requirement (1) to undertake Hajj. It only commands that Hajj and ‘umrah be completed once they have been begun, which does not imply that beginning them is obligatory.

If it is asked, “What evidence do you have that the revelation making Hajj obligatory was delayed (2) until 9 or 10 AH?”

The answer is that the opening portion of Surah Āl ‘Imrān was revealed in the Year of Delegations. That year, the delegation from Najrān came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he concluded a treaty with them under which they would pay the jizyah. The revelation prescribing the jizyah came only in the year of Tabūk, 9 AH. In that year, the opening portion of Surah (3) Āl ‘Imrān was revealed, and he debated the People of the Book, calling them to affirm Allah’s oneness and to engage in mutual imprecation.

This is also supported by the fact that the people of Mecca were distressed by the loss of trade with the polytheists when Allah Most High revealed:

“O you who believe, the polytheists are indeed unclean, so let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year of theirs.” [al-Tawbah: 28]

Allah compensated them for this with the jizyah. These verses (4) were revealed and publicly proclaimed only in 9 AH. He sent al-Siddīq to proclaim this in Mecca at the Hajj gatherings, and sent ‘Alī after him. What we have mentioned was also stated by a number of the early generations. And Allah knows best.

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When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, resolved to perform Hajj, he informed the people that he would be going, and they prepared to set out with him. Those living around Medina heard about this and came, wishing to perform Hajj with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Countless multitudes joined him along the way, and they were in front of him