means that he performed a single set of Hajj rites, or that the report (1) may contain an error (2), as in similar cases. For the hadiths concerning tamattu‘ are mass-transmitted: they were narrated by eminent Companions such as ‘Umar, ‘Alī, ‘Uthmān, and ‘Imrān ibn Husayn, and also by ‘Ā’ishah, Ibn ‘Umar, and Jābir. Indeed, more than ten Companions narrated them from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

I say: Anas, ‘Ā’ishah, Ibn ‘Umar, and Ibn ‘Abbās all agreed that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, performed ‘umrah four times. Ibn ‘Umar’s mistake concerned only his belief that one of them took place in Rajab. They all said: “And one ‘umrah together with his Hajj.” All except Ibn ‘Abbās said that he performed Hajj alone, and all except Anas said that he performed tamattu‘. Thus they made all three statements, with no contradiction between them. He performed tamattu‘ in the form of qirān, performed a single set of Hajj rites, and combined the two rites. He was therefore performing qirān insofar as he combined the two rites, ifrād insofar as he confined himself to a single circumambulation and a single sa‘y (ritual walk), and tamattu‘ insofar as (3) he enjoyed the ease of dispensing with one of the two journeys.

Whoever reflects on the Companions’ wording, brings the hadiths together, examines them in light of one another, and understands the Companions’ language will see the dawn of truth break forth, while the darkness of disagreement and confusion clears away. Allah guides to the path of right guidance and grants success in following the way of correctness.

Thus, whoever says, “He performed Hajj alone,” meaning that he performed (4) Hajj on its own, then completed it