except for what is established as exclusive to him. When he deliberately performed an act of worship in a particular place, it is prescribed for us to seek to perform that act of worship in that place. Thus, he deliberately travelled to Mecca and worshipped at the Sacred Mosque, praying there, circumambulating it, passing between al-Safā and al-Marwah, ascending al-Safā and al-Marwah, standing at ʿArafah and al-Mashʿar al-Harām, performing the ritual stoning, and standing to supplicate at the first two stoning sites, but not at the third, Jamrat al-ʿAqabah. All of this is prescribed for us, either as obligatory or as recommended.

In Mecca, he did not go anywhere other than the Sacred Mosque. Nor did he journey to the cave where he had stayed during his migration, or ascend to the Cave of Hirāʾ, where he used to devote himself to worship before revelation came to him. This was a devotional practice among the people of Mecca, said to have been instituted for them by ʿAbd al-Muttalib.

He performed two units of prayer after circumambulating the House, but did not perform any prayer after passing between al-Safā and al-Marwah. When he entered the Sacred Mosque, he circumambulated the House; this circumambulation served as the greeting of the mosque. He did not first offer a prayer to greet it, as is done in other mosques.

Likewise, when he reached Minā, he began by stoning Jamrat al-ʿAqabah; that was the act of worship. Afterwards, he slaughtered his sacrificial animals, shaved his head, and then circumambulated the House. Hence, the Sunnah for those at Minā is to perform the stoning and then slaughter their sacrifices. For them, stoning takes the place of the Eid prayer for others. There is no Eid prayer at Minā, nor is there Friday prayer there or at ʿArafah, for the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not perform an Eid prayer at either place, nor did he perform Friday prayer on the Day of ʿArafah. Nor did he perform Friday or Eid prayers during his travels. For this reason,