and this hadith is an error, if it has been reliably transmitted from her, for this never happened. Without doubt, he performed four ‘umrahs. The first was the ‘umrah of al-Hudaybiyah, in Dhū al-Qa‘dah. He then performed no further ‘umrah until the following year, when he performed the make-up ‘umrah in Dhū al-Qa‘dah (1). He then returned to Medina and did not set out for Mecca until (2) he conquered it in Ramadan of the year 8 AH. He did not perform ‘umrah that year. He then set out for Hunayn, where Allah defeated his enemy, after which he returned to Mecca and entered ihrām for ‘umrah. This was in Dhū al-Qa‘dah, as Anas and Ibn ‘Abbās stated. When, then, did he perform ‘umrah in Shawwāl? Rather, he encountered the enemy in Shawwāl and departed from Mecca during that month. Once he had finished dealing with the enemy, he performed his ‘umrah at night in Dhū al-Qa‘dah. He did not perform two ‘umrahs that year, nor in any year before or after it. Anyone who has studied the events of his life, his biography and his circumstances can have no doubt or uncertainty about this.

If it is asked: On what basis, then, do they recommend performing ‘umrah several times in a year if (3) they have not established that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did so?

The answer is (4): There is disagreement on this issue. Mālik said, “I dislike performing more than one ‘umrah in a year.” Mutarrif, one of his followers, and Ibn al-Mawwāz disagreed with him. Mutarrif said, “There is nothing wrong with performing ‘umrah several times in a year.” Ibn al-Mawwāz said, “I hope there is nothing wrong with it. ‘Ā’ishah performed ‘umrah twice in one month, and I do not think anyone should be prevented from drawing near to