The Rites of Pilgrimage

كتاب المناسك

Chapter 4: The ihram and the talbiya - Section 1

Ibn ‘Umar said that at the Farewell Pilgrimage God’s messenger performed the ‘umra first and the hajj later (The phrase used is tamata'a bil-’umra ilal-hajj which indicates gaining the advantage of the ‘umra and waiting till the time for the hajj comes without requiring to wear the ihram during the intervening period. It is a difficult phrase to translate, and therefore one can only indicate its general meaning in a translation), raising his voice in the talbiya first for the 'umra and afterwards for the hajj. Bukhari and Muslim.

Chapter 5: The ihram and the talbiya - Section 2

Zaid b. Thabit said he saw the Prophet strip to put on his ihram, and bathe. Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that the Prophet matted his hair with ghisl (A lotion made of marsh-mallows, or lotus leaves, or fuller’s earth, or potash with water). Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Khallad b. as-Sa’ib on his father’s authority reported God’s messenger as saying, “Gabriel came to me and commanded me to order my companions to raise their voices in the talbiya.” (The tradition ends by saying they were to raise their voices bil-ihlal au at-talbiya. These are alternative words meaning the same thing, and therefore I have not given any alternative in the translation)Malik, Tirmidhi, Abd Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Sahl b. Sa‘d reported God’s messenger as saying, “No Muslim raises his voice in the talbiya without all on his right and left’, stones, or trees, or clods, doing the same till the earth is traversed on both sides,” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that God’s messenger used to perform two rak’as in Dhul Hulaifa, then when the she-camel stood up with him on its back at the mosque of Dhul Hulaifa, he shouted these words, saying, “Lubbaik, O God, labbaik labbaik wa-sa‘daik ('Always ready to obey.’) ; good is in Thy hands; labbaik; desire and action are directed towards Thee. (Bukhari and Muslim, the wording being Muslim's.) (It is strange to find a tradition from Bukhari and Muslim in section (b). The author has explained in his introduction that section (a) is confined to Bukhari and Muslim and section (b) to other authorities)

‘Umara b. Khuzaima b. Thabit said on his father's authority that when the Prophet finished his talbiya, he asked God for His good pleasure and for paradise, and asked Him to preserve him in His mercy from hell. Shafi'i transmitted it.

Chapter 6: The ihram and the talbiya - Section 3

Jabir said that when God’s messenger intended to perform the pilgrimage he made proclamation among the people and they assembled. Then when he came to al-Baida’ (a place near Dhul Hulaifa) he put on the ihram. Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that the polytheists used to say, “Labbaik, Thou hast no partner," whereupon God’s messenger would say, “Woe to you ! Enough, enough; [do not add] ‘except a partner who is Thine whom Thou possessest', when He possesses none.” They used to say this when they were going round the House. Muslim transmitted it.

