is further evidence that one who brings sacrificial animals should combine Hajj and umrah in a single ihrām rather than perform tamattuʿ. If combining Hajj and umrah and performing tamattuʿ are equally preferable when sacrificial animals are brought, then the disagreement falls away.

If it is asked, “Which is better: to bring sacrificial animals and combine Hajj and umrah, or to perform tamattuʿ without bringing sacrificial animals and leave ihrām?”

The answer is:

This is a matter for scholarly judgment, since two pieces of scriptural evidence appear to conflict.

The first is that he combined Hajj and umrah and brought sacrificial animals during the Farewell Pilgrimage. Allah would not have chosen for His Prophet what was less preferable over what was more preferable, for the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

The second is that his statement implies that, had he been entering ihrām at that point, he would have entered it for umrah and would not have brought sacrificial animals, as indicated by his words:

“Had I known at the outset what I came to know later.”

What lay behind him was what he had already done: it had passed and was now behind him. What lay ahead of him was what he had not yet done and was still before him. Thus, it becomes clear that, had he once again been facing the step he had already taken—namely, entering ihrām—he would have entered ihrām for umrah without bringing sacrificial animals. He would not choose to move from what is more preferable to what is less preferable; rather, he would choose only what is more preferable. This indicates that it had then become clear to him that performing tamattuʿ without sacrificial animals was better for him. However, those who support the first view answer this by saying that he did not say this because