shaving one another’s heads, until they nearly killed one another out of anguish.” (1)

Some said: The place of sacrifice for the offering of the prevented pilgrim is the Sacred Precinct. If he is performing Hajj, its appointed time is the Day of Sacrifice; and if he is performing ‘Umrah, its appointed time is the day on which his offering reaches the Sacred Precinct.

Allah Most High says: “But if any of you is ill or has an ailment of the head.” This means: Do not shave your heads while in ihram, unless you are compelled to shave because of illness or an affliction of the head, such as lice or a headache. “Then a ransom” contains an implied clause; that is, if he shaves, he must offer an expiation. This was revealed concerning Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah.

‘Abd al-Wahid al-Mulayhi informed us; Ahmad ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Nu‘aymi informed us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf informed us; Muhammad ibn Isma‘il informed us; al-Hasan ibn Khalaf informed us; Ishaq ibn Yusuf informed us, from Abu Bishr and Warqa‘, from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid, who said: ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla related to me, from Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw him while his lice were falling upon his face. He said, “Are your vermin troubling you?” He replied, “Yes.” So the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded him to shave his head while he was at al-Hudaybiyyah. He had not made clear to them that they would leave ihram there, since they still hoped to enter Mecca. Then Allah revealed the ruling concerning the expiation, and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded him either to feed a faraq-measure, equal to three sa‘s, divided among six needy people, or to sacrifice a sheep, or to fast for three days.’ (2)

Allah Most High says: “Then a ransom by fasting,” that is, three days; “or charity,” that is, three sa‘s distributed among six needy people, with half a sa‘ for each needy person; “or sacrifice.” Its singular form is nasikah, meaning a sacrificial animal. Its highest form is a camel, its middle form a cow, and its lowest form a sheep; he may slaughter whichever of these he wishes. This expiation is based on optional alternatives and fixed quantities: he may choose between slaughtering, fasting, and giving charity.

Every sacrificial offering or food due from a person in ihram must be offered in Mecca and given in charity to the needy of the Sacred Precinct, except for the offering due from the prevented pilgrim, which he slaughters where he was prevented. As for fasting, he may fast wherever he wishes.

Allah Most High says: “And when you are safe,” that is, safe from your fear and recovered from your illness; “then whoever performs ‘Umrah followed by Hajj must offer whatever sacrificial animal is readily available.” They differed concerning this form of tamattu‘. ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr held that it means: whoever is prevented until he misses Hajj and does not leave ihram, then arrives in Mecca and leaves ihram by performing the rites of ‘Umrah, enjoying the release from ihram afforded by that ‘Umrah until the following year, when he performs Hajj—such a person is performing tamattu‘ by virtue of that release from ihram until he enters ihram again in the following year.

Others said that its meaning is: when you are safe and have left ihram after being prevented, but have not made up the ‘Umrah and have postponed it until the following year, then perform ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj and leave ihram, enjoying that release until Hajj; then enter ihram for Hajj. In that case, you must offer whatever sacrificial animal is readily available. This was the view of ‘Alqamah, Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i, and Sa‘id ibn Jubayr.

Ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Ata’, and a group of others said: It refers to a man who comes from one of the outlying regions to perform ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj. After completing his ‘Umrah, he remains in Mecca out of ihram until he begins Hajj from there and performs Hajj in that same year. Thus, he enjoys the release from ihram after ‘Umrah until he enters ihram for Hajj. The meaning of tamattu‘, then, is to enjoy, after completing ‘Umrah, what had been forbidden to him in ihram, until he enters ihram for Hajj.