when he returns to his family.’ When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, arrived in Mecca, he circumambulated the House, first touching the Corner, then jogging for three of the seven circuits and walking the remaining four. After completing his circumambulation of the House, he went back and prayed two rak‘ahs at the Station of Abraham. He then concluded his prayer with the salutation, left, and went to Safā, making seven passages between Safā and Marwa. He remained bound by all the restrictions of ihrām until he had completed his Hajj, slaughtered his sacrificial animals on the Day of Sacrifice, and returned to circumambulate the House. Then everything previously forbidden to him became permissible. Those who had brought sacrificial animals with them did as the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had done.”

Al-Zuhrī said:

“‘Urwa also related to me from ‘Ā’isha a report like that of Sālim from his father.”

This is the most authentic hadith on the face of the earth. It is transmitted by al-Zuhrī—the most knowledgeable person of his time concerning the Sunnah—from Sālim, from Ibn ‘Umar, and is more authentic than the report of Ibn ‘Umar. It is also transmitted by ‘Urwa from ‘Ā’isha, and is more authentic than the report of ‘Ā’isha. It is authentically reported from her in the two Sahīhs:

“The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, performed four umrahs, the fourth together with his Hajj.”

By the agreement of the Muslims, he performed no umrah after that. It therefore follows necessarily that he combined umrah and Hajj. And he said: “This is what the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did.” She likewise reported that those who combined Hajj and umrah performed only one circumambulation.

As for those who were reported to have said that he performed Hajj alone, they are three: ‘Ā’isha and Ibn