circumambulate the House.” (1).

The scholars have disagreed over the account of ‘Ā’ishah: was she performing tamattuʿ (‘umrah followed by Hajj, with a release from ihrām between them), or Hajj alone? If she was performing tamattuʿ, did she abandon her ‘umrah and switch to Hajj alone, or incorporate Hajj into her ‘umrah, thus combining both in a single ihrām? Was the ‘umrah she performed from al-Tan‘īm obligatory or not? If it was not obligatory, did it nevertheless fulfil the obligation of ‘umrah prescribed in Islam? They also disagreed about where she began menstruating and where she became pure again. With Allah’s help and guidance, we shall give a full and clear explanation of this.

The jurists also disagreed over a question arising from ‘Ā’ishah’s experience: if a woman enters ihrām for ‘umrah, then begins menstruating and cannot circumambulate the House before the standing at ‘Arafāt, should she abandon her ihrām for ‘umrah and enter ihrām for Hajj alone, or incorporate Hajj into her ‘umrah and combine the two in a single ihrām? The jurists of Kufa, including Abū Hanīfah and his followers, held the first view. The jurists of the Hijaz, including al-Shāfi‘ī and Mālik, held the second. This is also the position of the scholars of hadith, such as Imam Ahmad and his followers.

The Kufan jurists said: It is established in the two Sahīh collections (2), through ‘Urwah from ‘Ā’ishah, that she said:

“We entered ihrām for ‘umrah. I arrived in Mecca while menstruating, and I had neither circumambulated the House nor walked between al-Safā and al-Marwah. I mentioned this difficulty to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said, ‘Undo your hair and comb it, enter ihrām for Hajj, and leave aside the ‘umrah.’”

She said: “I did so. When we had completed Hajj, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent me with ‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn Abī Bakr to al-Tan‘īm, and I performed ‘umrah