The place where he delivered his sermon was not within the area designated for standing, for he delivered it at ‘Uranah (1), which lies outside that area. He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, encamped at Namirah, delivered his sermon at ‘Uranah, and observed the standing at ‘Arafah. He delivered a single sermon, not two sermons with a sitting between them. When he finished, he instructed Bilāl to give the call to prayer, then to pronounce the call to commence the prayer (2). He then prayed the noon prayer as two units, reciting quietly in both. This was a Friday, which indicates that a traveller does not perform the Friday prayer. Bilāl then pronounced the call to commence the prayer again, and he likewise prayed the afternoon prayer as two units. The people of Mecca were with him and undoubtedly prayed behind him, shortening and combining their prayers. He did not instruct them to complete the full number of units or to refrain from combining the prayers. Whoever claims that he told them, “Complete your prayers, for we are travellers,” has erred in attributing this to him (3)—a manifest error and a deplorable mistake. He said this to them only during the campaign for the conquest of Mecca, within the city itself, where they were resident in their own homes (4).

For this reason, the soundest scholarly opinion is that the people of Mecca shorten and combine their prayers at ‘Arafah, just as they did with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. This provides the clearest evidence that a journey permitting the shortening of prayers is not defined by a fixed distance or a number of days (5). The pilgrimage rites have no bearing whatsoever on shortening the prayer; rather, what matters is the cause Allah has prescribed, namely travel. This is what the Sunnah entails, and there is no basis for the position of those who prescribe such limits.

When he finished his prayers, he mounted and rode to the place of standing, where he stood at the foot of the mountain beside