“…The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, during the Farewell Pilgrimage, circled the Kaʿbah on a camel, touching the Corner with his hooked staff.” Muslim adds: “because he disliked that people be beaten back from him.”

It is also narrated through Abū Ṭufayl, and there is another report concerning Umm Salamah performing ṭawāf while riding; both of these will be discussed under “Ḥajj,” God willing.

Al-Bukhārī entitled the ḥadith of Umm Salamah in the “Book of Prayer”:
“Chapter: Bringing a camel into the mosque for a reason”—that is, out of necessity.

Ibn Baṭṭāl said:
“This ḥadith establishes the permissibility of bringing animals whose meat is lawful to eat into the mosque when there is a need, for their urine does not render it impure, unlike other beasts. It has been countered, however, that the ḥadith gives no indication of impermissibility when there is no need; rather, the ruling turns on whether there is a risk of soiling the mosque. Whenever soiling is feared, entry is forbidden.”

Al-ʿAynī objected in his commentary:
“This is open to further consideration, for the Prophet’s words, ‘Perform your ṭawāf while riding’—addressed to Umm Salamah—do not show that permissibility or prohibition hinges on soiling; the apparent sense is that it is simply allowed whenever necessity dictates. It has also been said that his she-camel was well trained, so one could be confident that, while walking, it would not soil the mosque. I say: We concede this in the case of the Prophet’s camel, peace and blessings be upon him…”