‘Umrah is obligatory according to the better-known of the two positions reported from Ahmad. Some of his followers therefore treated this as a third reported position, saying that three positions are reported on this question: that it is obligatory; that it is not obligatory; and that a distinction is made between Meccans and others. This is the approach of our grandfather Abū al-Barakāt and others.

Others said that the people of Mecca are exempt, and ‘umrah is not obligatory for them, with no differing position reported from Ahmad on this point. This is the approach of Shaykh Abū Muhammad, and it is the more correct view.

Some jurists recommended that someone undertaking ‘umrah from Mecca enter ihrām at al-Hudaybiyah or al-Ji‘rānah, citing the ‘umrah of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as evidence. This is mistaken. Al-Hudaybiyah was where he left ihrām when he was prevented from proceeding, not where he entered it. As for al-Ji‘rānah, he entered ihrām there while on his way into Mecca, because that was where he began his ‘umrah.

For this reason, the more correct of the two views held by the scholars of our school—and the position explicitly stated by Ahmad—is that frequent ‘umrah is not recommended, whether from Mecca or elsewhere. Rather, one should leave an interval between two ‘umrahs, even if only long enough for one’s hair to grow back sufficiently to be shaved. This applies to someone who goes out to the designated ihrām point for his region and performs ‘umrah.

For someone staying in Mecca, however, frequent circumambulation of the House is better than undertaking ‘umrah from Mecca. This was the practice of the Companions: when staying in Mecca, they would circumambulate the House frequently rather than undertake ‘umrah from Mecca. Thus, the Companions who recommended performing Hajj separately