especially in the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, when people travelled on camels and on foot, so that darkness would spread before they reached Muzdalifah.

If someone were to ask: “On that night the moon is shining, so would travelling after sunset not entail hardship?”

We reply: Is it not possible for there to be clouds on that night?

The answer is: Certainly; there may be clouds, either in the year in which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, performed Hajj or in other years. The Prophet knew that the keys of the heavens are in the Hand of Allah, who brings forth the clouds. Even if there were no clouds in that particular year, there could be clouds in other years. Thus, the Prophet’s delaying his departure from Arafah until after sunset, despite leaving aside what would have been easier, indicates that the easier course was not permissible. The evidence for this is that the Prophet said: “Whenever he was given a choice between two matters, he chose the easier of them, so long as it was not sinful.” (1)

Second: departing before sunset resembles the practice of the people of the Age of Ignorance, who would depart before sunset, when the sun stood upon the mountain peaks like the turbans of men upon their heads. Thus, whoever were to depart at such a time would resemble them, and resembling the disbelievers in their acts of worship is prohibited.

Third: the Prophet’s delaying his departure until after sunset, then hastening to depart before praying Maghrib, although the time