Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib

The Hijjat Al-wada`

In 6H the Prophet (a.s) started with the intention of performing `Umrah (the Minor Pilgrimage) at Makkah but the Quraysh obstructed the effort and he returned to al-Madinah from Hudaybiyah. During 7H too he went for `Umrah but because of the terms of the truce with the infidels he could not stay in Makkah for more than three days. In 8 A.H. Makkah was conquered and the Ka`bah was cleared of the idols. In 9H `Ali (a.s) was deputed to Makkah with the Verses of the Sūrah of Bara’ah to purify the various aspects of the Hajj from the undesirable practices of the infidels. He banned the infidels from entering the precincts of the Ka`bah. In 10H the Prophet (a.s) decided to perform the Hajj and the invitation for the pilgrimage was announced all over:

وَأَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَى كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ.

“And proclaim among men the Pilgrimage: they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every remote path. (22:27)”

On the call of the Prophet (a.s) Muslims came from all over and assembled in al-Madinah to join his entourage to Makkah to learn about the Islamic Rites of the Hajj and to perform the pilgrimage with him. The Prophet (a.s) left al-Madinah along with thousands of pilgrims on 26 Dhul-Qa`dah. Fatimah al-Zahra’ (a.s) and the Prophet’s spouses too were in the group. When around the ²uhr Prayer the caravan reached the Valley of Dhul-Halifah, they took the bath prior to wearing the Hajj uniform and everyone recited the talbiyah.

`Ali (a.s) was still in Yemen when the Prophet (a.s) wrote to him to proceed to Makkah for Hajj. With a small contingent of troops, he started on the journey. On the way, he gave the command of the men to a senior person, wore the Ihram at Yalamlam, and reached Makkah before the arrival of the Prophet (a.s) to welcome him. When the Prophet (a.s) saw him, his face glowed. He asked, “O `Ali (a.s)! With what Intent have you put on the Ihram?”

`Ali (a.s) replied, “Since you had not mentioned about the matter in the letter, I have worn the Ihram with the intent that I shall perform the same pilgrimage that you perform! I have left behind 34 camels for the sacrifice.” The Prophet (a.s) said that he had with him 66 camels and that `Ali (a.s) was a member of his family for the rites of the Hajj and the Sacrifice of the animals. Then `Ali (a.s) made a report about his campaign in Yemen and gave the account of the booty and jizyah collected. He said that he had left those things in the charge of the contingent and had started for the pilgrimage. The Prophet (a.s) asked him to fetch his contingent to Makkah. He must have gone a small distance when he saw his contingent arriving. He reprimanded the men for coming away without orders. He also saw that they were all wearing cloth from the booty as Ihram. He told the person in charge of the contingent to take the cloth pieces from the men. The men were not too happy about this order and they complained to the Prophet (a.s) when they met him. The Prophet (a.s) said:

“O people! Do not complain about `Ali (a.s)! He is strict in the Cause of Allah!”[1]

Prior to Islam people used to perform two types of Hajj; hajj al-ifrad hajj al-qiran. In both these types, `Umrah has a definite and permanent place which is performed after the rites of the Hajj. The only difference between the two types is that for the Hajj al-Qiran the sacrificial animals have to be with the pilgrim and for the hahh al-ifrad the sacrificial animals will not be with the pilgrim.

At this time, the verse “And accomplish the pilgrimage and the visit for Allah… (2:196)” was revealed and a third type of Hajj, Hajj al-Tamattu` came into vogue. In this type of Hajj, both Hajj and `Umrah are performed together. The `Umrah here is performed, at the same time, prior to the Hajj. After the `Umrah the Ihram is removed and is again put on for the Hajj. This is called Hajj al-Tamattu` because the restriction of wearing Ihram between `Umrah and Hajj is removed. Here the Ihram is removed and again put back on the eighth of Dhul-Hijjah, the Day of Tarwiyah and the rites of Hajj are performed. This Hajj is for the people who live within 48 miles or more from Makkah.

