|
The
Prophet Performs `Umrah |
Prof.
Muhammad Al-Musayyar – Al-Azhar University
 According
to Imam Muslim in his Sahih, Anas, may Allah be pleased with him,
stated that Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him,
performed four `Umrahs, all during the month of Dhul-Qi`dah except
the one he performed along with Hajj (and these are) the `Umrah
that he performed from Al-Hudaibiyah or during the time of (the
truce of) Hudaibiyah in the month of Dhul-Qi`dah then the `Umrah of
the next year in the month of Dhul-Qi`dah, then the `Umrah for
which he had started from Ji`ranah, the place where he distributed
the spoils of (the battle of) Hunain in the month of Dhul-Qi`dah,
and then the `Umrah that he performed along with his Hajj (on the
occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage).
The
First `Umrah: According to this narration, Anas, may Allah
be pleased with him, counted the `Umrahs performed by Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, as four on the basis
that the `Umrah of Hudaibiyah (that was performed during the time
of the truce of Al-Hudaibiyah) in which the disbelievers prevented
Muslims from proceeding to perform it has been counted. That is
because the Prophet and the Muslims had intended to perform `Umrah,
then they were prevented from fulfilling it and as a result they
dissolved their Ihram (i.e. a state of ritual consecration).
The
Second `Umrah: Scholars have called it `Umrah of Qada’
(compensation) or `Umrah of Qisas (retaliation). The first name was
due to being as a compensation for the `Umrah of Al-Hudaibiyah. The
second name was due to considering it as retaliation for the
prevention of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his
Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, from performing `Umrah
of Al-Hudaibiyah. In this regard, Allah, Most High, says,
[The
forbidden month for the forbidden month, and forbidden things in
retaliation…] (Al-Baqarah: 194)
This
situation had been ever witnessed especially when the Prophet,
peace and blessings be upon him, along with the Muslims entered
Makkah after seven years. Men, women and children (of Makkah) had
crowded in order to see this leader Prophet surrounded by Al-Muhajirin
(those who emigrated along with the Prophet from Makkah to Madinah)
and Al-Ansar (Muslims of Yathrib who helped the Prophet and Al-Muhajirin
after Hijrah). At that very moment, this gathering had provoked
envy, hatred and anger of some chiefs of disbelief. They, thereby,
had vacated the whole hollow of Makkah and withdrew to the peaks of
the surrounding hills in order not to see this venerable situation.
Added to this, some enemies of Islam had spread false rumors
regarding the conditions of the Muslims and alleged that they (the
disbelievers of Quraish) were afflicted with the fever of Yathrib
and they, thereby, were inflicted by emaciation and frailty.
At
the entrance to the Mosque the Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings be upon him, put on his cloak, passing it under his right
arm, leaving the right shoulder bare and then said, “May Allah
show mercy to one (a Muslim) who shows them (the enemies of Allah)
his full strength.” He, afterwards, walked to the south-east
corner of the Ka`bah (known as Ar-Rukn Al-Yamani) and reverently
touched the Black Stone. He, then, made along with his Companions
the seven circumambulation rounds around the House, after which he
withdrew to the foot of the little hill of Safa, and passed to and
fro between it and the hill of Marwah.
The
Third `Umrah: `Umrah of Ji`ranah in Dhul-Qi`dah 8 AH. After the
Conquest of Makkah in the month of Ramadan, (the tribe of) Hawazin
recruited a huge army for taking the initiative and waging war
against the Muslims and corrupting the resounding victory that
crowned their Jihad.
According
to books of the Prophetic Sirah (Biography of Prophet Muhammad),
this day was called the Day of Hunain whose story is well-known in
the Glorious Qur’an and the Sunnah. Allah, Glorified and Exalted
be He, says regarding that day,
[Assuredly
Allah did help you in many battlefields and on the day of Hunain:
behold your great numbers elated you, but they availed you naught:
the land, for all that it is wide, did constrain you, and ye turned
back in retreat. But Allah did pour His calm on the Messenger and
on the believers, and sent down forces which ye saw not: He
punished the unbelievers: thus doth He reward those without Faith.]
