Delegations. There is no doubt that receiving the Muslims who came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, to gain understanding of their religion was an important matter. Indeed, we may say that it was obligatory upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, so that he might convey the message to the people.
Second: in the ninth year, it was expected that the polytheists would perform Hajj—as in fact occurred. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, therefore wished to postpone it so that his Hajj would be exclusively for the Muslims. This is what took place, for in the ninth year he announced that, after that year, no polytheist was to perform Hajj, nor was anyone to circumambulate the House naked. (1)
In earlier times, people would circumambulate the House naked, except one who found a garment belonging to the Hums of Quraysh; he would borrow it and circumambulate in it. As for those who were not from Quraysh, they were not permitted to circumambulate in their own garments; rather, they would circumambulate naked. A woman too would circumambulate naked, placing her hand over her private parts, and saying:
Today, part of it—or all of it—will appear;
But whatever appears of it, I do not make lawful.
If slavery, insanity, or childhood ceases during Hajj at Arafah, or during Umrah before its circumambulation, it is valid as the obligatory pilgrimage.
His statement, “If slavery ceases,” indicates that a slave’s Hajj is valid. Thus, freedom is a condition for Hajj to become obligatory. If a slave performs Hajj, his Hajj is valid; but does it suffice for the obligatory Hajj, or does it not?
The answer is that the scholars differed concerning this. The majority of the scholars held that it does not suffice, because a slave is not legally qualified for the obligation; he is like a child. If a child performs Hajj before reaching puberty, it does not suffice for his obligatory Hajj of Islam; likewise, a slave.
Some scholars held that a slave’s Hajj is valid with his master’s permission