Mishkat al-Masabih

Chapter 29: The Sermon on the day of Sacrifice, throwing Pebbles on the tashriq days, and taking Farewell of the Ka`ba - Section 1

Abu Bakra said that the Prophet gave them the following sermon on the day of sacrifice

“Time has completed a cycle to the form of the day when God created the heavens and the earth. The year contains twelve months of which four are sacred, three of them consecutive, viz. Dhul Qa'da, Dhul Hijja. and Muharram, and also Rajab of Mudar which comes between Jumada and Sha'ban.”( The month Rajab is here connected with the North Arabian tribe of Mudar because they are said to have honoured it greatly and never to have broken its sacred nature. The precise reference to its place among the months is said’to be for the purpose of removing any doubt about it owing to the earlier practice of periodically intercalating a month) He asked, “What month is this?" and when the people replied that God and His messenger knew best, he remained silent so that they thought he would give it a new name, but he said, “Is it not Dhul Hijja?" and they replied that it was. He asked, “What town is this?" and when the people replied that God and His apostle knew best, he remained silent so that they thought he would give it a new name, but he said, “Is it not al-Balda?”( This word occurs a number of times in the Qur’an in the general sense of a district, but in 27, 91 it is used particularly of Mecca which is there called “this district (balda)". In the tradition the word seems to be used as if it were a proper name) and they replied that it was. He asked, “What day is this?” and when the people replied that God and His messenger knew best, he remained silent so that they thought he would give it a new name, but he said, “Is it not the day of sacrifice?" and they replied that it was. He said, “Your lives, property and honour must be regarded by you with a sacredness like that of this day of yours in this town of yours in this month of yours. You will meet your Lord, and He will ask you about your deeds. O, do not revert after my death to being people who are astray, beheading one another. Have I delivered the message ?" When they replied that he had he said, “O God, testify ; and let him who is present convey it to him who is absent, for many a one to whom a message is conveyed has a more retentive memory than the one who hears.” Bukhari and Muslim.

Wabara said he asked Ibn ‘Umar when he should throw pebbles at the jamras, to which he replied, “Throw them when your imam does so.” He repeated the question and received the reply, “We used to wait for the proper time, and when the sun passed the meridian we threw them.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Salim told that Ibn ‘Umar used to throw seven pebbles at the nearest1 jamra, saying “God is most great” after throwing each one. He would then go forward into the interior of the valley and after standing facing the qibla for a long time, making supplication and raising his hands, he would throw seven pebbles at the middle one, saying “God is most great” as often as he threw a pebble. He would then turn to the left and go farther into the valley, and after facing the qibla, making supplication, raising his hands and standing for a long time, he would throw seven pebbles at the jamra of the ‘Aqaba from the bottom of the wadi, saying “God is most great” each time be threw a pebble, but he did not stand beside it. Then he would depart and say, “This is how I saw the Prophet do it.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that al-‘Abbas b. ‘Abd al-Muttalib asked permission from God’s messenger to spend in Mecca the nights which were spent at Mina on account of his office of supplying water, and he gave him permission.Bukhari and Muslim.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that when God’s messenger came to the place for supplying water and asked for some, al-‘Abbas said, “Goto your mother, Fadl, and bring God’s messenger something to drink from her.” He asked again for water, and he said, “Messenger of God, they are putting their hands in it.” He asked once more and drank some of it. He then went to Zamzam where they were exerting themselves in supplying water and said, “Go ahead, for you are engaged in a good work.” Then pointing to his shoulder he said, “Were it not that you would be overpowered, I would go down and put the rope on this.” (This means that if the Prophet were seen drawing water from Zamzam himself others would think they had the right to do the same, and chose who had the office of drawing water would lose their privilege)Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas said that the Prophet prayed the noon, afternoon, sunset and evening prayer, after which he had a sleep, in al-Muhassab. (The valley opening on al-Abtah between Mecca and Mina ; so called because of the pebbles in it) He then rode to the House and performed the circumambulation.Bukhari transmitted it.

‘Abd al-‘AzIz b. Rufai' said he asked Anas b. Malik to tell him something he knew about God's messenger, viz. where he prayed the noon prayer on yaum at-tarwiya, and he replied that it was in Mina. He asked where he had prayed the afternoon prayer on yaum an-nafr,( There are two days with this name, the first being the 12th of Dhul Hijja and the second the following day. The second of these is said to be the one referred to here) and he replied that it was in al-Abtah.(The part of the wadi of Mecca with small pebbles) He then said, “Do as your commanders do.” Bukhari and Muslim.