Chapter 7: The Narrative of the Farewell Pilgrimage - Section 1

Jabir b. ‘Abdallah said

God’s messenger remained in Medina nine years, during which he had not performed the hajj, then made a public announcement in the tenth year to the effect that God’s messenger was about to perform the hajj. Large numbers came to Medina, and we went out with him. When we reached Dhul Hulaifa, Asma’ daughter of ‘Umais, gave birth to Muhammad b. Abu Bakr and sent to God’s messenger asking what she was to do. He replied, “Bathe, bandage your private parts with a cloth, and put on the ihram.” God’s messenger then prayed in the mosque, and after he had mounted al-Qaswa' and his she-camel stood erect with him on its back at al-Baida’, he raised his voice declaring God’s unity and saying, “Labbaik, O God, labbaik labbaik; Thou hast no partner; labbaik; praise and grace are Thine and the dominion; Thou hast no partner.” Jabir said : We did not express our intention of performing anything but the hajj, being unaware of the ‘umra [at that season], but when we came with him to the House he touched the corner and made seven circuits, running three of them and walking four. Then going forward to the station of Abraham, he recited, “And take the station of Abraham as a place of prayer.” (Qur’an 2:125)He then prayed two 'rak'as, having the station between him and the House. A version says that he recited in the two rak'as,. “Say, He is God, One,” and, “Say, O infidels.” (Qur’an 112, and 109) He then returned to the corner and touched it, after which he went out by the gate to as-Safa, on coming near to which he recited. “As-Safa and al-Marwa are among the signs appointed by God,” (Qur’an 2:158) adding, “I begin with what God began with.” So he went first to as-Safa, and mounting it till he could see the House, he faced the qibla, declared God's unity, proclaimed His greatness, and said, “There is no god but God alone who has no partner; to Him belongs the dominion, to Him praise is due, and He is omnipotent; there is no god but God alone who alone has fulfilled His promise, helped His servant and routed the confederates." He then made supplication in the course of that, saying such words three times. He next descended and walked towards al-Marwa, and when his feet came down into the bottom of the valley he ran, and when he began to ascend he walked till he reached al-Marwa. There he did as he had done at as-Safa, and when he came to al-Marwa for the last time, he called out, he being on al-Marwa and the people below him, saying, “If I had known before what I have come to know afterwards regarding my religion, I would not have brought sacrificial animals but made it an 'umra ; so if any of you has no sacrificial animals he,may take off the ihram and treat it as an ‘umra. Suraqa b. Malik b.Jush'um then got up and asked, “Messenger of God, does this apply to the present year, or does it apply for ever?" God’s messenger intertwined his fingers and said twice, “The ‘umra has become incorporated in the hajj," adding “No, but for ever and ever." ‘Ali came from the Yemen with the Prophet’s sacrificial animals and he asked him what he had said when he undertook the duty of performing the hajj. He replied that he had said, “0 God, I am putting on the ihram for the same purpose as Thy messenger has put it on." He said, “I have with me the sacrificial animals, so do not put off the ihram.” [Jabir] said: The total of those sacrificial animals brought by ‘Ali from the Yemen and of those brought by the Prophet was a hundred. Then all the people, except the Prophet and those who had with them sacrificial animals, removed the ihram and clipped their hair. When yaum at-tarwiya (The 8th of Dhul Hijja, the day when pilgrims leave Mecca and go to Mina. The name is commonly explained as meaning that this was the day when the pilgrims provided themselves with a supply of water for the arid journey before them) came they went towards Mina having put on the ihram for the hajj, and the Prophet rode and prayed there the noon, afternoon, sunset, evening and dawn prayers. After that he waited a little till the sun rose, and gave orders for a tent of hair to be set up for him at Namira (A place or a hill near ‘Arafa). God’s messenger then set out, and Quraish did not doubt that he would observe a halt at the sacred site (At al-Muzdalifa, al-Mash'ar al-haram, a hill sacred to the god Ouzah in pre-lslamic times), as Quraish used to do in the pre-Islamic period ; but he passed on till he came to ‘Arafa and found that the tent had been set up for him at Namira. There he dismounted, and when the sun had passed the meridian he ordered al- Qaswa’ to be brought, and when it was saddled for him he went down into the valley and addressed the people, saying, “Your lives and your property must be respected by one another like the sacredness of this day of yours in this month of yours in this town of yours. Everything pertaining to the pre-Islamic period has been put under my feet, and claims for blood-vengeance belonging to the pre-lslamic period have been abolished. The first of those murdered among us whose blood-vengeance I remit is the son of Rabi'a b. al-Harith (Rabi’a was a grandson of 'Abd al-Muttalib. The name of the child who had been killed is variously given as Adam, Tammam and Iyas. Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr says Adam is a mistake, but does not commit himself to either of the other two names) who was suckled among the B. Sa'd and killed by Hudhail. The usury of the pre-Islamic period is abolished, and the first of our usury I abolish is that of ‘Abbas b. ‘Abd al-Muttalib, for it is all abolished. Show fear towards God regarding women, for you have got them under God’s security, and have the right to intercourse with them by God's word. They must not bring into your houses anyone whom you dislike, but if they do that beat them, though not severely. You are responsible for providing them with their food and clothing in a fitting manner. I have left among you something, i.e. God’s Book, by which, if you hold to it, you will never again go astray. You will be asked about me, so what will you say?" They replied, “We testify that you have conveyed and fulfilled the message and given counsel. ” Then raising his forefinger towards the sky and pointing it at the people, he said, “O God, be witness ; O God, be witness,” saying it three times. Bilal then uttered the call to prayer, and the iqama, and he prayed the noon prayer; he then uttered the iqama and he prayed the afternoon prayer, engaging in no prayer between the two. He then mounted his camel and came to the place of standing, making his she-camel al-Qaswa’ turn its back to the rocks and having the path taken by those who went on foot (The Arabic is Habl al-mushat, which is variously explained as above, or as ‘the concourse of horse on foot', or as the name of a place.) in front of him. He faced the qibla and remained standing till sunset when the yellow light had somewhat gone and the disc of the sun had disappeared. He took Usama up behind him and went quickly till he came to al-Muzdalifa, where he prayed the sunset and the evening prayer with one adhan and two iqamas without saying ‘Glory be to God' between them. He then lay down till dawn and prayed the dawn prayer with an adhan and an iqama when the morning light was clear. He then mounted al-Qaswa’ and when he came to the sacred site he faced the qibla, supplicated God, declared His greatness, His uniqueness and His unity, and kept standing till the daylight was very clear. He then went quickly before the sun rose, taking al-Fadl b. ‘Abbas behind him, and came to the valley of Muhassir (Between al-Muzdalifa and Mini). He urged the camel a little and following the middle road which comes out at the greatest jamra (Jamra, originally a pebble, is applied to a heap of stones, of which there are three in the valley of Mina. One of the rites of the hajj is to throw small stones at them), he came to the jamra which is beside the tree. At this he threw seven small pebbles (Literally, 'pebbles that are thrown’: used to indicate small pebbles about the size of a date-stone), saying “God is most great” each time he threw a pebble. He threw them from the bottom of the valley, then went to the place of sacrifice and sacrificed sixty-three victims with his own hand. Then he gave some to ‘Ali who sacrificed the remainder, and he shared with him in his sacrificial animals. After that he ordered that a piece of flesh from each victim should be put in a pot, and when it was cooked the two of them ate some of it and drank some of its broth. Then God’s messenger mounted, and going quickly to the House, prayed the noon prayer in Mecca. He came to the B. ‘Abd al-Muttalib who were supplying water at Zamzam and said, “Draw water, B. ‘Abd al-Muttalib. Were it not that people would take from you the right to draw water, I would draw it along with you.” So they handed him a bucket and he drank from it. Muslim transmitted it.

