designated boundary for ihrām. He may enter ihrām either in Mecca or outside it; this is the correct view. The Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, entered ihrām from al-Bathā’, as he had instructed them. The Sunnah is to enter ihrām wherever one is staying. Likewise, a resident of Mecca enters ihrām from his home, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
“Whoever lives short of Mecca enters ihrām from his home; even the people of Mecca enter ihrām from Mecca.”
The Sunnah is for the pilgrims to spend the night at Minā, praying Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, ‘Ishā’ and Fajr there. They do not leave until sunrise, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did. As for lighting fires, this is a reprehensible innovation by scholarly agreement. Lighting fires is confined to Muzdalifah, after returning from ‘Arafah; lighting them at Minā or ‘Arafah is likewise an innovation.
They proceed from Minā to Namirah along the route of Dabb, to the right of the road. Namirah was a village outside ‘Arafāt, on the right-hand side. They remain there until the sun passes its zenith, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did. They then proceed to the valley floor, where the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed Zuhr and ‘Asr and delivered his sermon. This place lies at the boundary of ‘Arafah, in the valley of ‘Uranah. There is a mosque there called the Mosque of Abraham, which was only built at the beginning of the rule of