their departure had been undertaken with the intention of Hajj; then some of them performed ‘Umrah first, while others entered ihram for Hajj, until the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded them to make it a tamattu‘ pilgrimage.

Allah Most High says: “But if you are prevented [from completing the pilgrimage]...” The scholars differed concerning the prevention that permits a person in ihram to release himself from his ihram. A group held that any impediment—such as an enemy, illness, injury, loss of provisions, or the loss of one’s mount—that prevents him from reaching the Sacred House and continuing his pilgrimage in ihram permits him to release himself. This was the view of Ibn Mas‘ud, and of Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i, al-Hasan, Mujahid, ‘Ata’, Qatadah, and ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr. Sufyan al-Thawri and the scholars of Iraq also held this view. They said: “In Arabic usage, ihsar denotes restraint caused by an ailment or illness.”

Al-Kisa’i and Abu ‘Ubaydah said: “When the cause is illness or the loss of provisions, one says uhsira, and the person is muhsar; but when it is confinement by an enemy or imprisonment, one says hasara, and the person is mahsur. The confinement caused by an enemy is only termed ihsar here by analogy with illness, since it has the same effect.” They cited the report from ‘Ikrimah, from al-Hajjaj ibn ‘Amr al-Ansari, who said that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever suffers a fracture or becomes lame may release himself from ihram, but must perform Hajj the following year.” (1)

‘Ikrimah said: “I asked Ibn ‘Abbas and Abu Hurayrah, and they both said: ‘He spoke the truth.’”

Another group held that a person may not release himself from ihram except when prevented by an enemy. This was the view of Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: “There is no prevention except prevention by an enemy.” A report to the same effect is narrated 29/b from Ibn ‘Umar and ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr. It was also the view of Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyab and Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, and was adopted by al-Shafi‘i, Ahmad, and Ishaq. They maintained that hasr and ihsar have one and the same meaning.

Tha‘lab said: “The Arabs say, ‘I restrained a man from his need,’ and he is mahsur; and when an enemy prevents him from travelling, one says that the enemy ahsarahu, and he is muhsar.” They argued that this verse was revealed concerning the incident of al-Hudaybiyyah, in which the prevention came from an enemy. This is also indicated by Allah Most High’s words in the course of the verse: “Then, when you are secure...” Security is from fear. They regarded the hadith of al-Hajjaj ibn ‘Amr as weak on the basis of the established report from Ibn ‘Abbas that he said, “There is no prevention except prevention by an enemy.” Some of them interpreted it to mean that one may release himself because of a fracture or lameness only if, upon entering ihram, he had stipulated this condition, as it is related that Dubā‘ah bint al-Zubayr was ill, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to her: “Perform Hajj, but stipulate and say: ‘O Allah, I shall end my ihram wherever You prevent me from proceeding.’” (2)

The person so prevented releases himself from ihram by slaughtering a sacrificial offering and shaving his head. The offering is a sheep, and this is what is meant by Allah Most High’s words: “Then whatever sacrificial offering is available.”