al-Nakha‘ī, al-Sha‘bī, ‘Alqamah, and al-Hasan al-Basrī. It is also the position of al-Awzā‘ī, Hammād ibn Abī Sulaymān, Dāwūd al-Zāhirī, and Abū ‘Ubayd al-Qāsim ibn Sallām. The two scholars named Muhammad—Ibn Jarīr and Ibn Khuzaymah—also adopted it, and it is one of the views within the Shāfi‘ī school (1). They have three arguments, of which this is the first. The second is Allah’s saying:

“Remember Allah at the Sacred Monument.” [al-Baqarah: 198]

The third is the practice of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, which served to explain this commanded remembrance.

Those who did not regard it as an essential pillar advanced two arguments:

First, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, extended the time for standing at ‘Arafah until dawn. This means that anyone who stood at ‘Arafah even the briefest moment before dawn would have a valid Hajj. If standing at Muzdalifah were an essential pillar, that person’s Hajj would not be valid.

Second, if it were an essential pillar, men and women would alike be required to perform it. Since the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent the women ahead during the night, it follows that it is not an essential pillar.

Both arguments are open to question. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, sent the women ahead only after they had spent part of the night at Muzdalifah and remembered Allah Most High there, as in the late evening prayer (2). That is what is obligatory. As for allowing the standing at ‘Arafah until dawn, this does not preclude spending the night at Muzdalifah from being an essential pillar, with that night serving as the time for both observances, just as a shared time serves for two combined prayers. Narrowing (3) the time available for one of them does not prevent it from being a time for both when one is able to perform both.