Moreover, there would be no particular significance to His saying:

“And proclaim the pilgrimage to the people; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel”—up to His words—“so that they may witness benefits for themselves and mention Allah’s name.”

He thus made their coming to the sacred sites serve the purpose of witnessing benefits for themselves and mentioning Allah’s name during specified days. Had He intended only the Eid sacrifice, the sacred sites would have no distinctive connection with this, since the Eid sacrifice is prescribed throughout the earth. This argument, however, also raises an objection to our view that Allah’s name is to be mentioned throughout the ten days in all towns. It may be asked: why, then, did He associate this specifically with coming to the sacred sites?

Someone who holds that Allah should be remembered upon seeing the pilgrimage offerings might cite this as evidence, since these offerings are driven to Mecca. Yet according to him, an offering may be slaughtered whenever it arrives. What purpose, then, would there be in restricting this to the specified days?

This may be answered in two ways.

First, slaughter at the sacred sites is the primary practice, while the other towns follow Mecca. This is why the Festival of Sacrifice is the greater festival, and the Day of Sacrifice is the day of the greater pilgrimage: it combines the festival associated with the place and that associated with the time.

Second, Allah is remembered there for His provision of both Eid sacrifices and pilgrimage offerings, unlike places outside Mecca, where there are only Eid sacrifices. The Eid sacrifice is restricted to the specified days. For according to our school, pilgrimage offerings have an appointed time: someone who brings an offering with him may slaughter it only when leaving the consecrated state, and he may not leave that state until he has slaughtered his offering, as Allah Most High says:

“Until the sacrificial offering reaches its appointed place.”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, instructed his Companions during the Pilgrimage of