‘A’isha said that stopping at al-Abtah was not a sunna ; God’s messenger stopped there simply because it was easier for him to depart from when he left.Bukhari and Muslim.

She said

I put on the ihram at at-Tan‘im for an ’umra , then entered and performed my ’umra . God’s messenger waited for me in al-Abtah till I had finished, then ordered the people to move on. He set out, and when passing the House he performed the circumambulation before the morning prayer, then went off to Medina. I did not find this tradition in what the two shaikhs transmitted, but in Abu Dawud’s version, with a slight difference at the end.

Ibn ‘Abbas told that the people were departing in all directions, so God’s messenger said, “None of you must go off till his obligations at the House are complete, except that this is remitted for a woman who is in her courses.” Bukhari and Muslim.

‘A’isha told that Safiya began to menstruate on the night before yaum an-nafr and said, “It looks as if I shall detain you;” whereupon the Prophet said, “How unlucky and annoying you are!” He asked whether she had performed the circumambulation on the day of sacrifice, and on being informed that she had, he told her to set off. Bukhari and Muslim.

Chapter 30: The Sermon on the day of Sacrifice, throwing Pebbles on the tashriq days, and taking Farewell of the Ka`ba - Section 2

‘Amr b. al-Ahwas said he heard God’s messenger ask at the Farewell Pilgrimage, “What day is this?” and receive the reply that it was the day of the greatest pilgrimage. He then said, “Your lives, property and honour must be regarded by you with a sacredness like that of this day of yours in this town of yours. No wrongdoer must do wrong to himself,( This phrase has given rise to different explanations. Mirqat, 3, 250 prefers the one which says that this is a command not to wrong one another As this is a cause of wrongdoing to oneself the command has been worded in this manner) no wrongdoer must do wrong to his child, nor any child to his parent. The devil has despaired of ever being worshipped in this town of yours, but he will receive obedience in your actions which you consider of little importance and will be satisfied with that.”Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying that it is sahih.

Rafi‘ b. ‘Amr al-Muzani said

I saw God’s messenger on a greyish she-mule addressing the people at Mina in the forenoon, while ‘Ali was repeating (He was repeating this for the benefit of those who were too far away to hear the Prophet) what he said, and some of the people were standing and others sitting. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘A’isha and Ibn ‘Abbas said that on the day of sacrifice God's messenger postponed the circumambulation of the visit till night. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet did not run in the seven circuits he made when he returned to Mecca. (This refers to the circuits at the visit from Mina to Mecca. Mirqat, iii, 251 says it was because the running between as-Safa and al-Marwa was performed first.)Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘A’isha reported the Prophet as saying, “When any of you throws pebbles at the jamra of the ‘Aqaba every thing but women becomes lawful for him.” It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna with the remark that its isnad is weak. In the version of Ahmad and Nasa’i on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas he said, “When one throws pebbles at the jamra everything but women becomes lawful for him.”

She said that God’s messenger hastened to Mecca at the ending of the day when he prayed the noon prayer. He then returned to Mina and remained there over the nights of the. tashriq days. (The 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul Hijja. The name tashriq is explained as a reference to pieces the flesh of the sacrifices which pilgrims dry in the sun) He would throw pebbles at the jamra when the sun passed the meridian, throwing seven at each jamra and saying “God is most Great” with each pebble. He would stand a long time at the first and second and make supplication, but while he threw pebbles at the third, he did not stand beside it. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abul Baddah b. ‘Asim b. ‘Adi said on his father’s authority that God’s messenger gave licence to herdsmen of camels not to pass the night at Mina and throw pebbles on the day of sacrifice, then combine two days’ throwing after the day of sacrifice and throw the pebbles on one of them. Malik, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a sahih tradition.

Chapter 31: What one who is in the Sacred State must avoid - Section 1

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar told that when a man asked God’s messenger what clothing one who was on pilgrimage should wear, he said, “Do not wear shirts, turbans, trousers, garments with head coverings, or shoes, unless one cannot get sandals and wears shoes, in which case he must cut them to come below the ankles; and you must not wear clothing which has any dye of saffron or wars (A plant of a yellow colour in the Yemen, like sesame. The word is also used for the colouring matter which is shaken out when the dower opens) Bukhari and Muslim. Bukhari added in a version, “A woman who is on pilgrimage must not be veiled, or wear gloves.”

Ibn ‘Abbas told of hearing God’s messenger saying in the course of an address, “When one who is on pilgrimage cannot get sandals he may wear shoes, and when he cannot get a lower garment he may wear trousers,” Bukhari and Muslim.