Also in al-Bukhārī’s Sahīh (1), Anas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed four rak‘ahs for Zuhr in Medina while we were with him, and two rak‘ahs for Asr at Dhū al-Hulayfah. He then spent the night there until morning. Then he mounted, and when his mount reached al-Baydā’, he praised Allah and glorified Him, then entered ihram for Hajj and Umrah. The people likewise entered ihram for both. When we arrived, he instructed the people to come out of ihram, and they did so. When the Day of al-Tarwiyah came, they entered ihram for Hajj … He then related the remainder of the hadith.

In his Sahīh (2), Abū Mūsā reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, sent me to my people in Yemen. I came to him while he was at al-Bathā’, and he asked, “For what have you entered ihram?” I replied, “For the same as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.” He asked, “Do you have any sacrificial animals with you?” I replied, “No.” At his instruction, I circumambulated the House and went between al-Safā and al-Marwah. He then instructed me to come out of ihram, and I did so.

In Sahīh Muslim (3), a man asked Ibn ‘Abbās, “What is this ruling that has stirred up controversy among the people—that whoever circumambulates the House has come out of ihram?” He replied, “It is the Sunnah of your Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, whether you like it or not.”

Ibn ‘Abbās spoke the truth. Anyone who circumambulates the House without having sacrificial animals with him—whether performing Hajj alone, Hajj and Umrah together, or Umrah followed by Hajj—is either obliged to come out of ihram or is already out of it in legal effect. This is the Sunnah, which cannot be rejected or set aside. It is like the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him:

“When the day recedes from this direction and the night approaches from that direction, the fasting person has broken his fast.” (4)

The meaning is either that he has broken his fast in legal effect, or that the time has come for