Hajj

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “One umrah to the next is an expiation for what is between them, and the only reward for an accepted Hajj is Paradise.” The hadith is agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

The editor grades it authentic and cites al-Bukhari 1773 and Muslim 1349. The strongest explanation of “accepted” (mabrur) is a Hajj untainted by sin. The editor says this hadith indicates that repeating umrah is recommended, contrary to those who consider it disliked. Allah knows best.

Aisha reported: I said, “Messenger of Allah, is there jihad for women?” He replied: “Yes. They have a jihad that involves no fighting: Hajj and umrah.” Ahmad and Ibn Majah transmitted it; the wording is attributed to Ibn Majah. Its chain is authentic, and its basis is in the Sahih.

The editor grades it authentic and cites Ahmad 6:165 and Ibn Majah 2901. He says it is pointless for al-Hafiz to attribute the wording to Ibn Majah, since Ahmad transmits the same wording, although Ahmad has other versions elsewhere. Its basis is in al-Bukhari, no. 1520: Aisha said, “Messenger of Allah, we consider jihad the best deed. Should we not fight?” He replied, “No. The best jihad is an accepted Hajj.” Another version, al-Bukhari 1761, says: “Rather, the finest and most beautiful jihad is an accepted Hajj.” Al-Bukhari, Ahmad, and others have further wordings, detailed in the original commentary.

Anas reported: Someone asked, “Messenger of Allah, what is the means to undertake the pilgrimage?” He replied: “Provision and a mount.” Al-Daraqutni transmitted it and al-Hakim graded it authentic; the stronger view is that it is mursal.

The editor grades it weak and cites al-Daraqutni 2:216 and al-Hakim 1:442, through Qatadah from Anas, attributed to the Prophet. The editor says this is a mistake. As Ibn Abd al-Hadi states in al-Tanqih, quoting al-Irwa 4:161, the correct chain is Qatadah from al-Hasan, from the Prophet, mursal; attributing it through Anas is an error.

Al-Tirmidhi also transmits it from Ibn Umar; its chain is weak.

The editor grades it very weak and cites al-Tirmidhi 813. Its chain contains an abandoned narrator. The hadith has also been transmitted from several other Companions, but all those routes are too weak to provide support; the original commentary explains this.

Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet met a caravan at al-Rawha and asked, “Who are these people?” They replied, “Muslims.” They asked, “Who are you?” He replied, “The Messenger of Allah.” A woman lifted a child up to him and asked, “Does this child have a Hajj?” He said, “Yes, and you will have a reward.” Muslim transmitted it. The editor grades it authentic, cites Muslim 1336, and notes that al-Rawha is a place thirty-six miles from Medina.

He reported: Al-Fadl ibn Abbas was riding behind the Messenger of Allah. A woman from Khath'am came, and al-Fadl began looking at her as she looked at him. The Prophet kept turning al-Fadl's face the other way. She said, “Messenger of Allah, Allah's obligation of Hajj has come due for my father, who is an elderly man and cannot remain seated on a mount. May I perform Hajj on his behalf?” He replied, “Yes.” This took place during the Farewell Pilgrimage. The hadith is agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim. The editor grades it authentic and cites al-Bukhari 1513 and Muslim 1334.

He reported: A woman from Juhaynah came to the Prophet and said, “My mother vowed to perform Hajj but died before doing so. May I perform it on her behalf?” He replied, “Yes, perform Hajj on her behalf. What do you think: if your mother owed a debt, would you repay it?” She said yes. He said, “Then fulfill what is owed to Allah, for Allah is more deserving that the obligation be fulfilled.” Al-Bukhari transmitted it.

The editor notes that the wording “if” appears in the source text, the Sahih, the printed edition, and the commentary; manuscript A corrupted it to “that.” The editor grades it authentic and cites al-Bukhari, no. 1852.

He reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “Any child who performs Hajj and then reaches puberty must perform another Hajj; and any enslaved person who performs Hajj and is then freed must perform another Hajj.” Ibn Abi Shaybah and al-Bayhaqi transmitted it. Its narrators are reliable, but scholars differed over whether it is attributed to the Prophet; the preserved version stops at the Companion.

The editor grades both the version attributed to the Prophet and the version stopping at the Companion authentic, as al-Hafiz himself did in al-Talkhis 2:220. Al-Bayhaqi transmits it at 4:325 with an addition: “Any Bedouin who performs Hajj and then emigrates must perform another Hajj.” The editor says he did not find the report in the printed edition of al-Musannaf.

He reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah preaching: “No man should be alone with a woman unless a close male relative who is unmarriageable to her is with her, and a woman should not travel without such a close male relative.” A man stood and said, “Messenger of Allah, my wife has set out for Hajj, and I have enlisted for such-and-such military expedition.” He said, “Go and perform Hajj with your wife.” The hadith is agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim; the wording is Muslim's.

The editor grades it authentic and cites al-Bukhari 1862 and Muslim 1341. He refers readers to the first proof in his treatise, Awdah al-Bayan fi Hukm Safar al-Niswan (A Clear Explanation of the Ruling on Women's Travel).

He reported: The Prophet heard a man saying, “At Your service on behalf of Shubrumah.” He asked, “Who is Shubrumah?” The man replied, “A brother of mine, or a relative of mine.” He asked, “Have you performed Hajj for yourself?” The man said, “No.” He said, “Perform Hajj for yourself, then perform Hajj on behalf of Shubrumah.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it. Ibn Hibban graded it authentic; Ahmad's preferred view was that it stops at the Companion.