‘A'isha said

We went out with the Prophet at the Farewell Pilgrimage, some of us raising our voices in the talbiya for an ‘umra and others for a hajj. When we came to Mecca God s messenger said, “Those who have raised their voices in the talbiya for an ‘umra and have not brought sacrificial animals may put off the ihram, but those who have put on the ihram for an 'umra and brought sacrificial animals must raise their voices in the talbiya for the hajj along with the ’umra, and not put it off till they do so after performing them both ; (a version has “and not put it off till they do so after sacrificing their animals”) and those who have raised their voices in the talbiya for a hajj must complete their hajj." She said: I menstruated, and did not go round the House or run between as-Safa and al-Marwa, and I continued in my courses till the day of ‘Arafa. I had raised my voice in the talbiya only for an ’umra, but the Prophet ordered me to undo my hair, comb it, raise my voice in the talbiya for the hajj, and let the ‘umra go, which I did, and performed my hajj. He sent ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Abu Bakr along with me and ordered me to make an ‘umra in place of the one I had missed from at-Tan‘im. She said: Those who had raised their voices in the talbiya for the ‘umra put off the ihram after making the circuit of the House and running between as-Safa and al-Marwa, then made a circuit after they returned from Mina, but those who combined the hajj and the ‘umra made only one circuit. (Bukharl and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar said

At the Farewell Pilgrimage God’s messenger put on the ihram first for the 'umra and afterwards for the hajj, and drove the sacrificial animals along with him from Dhul Hulaifa. He first raised his voice in the talbiya for the ‘umra and afterwards he did so for the hajj, and the people along with the Prophet did it first for the ‘umra and afterwards for the hajj. Some of the people had brought sacrificial animals and others had not, so when the Prophet came to Mecca he said to the people, “Those of you who have brought sacrificial animals must not treat as lawful anything which has become unlawful for you till you complete your hajj ; but those of you who have not brought sacrificial animals should go round the House and between as-Safa and al-Marwa, clip your hair, put off the ihram, and afterwards raise your voice in the talbiya for the hajj and bring sacrificial animals. Those who cannot get sacrificial animals should fast three days during the hajj and seven days when they return to their families.” He performed the circumambulation when he came to Mecca, first touching the corner (The corner of the Ka'ba containing the Black Stone), then running during three circuits and walking during four, and when he had finished his circumambulation of the House he prayed two rak'as at the Station (Maqam Ibrahim), then giving the salutation, and departing, he went to as-Safa and went seven times between as-Safa and al-Marwa. After that he did not treat anything as lawful which had become unlawful for him till he had completed his hajj, sacrificed his animals on the day of sacrifice, gone quickly and performed the circumambulation of the House, after which all that had been unlawful became lawful for him. Those people who had brought sacrificial animals did as God’s messenger did. (Bukharl and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “This is an ‘umra which we have treated as a complete observance, so those who have no sacrificial animals may come completely out of the sacred state, for the ‘umra has become incorporated in the hajj till the day of resurrection." Muslim transmitted it.

