a man went out intending to offer the noon prayer in congregation, offered four units of voluntary prayer beforehand, and then prayed the noon prayer—would that increase the good he gained or diminish it?”’

Then Ahmad said, ‘How well he put it!’ Abū ‘Abd Allāh then said, ‘He is asking whether his purpose in coming was the noon prayer or the voluntary prayer.’ That is, his purpose in coming was the noon prayer. Abū ‘Abd Allāh said, ‘This is a newly introduced view’—meaning their description of it as ‘a Hajj undertaken from Mecca.’

He said: ‘On another occasion, I heard Abū ‘Abd Allāh mention Ibn al-Mubārak’s statement and say, “It is a newly introduced view”—meaning their description of it as “a Hajj undertaken from Mecca.”

‘Abū ‘Abd Allāh was asked, “Is ‘Abd Allāh’s statement a newly introduced view?” He replied angrily, “Yes, by Allah, it is a newly introduced view! I do not know what to make of it. How could it not be newly introduced, when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, knew of this practice and instructed his Companions to perform it?” He spoke sternly on the matter.’

He said: ‘On yet another occasion, I heard Abū ‘Abd Allāh being asked, “What of someone who calls it a Hajj undertaken from Mecca?”

‘He replied, “This is a newly introduced view.” He was asked, “From whom is it reported?”

‘He answered, “From al-Sha‘bī and Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr.”’”

Section

The evidence for this is that reports have been transmitted through numerous independent chains from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: