Muhammad ibn Sirin and ‘Ubaydah al-Salmani said: Casting oneself into destruction means despairing of the mercy of Allah, exalted is He. Abu Qilabah said: It is when a person commits a sin and says, “I am ruined; there is no repentance for me,” thus despairing of Allah’s mercy and plunging further into acts of disobedience. Allah, exalted is He, therefore forbade them from this. Allah, exalted is He, says: “Indeed, none despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.” (Joseph 87)

His saying, exalted is He: “And do good”—that is, do well in your deeds and character, and be generous to the poor—“for Allah loves those who do good.” (1)

“And complete the Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah. But if you are prevented, then offer whatever sacrificial animal is readily available. And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal reaches its place of sacrifice. Whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head must offer a ransom of fasting, charity, or sacrifice. When you are secure, whoever performs ‘Umrah followed by Hajj must offer whatever sacrificial animal is readily available; but whoever cannot find one must fast three days during the Hajj and seven when you return—ten complete days. This is for one whose family does not reside near the Sacred Mosque. Be mindful of Allah, and know that Allah is severe in punishment.” (196)

His saying, glorified is He: “And complete the Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah.” ‘Alqamah and Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i recited it: “And establish the Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah.” They differed concerning what it means to complete them. Some said: It is to perform them fully with their rites, prescribed limits, and sunnah practices. This was the view of Ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Alqamah, Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i, and Mujahid.

The essential pillars of the Hajj are five: entering the state of ihram, standing at ‘Arafah, the visitation circumambulation, the sa‘i between al-Safa and al-Marwah, and shaving the head or shortening the hair. The Hajj has two stages of release from ihram. The acts that bring about this release are three: stoning the Pillar of al-‘Aqabah on the Day of Sacrifice, the visitation circumambulation, and shaving the head. When two of these three acts have been done, the first release is attained; when all three have been done, the second release is attained. After the first release, all the restrictions of ihram become permissible except sexual intercourse; after the second, all of them become permissible.

The essential pillars of the ‘Umrah are four: entering the state of ihram, circumambulating the House, the sa‘i between al-Safa and al-Marwah, and shaving the head. Sa‘id ibn Jubayr and Tawus said: Completing the Hajj and ‘Umrah means entering ihram for each of them separately and commencing each afresh from one’s home. ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib was asked about the saying of Allah, exalted is He, “And complete the Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah.” He replied: “It is to enter ihram for them from one’s home.” The same is related from Ibn Mas‘ud.

Qatadah said: Completing the ‘Umrah means performing it outside the months of Hajj. But if it is performed during the months of Hajj, (2) and one remains until performing Hajj, then it is tamattu‘, for which a sacrificial offering is due if one can find it; otherwise, fasting is due if one cannot find a sacrificial animal. Completing the Hajj means performing all its rites so that the person performing it is not liable for a sacrificial offering due to combining Hajj and ‘Umrah or performing tamattu‘. Al-Dahhak said: Completing them means that one’s expenditure is lawful and that one refrains from what Allah has forbidden. Sufyan al-Thawri said: Completing them means leaving one’s family solely for the purpose of performing them, and not setting out for trade or some other need.

‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said: “The visiting delegations are many, but the pilgrims are few.” The ummah unanimously agreed that Hajj is obligatory for whoever is able to make the journey. They differed as to whether ‘Umrah is obligatory. Most scholars held that it is obligatory. This was the view of ‘Umar, ‘Ali, and Ibn ‘Umar. ‘Ikrimah related from Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: “By Allah, ‘Umrah is joined to Hajj in the Book of Allah. Allah, exalted is He, says: ‘And complete the Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah.’” This was also the view of ‘Ata’, Tawus, Qatadah, and Sa‘id ibn Jubayr. Al-Thawri and al-Shafi‘i, according to the sounder of his two views, likewise held it.

Others held that it is a sunnah. This was the view of Jabir, and it was also held by al-Shafi‘i (3). Malik and the scholars of Iraq likewise held this view. They interpreted the saying of Allah, exalted is He, “And complete the Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah,” to mean: complete them once you have entered into them. As for initially undertaking them,