Section
When he reaches Mecca, it is permissible for him to enter both the city and the Sacred Mosque from any direction. Nevertheless, it is preferable to approach from the side that faces the Kaʿbah, following the practice of the Prophet ﷺ, for he entered from that very face, on the upper side (1) where Bab al-Maʿla now stands. In the Prophet’s time neither Mecca nor Madinah had surrounding walls or built gates. Instead, he came in through the Upper Pass, the Pass of Kadaʾ—pronounced with an open vowel and an elongated alif—overlooking the cemetery.
He then entered the Mosque through the main gate known as Bab Bani Shaybah (2), and proceeded directly to the Black Stone, for this (3) is the nearest route to the Black Stone (4) for anyone coming from the Maʿla side (5) (6).
… 3/16; Mawahib al-Jalil 3/166; al-Bayan 4/229; al-Insaf 3/502.
(1) Proof-text: the hadith of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both—“The Messenger of Allah would enter Mecca by the upper pass and leave by the lower pass.” Reported by al-Bukhari (1575) and Muslim (1257).
(2) Proof-text: the hadith of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both—“When the Messenger of Allah arrived under the Quraysh pact, he entered Mecca through this largest gate.” Reported by Ibn Khuzaymah (2700) and declared authentic by al-Albani.
(3) The phrase fa-inna hadha (“for this…”) appears in manuscript B as fa-idha huwa (“then it is”).
(4) The word al-aswad (“the black”) is missing from manuscripts A and B.
(5) Manuscripts C and D read bab (“gate”).
(6) Shaykh al-Islam states in Sharh al-Umdah (5/145): “This is because of what has been mentioned earlier concerning entering Mecca …”