his head with an oily bandage. He glorified and praised Allah and said, "O people! Come to me." So the people came and gathered around him and he then said, "Amma ba'du." "From now onward the Ansar will decrease and other people will increase. So anybody who becomes a ruler of the followers of Muhammad and has the power to harm or benefit people then he should accept the good from the benevolent amongst them (Ansar) and overlook the faults of their wrong-doers."  

صَعِدَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ الْمِنْبَرَ وَكَانَ آخِرَ مَجْلِسٍ جَلَسَهُ مُتَعَطِّفًا مِلْحَفَةً عَلَى مَنْكِبَيْهِ قَدْ عَصَبَ رَأْسَهُ بِعِصَابَةٍ دَسِمَةٍ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِلَىَّ فَثَابُوا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ هَذَا الْحَىَّ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ يَقِلُّونَ وَيَكْثُرُ النَّاسُ فَمَنْ وَلِيَ شَيْئًا مِنْ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ فَاسْتَطَاعَ أَنْ يَضُرَّ فِيهِ أَحَدًا أَوْ يَنْفَعَ فِيهِ أَحَدًا فَلْيَقْبَلْ مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ وَيَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْ مُسِيِّهِمْ  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ (in his fatal illness) came out wrapped in a sheet covering his shoulders and his head was tied with an oily tape of cloth till he sat on the pulpit, and after praising and glorifying Allah, he said, "Then-after, O people! The people will go on increasing, but the Ansar will go on decreasing till they become just like salt in a meal. So whoever amongst you will be the ruler and have the power to harm or benefit others, should accept the good of the good-doers amongst them and excuse the wrongdoers amongst them."  

سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ يَقُولُ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَعَلَيْهِ مِلْحَفَةٌ مُتَعَطِّفًا بِهَا عَلَى مَنْكِبَيْهِ وَعَلَيْهِ عِصَابَةٌ دَسْمَاءُ حَتَّى جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يَكْثُرُونَ وَتَقِلُّ الأَنْصَارُ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا كَالْمِلْحِ فِي الطَّعَامِ فَمَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْكُمْ أَمْرًا يَضُرُّ فِيهِ أَحَدًا أَوْ يَنْفَعُهُ فَلْيَقْبَلْ مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ وَيَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ  

[Machine] The prophet ﷺ went out during his illness, with his head wrapped in a cloth, and said, "Indeed, people have increased while the Ansar [the supporters of the Prophet] have decreased until they become like salt in the food. So whoever among you is entrusted with any task, let him accept from the well-doers among them and overlook the wrongdoers."  

خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فِي مَرَضِهِ وَقَدْ عَصَبَ رَأْسَهُ بِخِرْقَةٍ فَقَالَ «إِنَّ النَّاسَ يَكْثُرُونَ وَيَقِلُّ الْأَنْصَارُ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا فِي النَّاسِ مِثْلَ الْمِلْحِ فِي الطَّعَامِ فَمَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْكُمْ عَمَلًا فَلْيَقْبَلْ مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ وَيَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ»  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , ascended the pulpit with a thick bandage wrapped around his head. He praised and extolled Allah, then he said, "Indeed, people are increasing in number while the Ansar (the helpers) are decreasing to the point where they will be like salt in a dish. So whoever among you assumes a position of authority and benefits some people while harming others, let him accept the good deeds of the righteous and overlook the mistakes of others." This was the last sermon that the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , delivered before he passed away.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ صَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ قَدْ عَصَبَ رَأْسَهُ بِعِصَابَةٍ دَسْمَاءَ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ «إِنَّ النَّاسَ يَكْثُرُونَ وَيَقِلُّ الْأَنْصَارُ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا فِي النَّاسِ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْمِلْحِ فِي الطَّعَامِ فَمَنْ وَلِي مِنْكُمْ أَمْرًا يَنْفَعُ قَوْمًا وَيَضُرُّ آخَرِينَ فَلْيَقْبَلْ مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ وَلْيَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ» قَالَ فَكَانَ آخِرَ خُطْبَةٍ خَطَبَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ حَتَّى مَاتَ  

"أما بعدُ، أنها الناسُ فإِن الناسَ يَكْثُرون، وتَقِلُّ الأنصارُ، حتى يَكُونُوا في الناسِ بمنزلةِ المِلح في الطَّعَام فَمن وَلي مِنكم أمْرًا يضُرُّ فيه أحَدًا، أوْ يَنْفَعُ فيه أحدًا فَليَقْبلْ من مُحْسِنِهم، وَيَتَجَاوَزْ عن مسيئهم".  

"جَلَسَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ يَوْمًا عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ عَلَيْهِ ملحَفَةٌ مُتَوَشِّحًا بِهَا، عَاصبًا رَأسَهُ بِعِصَابَة دُهْمًا (* *)، فَحَمدَ الله وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تَكْثُرُونَ، وَتَقِلُّ الأنْصَارُ حَتَّى يَكُون (يَكُونُوا) كَالْمِلحِ فِى الطَّعَامِ، فَمَنْ ولُىَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ شَيْئًا، فَليَقْبَلْ مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ، وَيَتَجَاوَز عَنْ مُسِيئهم".