15/31. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1240a — Umra in the Months of Hajj
It is permissible to perform 'Umrah during the months of Hajj
Umra in the Months of Hajj Hadith
Sahih Muslim : 1240a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1240a
وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا بَهْزٌ، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، - رضى الله عنهما - قَالَ كَانُوا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّ الْعُمْرَةَ فِي أَشْهُرِ الْحَجِّ مِنْ أَفْجَرِ الْفُجُورِ فِي الأَرْضِ وَيَجْعَلُونَ الْمُحَرَّمَ صَفَرً وَيَقُولُونَ إِذَا بَرَأَ الدَّبَرْ وَعَفَا الأَثَرْ وَانْسَلَخَ صَفَرْ حَلَّتِ الْعُمْرَةُ لِمَنِ اعْتَمَرْ . فَقَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَصْحَابُهُ صَبِيحَةَ رَابِعَةٍ مُهِلِّينَ بِالْحَجِّ فَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَجْعَلُوهَا عُمْرَةً فَتَعَاظَمَ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَهُمْ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الْحِلِّ قَالَ " الْحِلُّ كُلُّهُ " .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
They (the Arabs of pre-Islamic days) looked upon Umra during the months of Hajj as the greatest of sins on the earth. So they intercalated the month of Muharram for Safar and said: When the backs of their camels would become all right and traces (if the pilgrims) would be effaced (from the paths) and the month of Safar would be over, then Umra would be permissible for one who wants to perform it.When Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and his Companions came in the state of Ihram for performing Hajj on the fourth (of Dhu'l-Hijja) he (Allah's Apostle) commanded them to change their state of Ihram (from Hajj) to that of 'Umra. It was something inconceivable for them. So they said: Messenger of Allah, is it a complete freedom (of the obligation) of Ihram? Thereupon he said: It is a complete freedom (from Ihram).
[1] That is, changing the name of the month.Reference : Sahih Muslim 1240aIn-book reference : Book 15, Hadith 217USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 7, Hadith 2858
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1240a
This Hadith about Umra in the months of Hajj explains a major change in how the Companions understood the act of Umra. Ibn Abbas says that before Islam, people saw Umra during the Hajj months as a very serious wrong. They delayed it until after Safar and used sayings about camels and travel traces to support that habit. Then Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came with his Companions in Ihram for Hajj on the fourth of Dhu'l-Hijja and commanded them to change their Ihram into Umra. This was difficult for them to imagine, so they asked whether it meant full freedom from Ihram. He answered that it was complete freedom.
What we learn from this hadith
- Old customs can be corrected by the instruction of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).
- The Companions asked when they found a command hard to understand.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) clearly explained that the release from Ihram was complete.
- Umra during the Hajj months is directly mentioned in this report.
