suffice; rather, he must throw them, for the Prophet ﷺ said: “Throw with pebbles like these” (1).

His statement, “successively”: Is it a condition that they be consecutive, or may they be separated by intervals?

The author’s wording allows for both possibilities. However, it is a single act of worship, and the basic principle regarding an act of worship composed of several parts is that its parts should be performed consecutively, as in ablution. Yet if continuity becomes impossible because of severe crowding, then the requirement of continuity should be waived, due to Allah’s saying: “So fear Allah as much as you are able” [al-Taghabun 64:16], and His saying: “Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity” [al-Baqarah 2:286].

His statement, “He threw it with seven pebbles,” might be understood to mean that one must strike the marker—the upright pillar—but this is not intended. Rather, what is meant is that the pebble must land within the basin, whether or not it strikes the pillar.

His statement, “He raises his hand until the whiteness of his armpit can be seen”: The author of al-Rawd explained this on the grounds that it better enables one to throw. This applies when a person is at a distance, but if he is close, there is no need to raise his hand, since the objective is to throw. A person who is far away needs to raise his hand so that the pebbles reach their destination.

His statement, “and he says Allahu akbar with each pebble,” means that whenever he throws, he says, “Allahu akbar,” with each pebble (2). This makes clear the wisdom behind throwing the jamarat. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Circumambulation of the House, the circuit between Safa and Marwah, and the throwing of…”