Chapter
He then proceeds to Mecca, and the pilgrim performing qirān or ifrād performs the visitation circumambulation with the intention that it is obligatory. Its earliest time begins after midnight on the Night of Sacrifice. It is sunnah to perform it on that day, though he may delay it...
His statement, “He then proceeds to Mecca”: proceeding (ifāḍah) is derived from water overflowing when it flows forth. That is, the pilgrim proceeds down to Mecca—that is, the pilgrims descend from Mina to Mecca—in the late morning of the Day of Sacrifice, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, proceeded there in the late morning (1).
His statement, “and the pilgrim performing qirān or ifrād performs the visitation circumambulation with the intention that it is obligatory,” indicates that this circumambulation is obligatory, due to his words, “with the intention that it is obligatory”; that it must be intended; and that it is an obligation. The disagreement concerning this matter has preceded, and we explained that circumambulation, sa'i, stoning, and the like are all regarded as parts of a single act of worship. Thus, the intention made at its beginning suffices for the intention of its remaining parts, because Hajj is an act of worship composed of these parts. Once one forms the intention at its beginning, it suffices for them all, just as when one intends the prayer at its outset.
His statement, “and the pilgrim performing qirān or ifrād performs the circumambulation,” suggests that the pilgrim performing tamattu' does not perform circumambulation, but this is not so. Rather, by specifically mentioning the pilgrim performing ifrād and qirān, the author—may Allah have mercy on him—intended to address the view that a pilgrim performing ifrād or qirān first performs the arrival circumambulation, if he had not entered Mecca previously, and then performs the visitation circumambulation, thereby performing two circumambulations:
The first is for arrival, and the second is for visitation. According to this view, they must perform two circumambulations if they had not entered Mecca previously, since it is Islamically permissible for them to proceed directly from the miqat to Mina or to Arafah without circumambulating.