(At-Tawbah: 25-26)
During
that battle, Muslims gained many spoils of war. When the
disbelievers were vanquished, they escaped to At-Ta’if and some
of them encamped at Awtas. The Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings be upon him, marched to them and besieged them. Then, he
continued his blessed march to At-Ta’if and took part in fighting
along with the Companions. After the advent of Islam, people of At-Ta’if
were the first to hurl missiles (such as large stones or spears)
through catapult. During his return, he encamped at Ji`ranah where
he distributed captives and the spoils of war among the Mujahidin
(Muslims who engage in fighting for the sake of Allah). Then, the
Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, set out from Al-Ji`ranah
by night for Makkah to perform `Umrah. On performing the rites of `Umrah,
he returned immediately to Al-Ji`ranah to be among his Companions
when they woke up. Therefore, this `Umrah was not well known for
most people to the extent that Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with
him, denied it.
The
Fourth `Umrah: The `Umrah that he performed along with his
Hajj (on the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage).
Interestingly
enough, we notice that all the four `Umrahs performed by the
Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, were during the month of
Dhul Qi`dah even the one he had performed along with Hajj (on the
occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage). For he intended it in the
month of Dhul Qi`dah and performed it in the month of Dhul Hijjah;
the thing which means that they all were performed in the months of
Hajj. This is in contrary to the thinking of people of ignorance
who alleges that performing `Umrah during the months of Hajj is one
of the worst shameful deeds.
There
is another narration reported by Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased
with him, in which he stated that the Prophet, peace and blessings
be upon him, performed one `Umrah in the month of Rajab. But this
was rejected by Muslim scholars and it was also denied by Hadrat `A’ishah,
may Allah be pleased with her.
`Ata’
reported that `Urwah Ibn Az-Zubair, may Allah be pleased with him,
had informed him (that), “I and Ibn `Umar were reclining against
the (wall) of the apartment of `A’ishah and we were listening to
the sound produced by the brushing of her teeth. I said, ‘O Abu `Abdur-Rahman!
Did Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, perform `Umrah
in the month of Rajab?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I said to `A’ishah,
‘Mother, are you listening to what Abu `Abdur-Rahman is
saying?’ She said, ‘What is he saying?’ I said, ‘He is
saying that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon
him, performed `Umrah during the month of Rajab.’ Whereupon, she
said, ‘May Allah grant pardon to Abu `Abdur-Rahman! By my life,
he (the Prophet) did not perform `Umrah during the month of Rajab.
And never was there any `Umrahs performed by him (the Prophet) in
which he (`Abdullah Ibn `Umar) did not join him.’ Ibn `Umar heard
this and said nothing to affirm it or to deny it, but kept
silent.”
Some
may wonder why the Prophet did not perform `Umrah in the month of
Ramadan despite the fact that performing `Umrah in Ramadan has
greater reward (its reward equals that of Hajj but without removing
the obligation to perform Hajj).
In
this regard, we may cite the Hadith reported by Muslim in his Sahih
on the authority of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who
said, “Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said
to a woman of the Ansar, ‘What has prevented you that you do not
perform Hajj along with us?’ She said, ‘We have only two camels
for carrying water. One of the camels has been taken by my husband
and my son for performing Hajj and one has been left for us for
carrying water.’ Whereupon he (the Prophet) said, ‘So when the
month of Ramadan comes, perform `Umrah, for `Umrah in this (month)
is equal to Hajj (in reward).’”
According
to Ibn Al-Qayyim, the answer is that the Messenger of Allah, peace
and blessings be upon him, used to be engrossed in acts of worship
during the month of Ramadan that were more important than
performing `Umrah. For he was unable to practice all acts of
worship during Ramadan irrespective of the fact that not performing
`Umrah (by the Prophet) during this month involves some kind of
mercy with his Ummah. Because had the Prophet performed `Umrah
during Ramadan, the whole Ummah would have been keen to perform
this act of worship during this specified period. Accordingly, it
would be difficult for them to gather between performing `Umrah and
fasting. Therefore, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,
performed it late in the months of Hajj.
Eventually,
it is worth mentioning that the Prophet, peace and blessings be
upon him, sometimes did not practice many acts of worship for fear
of throwing difficulty on his Ummah.
|
