❖ Which Type of Hajj Is Most Virtuous?
Question:Which type of Hajj is most virtuous for us, especially when we have already submitted funds to our representative for the sacrificial animal?
Answer:
There are three types of Hajj. One must understand them clearly to determine which form of Hajj should be performed.
In this form, one enters into Ihram for ʿUmrah only at the Miqat, saying:
"لَبَّيْكَ اَللّٰهُمَّ عُمْرَةً"
Then the Talbiyah is recited. Upon arriving in Makkah, one performs Tawaf of the Ka‘bah, prays two Rak‘ahs near Maqam Ibrahim, performs Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah, cuts the hair, and exits Ihram. Life resumes normally until the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah, when one re-enters Ihram for Hajj and completes all the rites.
In this case, one enters into Ihram for both Hajj and ʿUmrah from the Miqat. Upon reaching Makkah, one performs ʿUmrah but does not exit Ihram. One remains in Ihram until after the rites of Hajj are completed on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah.
Here, the pilgrim enters Ihram only for Hajj, performs Tawaf Qudum and Sa‘i, but does not exit Ihram. The person proceeds to Minā and performs all rites of Hajj while remaining in the same state of Ihram.
All three types of Hajj are authentically established and valid by consensus. The scholarly debate lies in which form is the most virtuous.
Some scholars consider Hajj Qirān superior because it was the type performed by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Others consider Hajj Tamattu‘ superior, as the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) expressed his desire to have performed it.
Those who bring a sacrificial animal may prefer Hajj Qirān, while those who do not bring a sacrificial animal may prefer Hajj Tamattu‘.
Based on sound evidence, Hajj Tamattu‘ is considered the most virtuous. Though the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) performed Hajj Qirān, he expressed regret and said:
“If I had known earlier what I came to know later, I would not have brought the sacrificial animal with me.”
[Sahih Bukhari, Book of Desires: Chapter on the Prophet Saying: If I Had Known, 7229; Abu Dawood 1784]
He commanded the Companions who did not have sacrificial animals to switch from Qirān to Tamattu‘ and to exit Ihram after performing ʿUmrah, as recorded in [Sahih Muslim 1218] and [Bayhaqi 4/338].
Those who mistakenly thought his command was optional and did not exit Ihram were sternly reprimanded by him, as narrated by Sayyidah Aishah (رضي الله عنها) in [Sahih Muslim 8/654, 155; Ibn Khuzaymah 2606; Bayhaqi 5/19; Musnad Ahmad 6/175].
Thus, the Prophet’s wish to perform Hajj Tamattu‘, and his command to those without sacrificial animals to perform ʿUmrah and exit Ihram, indicates that Hajj Tamattu‘ is the superior form, which is also the view of numerous scholars, as mentioned in [Nayl al-Awtar 4/130–131; al-Fath al-Rabbani 11/90–99], and others.