During the Hijjat al-Wada`, mostly there were people who did not have the sacrificial animals with them. The Prophet (a.s) asked them to change their intent for Hajj to that of `Umrah and remove the Ihram thereafter. Those who

[1] Tārīkh al-Tabarī, Vol 2, Page 402

had the animals with them must keep wearing the Ihram after the `Umrah. Since the Prophet (a.s) was having the sacrificial animals with him, his intent was for Hajj al-Qiran and since `Ali’s intent too was same as that of the Prophet (a.s), he too did not remove the Ihram and continued with the performance of the Hajj al-Qiran. When the people saw the Prophet (a.s) continuing with the Ihram, they were hesitant about removing theirs. When he saw them not obeying the orders, he felt sad and anger appeared on his face. `A’ishah says about it:

“The Prophet (a.s) arrived at Makkah on the 4th or 5th of Dhul-Hijjah and came to me in great anger. She asked him, “Who has angered you? May Allah send the person to the Hell!” He said, “Do you not know that I gave an order to the people and they hesitated in obeying it! If I had known that the situation would develop like this, I would not have brought the sacrificial animals with me, bought the animals here and then I could have removed my Ihram as they are supposed to do!”[1]

As people opposed the Hajj al-Tamattu` during the lifetime of the Prophet (a.s), they did the same after him as well and preferred their own wish against the order of the Shari`ah. Therefore `Imran ibn Husayn says:

“The Verse of Hajj al-Tamattu` was revealed in the Qur’an and the Prophet (a.s) ordered us about it. Later on no further Verse was revealed on the matter to change the order nor did the Prophet (a.s) stop us from it until his death. But there was one person who said, what he said with his own intuition.”[2]

The Commentator of Sahih Muslim, al-Nawawi writes:

“Here, `Umar ibn al-Khattab is meant, because he was the first to raise objections against the Hajj al-Tamattu`. As far as `Uthman and others were concerned, they were his followers!”[3]

Anyway, on 8 Dhul-Hijjah the Prophet (a.s) ordered the people who had removed Ihram after the `Umrah to wear them again for the Hajj. The Prophet (a.s) was already in Ihram and so was `Ali (a.s) on the instructions of the Prophet (a.s). When the people wore the Ihram, they proceeded to Mina. The next day, after the Morning Prayers, the pilgrims moved to `Arafat. Prior to

[1] Sahīh Muslim, Vol 1, Page 403
[2] Sahīh Muslim, Vol 1, Page 403
[3] Sharh Sahīh Muslim, Vol 1, Page 402

Islam the Quraysh had established a custom that they used to stop at al-Mash`ar al-Haram and say that they were the Ahl al-Haram and that they would not go out of the Haram. But the other people used to go to `Arafat. The Quraysh were thinking that the Prophet (a.s) too would not go beyond al-Mash`ar al-Haram. But the Qur’an ordained, “From where others start to go, you too should go!” Therefore, the Prophet (a.s) proceeded towards `Arafat, and reaching there, camped at Namirah. The ²uhr and `Asr Prayers were offered together and then spending the night at al-Mash`ar al-Haram they returned to Mina on the day of `Id. After stoning the jamarat al-`aqabah, the Prophet (a.s) sacrificed the thirty camels with his own hands and asked `Ali (a.s) to sacrifice the remaining animals. After the sacrifice he took one piece of meat from each animal, got it cooked, tasted a little and got the rest distributed. After the sacrifice, they got their heads shaved, changed from the Ihram into ordinary clothes and returned to Makkah. Then they circumambulated the Ka`bah and did the sa`y between the Safa and Marwah. Now they returned to Mina where they waited until 13 Dhul-Hijjah and did the stoning of the ramy al-jamarat. Now all the rites of the Hajj were over and the prophet (a.s), with his retinue, started for al-Madinah.