It is well known that he had a sacrificial animal with him, so he was the most fitting person to take the lead in doing what he had commanded. All the other hadiths we have cited and will cite also support this.

A number of earlier and later scholars held that qirān was obligatory for (1) anyone who brought a sacrificial animal, and that tamattu‘ through a separate ‘umrah was obligatory for anyone who did not. Among them were ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Abbās and others. In their view, it is impermissible to depart from what the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did and commanded his Companions to do. He combined Hajj and ‘umrah, brought a sacrificial animal, and commanded everyone who had no sacrificial animal to convert their Hajj into a separate ‘umrah. One must therefore do as he did or as he commanded. This view is more correct than the view of those who forbade converting Hajj into ‘umrah, on many grounds (2) that we shall mention, Allah Most High willing.

The twenty-second proof is what al-Bukhārī and Muslim related in their Sahīh collections (3), from Abū Qilābah, from Anas ibn Mālik, who said: “While we were with him, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed four rak‘ahs for Zuhr in Medina and two rak‘ahs for ‘Asr at Dhū al-Hulayfah. He spent the night there until morning. He then mounted his riding animal, and when it reached al-Baydā’, he praised Allah and glorified Him, then entered ihrām for Hajj and ‘umrah. The people also entered ihrām for both. When we arrived, he commanded the people to leave ihrām, and they did so. Then, on the Day of Tarwiyah, they entered ihrām for Hajj.”

Also in the two Sahīh collections (4), Bakr ibn ‘Abd Allāh al-Muzanī related from Anas, who said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, reciting the talbiyah for Hajj and ‘umrah together.” Bakr said: “I told Ibn ‘Umar of this, and he said: ‘He recited the talbiyah for Hajj alone.’ I then met Anas and told him what Ibn ‘Umar had said, and he replied: