the first interpretation or equally compelling. Thus, that interpretation cannot be used at all to counter the established, explicit hadiths. Success comes from Allah.

As for Muslim’s report in his Sahīh from Abū Dharr that tamattu‘ in Hajj was exclusive to them: if this means tamattu‘ itself, no Muslim holds this view. Rather, Muslims agree that it remains permissible until the Day of Resurrection. If it means tamattu‘ resulting from converting Hajj into ‘umrah, it admits the three interpretations mentioned above.

Al-Athram said in his Sunan (1): Ahmad ibn Hanbal told us that ‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn Mahdī narrated to him from Sufyān, from al-A‘mash, from Ibrāhīm al-Taymī, from his father (2), from Abū Dharr, who said concerning tamattu‘ in Hajj: “It was exclusive to us.” Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: “May Allah have mercy on Abū Dharr. It is in the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic: ‘you are secure, then whoever enjoys the benefit of ‘umrah until’ [al-Baqarah: 196].”

Those who prohibit converting Hajj into ‘umrah say: Abū Dharr’s and ‘Uthmān’s statements that this was abrogated or exclusive to the Companions cannot be based on personal opinion. Whoever makes such a statement therefore possesses additional knowledge unknown to those who maintain its continued validity and general applicability. The latter merely presume that the text remains in force and general in scope. They are like someone in possession of disputed property, whereas the person asserting abrogation or exclusive applicability is like a claimant presenting proof, who takes precedence over the person in possession.

Those who permit converting Hajj into ‘umrah say: This argument is undoubtedly unsound. Rather, this is undoubtedly a personal opinion. Someone of greater standing than ‘Uthmān and Abū Dharr explicitly stated that it was an opinion: ‘Imrān ibn