The editor grades it weak and cites Abu Dawud 1811, Ibn Majah 2903, and Ibn Hibban 962. The report is much disputed, but major hadith scholars—including Ahmad, al-Tahawi, al-Daraqutni, and Ibn Daqiq al-Eid—criticized it. The editor says their position is likely the correct one.

He reported: The Messenger of Allah addressed us and said, “Allah has prescribed Hajj for you.” Al-Aqra ibn Habis stood and asked, “Every year, Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “If I said yes, it would become obligatory. Hajj is once; anything beyond that is voluntary.” The five transmitted it except al-Tirmidhi.

The editor grades it authentic and cites Abu Dawud 1721, al-Nasa'i 5:111, Ibn Majah 2886, and Ahmad 3303 and 3510. Al-Hafiz paraphrased the report. Ahmad adds in one version: “If it had become obligatory, you would not have listened or obeyed.” Al-Nasa'i's wording is: “Then you would not listen to me or obey.”

Its basis is in a report from Abu Hurayrah in Muslim.

The editor grades it authentic and cites Muslim 1337. Abu Hurayrah reported: The Messenger of Allah addressed us and said, “People, Allah has prescribed Hajj for you, so perform Hajj.” A man asked, “Every year, Messenger of Allah?” He remained silent until the man had asked three times. The Messenger of Allah then said, “If I had said yes, it would have become obligatory, and you would not have been able to do it.” He continued: “Leave me as long as I leave you. Those before you were destroyed by asking too many questions and disagreeing with their prophets. When I command you to do something, do as much of it as you can; and when I forbid you from something, leave it.”

Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet designated Dhul-Hulayfah for the people of Medina, al-Juhfah for the people of Syria, Qarn al-Manazil for the people of Najd, and Yalamlam for the people of Yemen. These are their miqats and the miqats of others who pass through them intending Hajj or umrah. Whoever lives closer than these places begins from where he sets out, and the people of Mecca begin from Mecca. The hadith is agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim. The editor grades it authentic and cites al-Bukhari 1524 and Muslim 1181.

Aisha reported that the Prophet designated Dhat Irq for the people of Iraq. Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i transmitted it.

The editor grades it authentic and cites Abu Dawud 1739 and al-Nasa'i 5:125. The wording is Abu Dawud's. Al-Nasa'i's wording is: The Messenger of Allah designated Dhul-Hulayfah for the people of Medina; al-Juhfah for the people of Syria and Egypt; Dhat Irq for the people of Iraq; Qarn for the people of Najd; and Yalamlam for the people of Yemen. The editor says that although this report was criticized, corroborating reports authenticate it, including the following hadith.

Its basis is in a report from Jabir in Muslim, although its transmitter was uncertain whether it was attributed to the Prophet.

The editor grades it authentic and cites Muslim 1183. Abu al-Zubayr reported that he heard Jabir ibn Abdullah being asked about the places where pilgrims enter ihram. Jabir said: I heard—and I think he attributed it to the Prophet—say: “The miqat for the people of Medina is Dhul-Hulayfah; for those coming by the other route, al-Juhfah; for the people of Iraq, Dhat Irq; for the people of Najd, Qarn; and for the people of Yemen, Yalamlam.” The editor notes that other routes do not contain the uncertainty found in Muslim's version, including a sound chain in al-Bayhaqi 5:27. Thus al-Hafiz said in Fath al-Bari 3:390: “The hadith is strengthened by all its routes together.”

Al-Bukhari reports: Umar was the one who designated Dhat Irq.

The editor grades it authentic and cites al-Bukhari 1531, from Ibn Umar: When these two garrison cities were conquered, their people came to Umar and said, “Commander of the faithful, the Messenger of Allah designated Qarn for the people of Najd, but it lies off our route. If we go to Qarn, it will be difficult for us.” Umar replied, “Then identify a place opposite it along your route,” and he designated Dhat Irq for them. The editor explains that the two cities were Kufa and Basra. Dhat Irq was named for an irq there, a small mountain.

Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and al-Tirmidhi transmit from Ibn Abbas that the Prophet designated al-Aqiq for the people of the East.

The editor grades it weak and cites Ahmad 3205, Abu Dawud 1740, and al-Tirmidhi 832, through Yazid ibn Abi Ziyad, from Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdullah ibn Abbas, from his grandfather. Al-Tirmidhi called it hasan. The editor disagrees: Yazid is weak, and the chain is interrupted because Muhammad ibn Ali did not hear from his grandfather, as Muslim and Ibn al-Qattan said. Shaykh Ahmad Shakir authenticated the report and responded to both flaws, but the editor finds his answers unconvincing.

Aisha reported: We set out with the Prophet in the year of the Farewell Pilgrimage. Some of us entered ihram for umrah, some for Hajj and umrah together, and some for Hajj alone. The Messenger of Allah entered ihram for Hajj. Those who had entered ihram for umrah completed it and left ihram; those who had entered ihram for Hajj or combined Hajj and umrah did not leave ihram until the Day of Sacrifice. The hadith is agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim; the wording is Muslim's. The editor grades it authentic and cites al-Bukhari 1562 and Muslim 1211 (118).