Moreover, there is no objection to the night being considered subordinate to the day. Standing at Arafah is one of the pillars of Hajj, and its night is subordinate to its day, for the time of standing extends until the break of dawn.

Accordingly, we hold that if a person is unable to stone during the day, he may stone at night. Even if he is able to do so during the day, but only with harm and hardship, while doing so at night would be easier and more tranquil for him, then he should stone at night. This is because the virtue connected to the act of worship itself deserves greater consideration than that connected to its time. As long as there is no sound, explicit evidence defining the latest time for stoning, the basic presumption is that no such restriction exists.

His statement, “facing the qiblah and in sequence”: the matter of facing the qiblah has already been discussed. What is meant by sequence here is the order of the pillars: one stones the first, then the middle, then the Pillar of Aqabah. The evidence for this is the Prophet’s saying, peace and blessings be upon him: “Learn your rites from me.” (1) If he reverses the order and stones the Pillar of Aqabah, then the middle pillar, then the first, only the first is valid, and he must stone the second and third again. (2)

Some scholars have said that observing this sequence is not a condition, but merely recommended. They argued that it is no more deserving of being ordered than the rites performed on the Day of Eid, for which sequence is not stipulated. This was countered by the fact that stoning is a single act of worship and must therefore be performed as it was transmitted from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The rites of the Day of Eid, by contrast, are varied acts of worship, each independent of the others.