Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Another hadith with the same meaning is as follows, which is hadith number (4168) in this very book: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah radi Allahu anhu that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came to Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha while she was crying. He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said to her: “What is the matter, are you crying?” She said: The people have become lawful (i.e., completed their rites), but I have not become lawful, and they have performed the circumambulation (tawaf) of the House (Ka‘bah), but I have not been able to perform the circumambulation, and now the days of Hajj have also arrived. He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Indeed, Allah the Exalted has decreed this matter for the daughters of Adam. Now you perform ritual bath (ghusl), enter into the state of ihram for Hajj, and perform Hajj.” Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha says: I did as instructed, then when I became pure from menstruation, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((Perform the circumambulation of the House and between Safa and Marwah, then you will have become lawful from your Hajj and your Umrah.)) She said: O Messenger of Allah! I feel uneasy in my heart regarding my Umrah, that although I had entered into ihram for Umrah, I did not perform the circumambulation until I had performed Hajj. He said: ((So go, O Abdur Rahman! Take your sister to Tan‘eem and let her perform Umrah from there.)) …

“Now you perform the circumambulation of the House and the sa‘i between Safa and Marwah, thus you will become lawful from both Hajj and Umrah.” Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha said: O Messenger of Allah! There is a concern in my heart that although I had entered into ihram for Umrah, I was not able to perform the circumambulation of the House until I had completed Hajj. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Abdur Rahman! Go and take your sister to Tan‘eem so she may perform Umrah.” (Muslim: 1213, see: hadith number 4168)

From this hadith it is evident that when Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha remained in menstruation until the time of departure for Hajj, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam instructed her to begin Hajj Qiran, in which Umrah is also performed. However, when Sayyidah expressed the desire to perform a separate Umrah, and on the other hand, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam saw that performing Umrah after Hajj would further oppose the polytheists, because they considered performing Umrah during the months of Hajj, especially until the end of Dhu al-Hijjah, to be the greatest sin, therefore the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam accepted Sayyidah’s request and provided her the opportunity to perform Umrah. From this, it is also understood that performing such an Umrah is not specific to a menstruating woman. The reason is that some people think that Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha, due to menstruation, annulled her Umrah and entered into ihram only for Hajj, thus she was not able to perform Umrah, and for this reason she sought permission from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to perform Umrah, and he granted her permission. Therefore, they say, this concession is only for women who find themselves in such a situation.

But from this blessed hadith it is clear that this opinion is not correct, because Sayyidah had already performed one Umrah in Hajj Qiran, but considering her desire, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam permitted her to perform a second Umrah. How then can it be established that this concession is only for menstruating women in such a situation, while the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam himself also performed Hajj Qiran? Secondly, after performing Hajj Qiran, the request to perform Umrah was made only by Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha; how can it be established from this that no one else can perform such an Umrah? The purpose of Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha was that she wanted to perform both acts of worship separately and independently, so that she would have to bear more hardship and thus attain greater reward. If all the routes of this incident are gathered, it becomes clear that this incident actually occurred to create an allowance for travelers to perform Umrah, while the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam’s once stating something, once performing an act, or once granting permission for a matter is sufficient for that act to be considered Sunnah.

Note: … When Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha was unable to perform a separate Umrah due to menstruation, she began Hajj Qiran without becoming lawful, as Imam Nawawi said: The statement of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, “Aisha! Leave your Umrah,” does not mean that she completely exited from ihram, because it is not possible that after entering ihram, one intends to exit from both Hajj and Umrah. Rather, the way to become lawful is to complete their performance. The meaning of the Prophet’s statement is that Sayyidah should now leave the acts of Umrah, i.e., tawaf, sa‘i, and cutting the hair (taqsir), and begin the talbiyah for Hajj, thus she would become one performing Hajj Qiran and would perform all the rites of Hajj except for tawaf. When she became pure, she would perform tawaf, and this is exactly what Sayyidah did. (Sharh Muslim by Nawawi: 8/139)