Allah, which is surrounded by the sanctuary of Allah Most High. For this reason, a pilgrim must include both the area outside the sanctuary and the sanctuary itself in his rites, so that he approaches the sanctuary from outside it. This gives expression to the meaning of seeking Allah and turning toward His House and sanctuary. Whoever lives outside the sanctuary thus approaches the sanctuary and the House from outside its boundaries.

As for those within the sanctuary, such as the people of Mecca, they must go out to ‘Arafāt during Hajj, and ‘Arafāt lies outside the sanctuary. When they depart from ‘Arafāt, they then approach the House from outside the sanctuary. This is why the obligatory circumambulation takes place only after the standing at ‘Arafāt. This journey from outside the sanctuary to the Ka‘bah constitutes the very essence of Hajj, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Hajj is ‘Arafāt.”

Accordingly, Hajj is secured by attending the standing at ‘Arafāt and is missed when its allotted time expires at dawn on the Day of Sacrifice, following the day of the standing at ‘Arafāt. The essence of Hajj is therefore attainable for the people of Mecca just as it is for others, since the rites preceding the standing at ‘Arafāt, such as the arrival circumambulation, are not indispensable.

When ‘Ā’ishah informed the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that she had begun menstruating—having entered ihrām for ‘umrah with the intention of subsequently performing Hajj—he instructed her to unbraid her hair, comb it, enter ihrām for Hajj, and leave aside ‘umrah. Most jurists say that he thereby made her combine ‘umrah and Hajj in a single state of ihrām and exempted her from the arrival circumambulation.