‘Pray in this blessed valley and say, “ʿUmrah combined with Hajj.”’” No one has transmitted from the Prophet himself, peace and blessings be upon him, any wording whatsoever that contradicts these two statements. Indeed, no wording declaring his entry into ihram has been transmitted from him other than this.

Likewise, ʿĀ’ishah said in the hadith recorded by both al-Bukhārī and Muslim:

“We set out with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, for the Farewell Pilgrimage and entered ihram for ʿumrah. Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘Whoever has brought a sacrificial offering should enter ihram for Hajj together with ʿumrah.’”

As for the Prophet’s statement, peace and blessings be upon him:

“Had I known beforehand what I now know, I would not have brought the sacrificial offering, and I would have made it ʿumrah,”

this also shows that, having brought the sacrificial offering, he would not make it ʿumrah; he would have made it ʿumrah only if he had not brought the offering. His Companions whom he instructed to leave ihram—those who had not brought sacrificial offerings—were reluctant to leave ihram during the months of Hajj, because they were not accustomed to interrupting their ihram during those months. To put their hearts at ease, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, indicated that he would have done as they did, explaining that, had he known beforehand what he later came to know—that is, “Were I entering ihram now, I would not bring a sacrificial offering, and I would enter ihram for ʿumrah, after which I would leave ihram.” All these reports are established as authentic from him without dispute.

This makes clear that the preferred course for someone arriving during the months of Hajj is one of two things: either to bring along a sacrificial offering, or to perform tamattuʿ in the manner of someone performing qirān; or not to bring along a sacrificial offering and to perform tamattuʿ by undertaking ʿumrah and then leaving ihram.