then returns to his hometown and remains there until the time for Hajj arrives, then returns in ihram for Hajj, the sacrificial offering is not waived from him.

The proponent of this view claimed that this is the apparent meaning of the Quran, though whether it is indeed the apparent meaning of the Quran is open to discussion. For Allah’s saying, “So whoever performs the ʿumrah during the Hajj months before performing Hajj...” [al-Baqarah 2:196] indicates that he travelled for Hajj; had it not been for the ʿumrah, he would not have attained the status of tamattuʿ. This indicates that he did not travel between the two.

The second view is that travel reaching the distance at which prayers may be shortened waives the sacrificial offering, whether one travels to one’s hometown or to another place (1). Accordingly, if someone from Riyadh performs ʿumrah during the months of Hajj intending to perform Hajj, then travels to Madinah and returns from Madinah in ihram for Hajj, the sacrificial offering is waived from him.

The third view makes a distinction: if he travels to his hometown and then returns and enters ihram for Hajj, the sacrificial offering is waived; but if he travels somewhere other than his hometown, it is not waived.

For example, a man from Riyadh enters ihram for ʿumrah, exits ihram after completing it, then travels to Madinah and returns in ihram for Hajj. In this case, the sacrificial offering is not waived from him. But if he returns to Riyadh, his hometown, and then returns from there in ihram for Hajj, the sacrificial offering is waived from him. This view is the stronger one, because he has undertaken a new journey distinct from the journey for ʿumrah. Travel consists in leaving one’s homeland; thus, he is performing ifrād, not tamattuʿ. This was narrated from ʿUmar and his son, may Allah be pleased with them both;