so waiving it for someone performing Hajj alone is all the more warranted. This is the view of Abū Hanīfah. Others say that he instructed her to abandon her ‘umrah; this is the view of Mālik, al-Shāfi‘ī, and Ahmad. They disagreed, however, over whether the arrival circumambulation is waived for someone without a valid excuse. On either view, this indicates that, whether she was performing Hajj alone or combining it with ‘umrah, waiving the arrival circumambulation because she was menstruating would be even more warranted than waiving ‘umrah and its circumambulation.

This differs from the obligatory circumambulation after ‘Arafāt. When the Prophet was told, “Safiyyah bint Huyayy has begun menstruating,” he said:

“What misfortune! Is she going to delay us?”

He was told, “She has already performed the obligatory circumambulation.” He replied, “Then no.”

Similarly, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, instructed that no one should depart until his final act was a visit to the House—namely, the farewell circumambulation—but permitted a menstruating woman to depart without it. Whatever is waived because of a valid excuse is thereby known not to be among the indispensable pillars of Hajj. Thus, the people of Mecca are required to perform neither an arrival circumambulation nor a farewell circumambulation, since the purpose of these does not apply to them: they are neither arriving in Mecca nor bidding it farewell while they remain there. It is therefore clear that Hajj, whose foundation is the standing at ‘Arafāt followed by circumambulation, is prescribed for them, since its essential reality applies to them.

As for ‘umrah, its essence consists of circumambulating the House and passing between al-Safā and al-Marwah. All this takes place within the sanctuary itself, where the Meccan is always present. The passage between al-Safā