the position of Imam Ahmad and others, as well as those followers of Mālik, al-Shāfi‘ī, and others who hold this view. Preferring tamattu‘ is the position of the hadith scholars, the jurists of Mecca among the Companions and Successors, and Banū Hāshim. Thus, the scholars of the Prophet’s Sunnah, the people of his city, and his household agreed in preferring it.

Although Mālik prefers performing Hajj on its own (ifrād), he does not prefer this for someone who performs Umrah immediately after Hajj. Rather, Umrah is to be performed outside the months of Hajj, such as in Muharram. In one of his opinions, al-Shāfi‘ī prefers tamattu‘; in another, entering ihrām without specifying the form of pilgrimage; and in another, ifrād. However, I do not recall his position concerning someone who performs Umrah immediately after Hajj. Although some of his followers regard this as preferable, many followers of Ahmad likewise suppose that his position is that tamattu‘ is preferable to performing Umrah during the months of Hajj.

There are many mistaken representations of both the Sunnah and the imams’ positions on this subject. How could anyone with even the slightest knowledge of the Sunnah doubt that none of the Prophet’s Companions performed Umrah immediately after Hajj? And how could any Muslim doubt that what they did at the command of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was best for them and for anyone whose circumstances resembled theirs?

What we have stated makes it clear that, even if performing Umrah from Mecca immediately after Hajj is permitted for someone who performed Hajj on its own, no one did this during the lifetime of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, nor was it prescribed by him—or by any of his caliphs or any of his Companions