Chapter 8: The Narrative of the Farewell Pilgrimage - Section 3

‘Ata’ said that he and some people along with him heard Jabir b. ‘Abdallah say, “We, Muhammad’s companions, raised our voices in the talbiya for the hajj alone." ‘Ata’ reported Jabir as saying

The Prophet came on the fourth of Dhul Hijja and commanded us to put off the ihram, saying (as reported by ‘Ata’), “Come out of the sacred state and have intercourse with your wives." Ata’ explained that this was not by way of making intercourse obligatory, but by way of making it lawful. As it was only five days before they were due at ‘Arafa, they said he had ordered them to go in to their wives and so they would come to ‘Arafa with their penises dripping with prostatic fluid. He said that Jabir made a gesture, moving his hand, and he could still imagine himself looking at him (Perhaps the gesture was meant to indicate that they could have shaken off the fluid). The Prophet then got up among them and said, “You know that I am the most godfearing, truthful and pious one among you. Were it not that I have sacrificial animals I would have removed the ihram as you are doing, and had I known beforehand about my affair what I have come to know later I would not have brought sacrificial animals ; so remove the ihram.'’ They did so, hearing and obeying. ‘Ata’ quoted Jabir as saying that ‘Ali arrived after his expedition to collect the poor rate and he asked him for what he had raised his voice in the talbiya. He replied that he had done it for the same purpose as the Prophet, so God's messenger said to him, “Bring the sacrificial animals and remain in the sacred state.” He said that ‘Ali brought sacrificial animals for him and that Suraqa b. Malik b. Jush'um asked God’s messenger whether this applied to that particular year or, forever, to which he replied that it was applicable forever. Muslim transmitted it.

‘A’isha said

God’s messenger came on the fourth or fifth of Dhul Hijja and came to visit me in a state of anger. I said, “Who has angered you, messenger of God? May God send him to hell!” He replied, “Are you not aware that I gave the people a command, yet they are confused? If I had known beforehand about my affair what I have come to know later, I would not have brought the sacrificial animals with me, but would have waited to buy some, and then I could have put off the ihram as they have done.” Muslim transmitted it.

Chapter 9: Entering Mecca and the Circumambulation - Section 1

Nafi' said that it was Ibn ‘Umar’s habit not to come to Mecca without spending the night at Dhu Tuwa (A place near Mecca), after which he would bathe and pray, then enter Mecca in the daytime. When he left it he went by Way of Dhu Tuwa where he would stay overnight till the morning. He used to say that the Prophet was accustomed to do that. Bukhari and Muslim.

‘A’isha said that when the Prophet came to Mecca he entered it at the upper end and went out at the lower. Bukhari and Muslim.

‘Urwa b. az-Zubair said

The Prophet has performed the hajj, and ‘A’isha told me that the first thing he did when he came to Mecca was to perform ablution, then go round the House, but an ‘umra was not observed. Then Abu Bakr performed the hajj and the first thing he did was to go round the House, but an ‘umra was not observed. Then ‘Umar and afterwards ‘Uthman did similarly. Bukhari and Muslim.

Ibn ‘Umar said that when God’s messenger observed the circumambulation at the hajj or the ‘umra immediately on his arrival, he ran three circuits and walked four, then after making two prostrations he would go between as-Safa and al-Marwa. Bukhari and Muslim.

He said that God’s messenger ran three circuits beginning at the stone and walked four, and he ran in the bottom of the channel when he went between as-Safa and al-Marwa. Muslim transmitted it.