for those who disobeyed his command, intending thereby (1) to absolve them of blame, on the grounds that they delayed slaughtering their sacrificial animals and shaving their heads only because they were awaiting the abrogation of that command and the revelation of instructions to the contrary.

Likewise, someone may claim that those who failed to obey him did so only out of reverence for his rank, being unwilling to erase his name; or that those who questioned him about making peace with the polytheists intended only that faith should prevail over unbelief, and so forth.

The response is this: a categorical command from the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—by which he intended to impose an obligation must be obeyed, by the agreement of the believers. Some have disputed only whether an unqualified command imposes an obligation, since it might not be categorical or intended to impose an obligation. But when its categorical and binding nature is clear, no one has doubted this.

It is well known that his command to slaughter the sacrificial animals and shave their heads was categorical and required immediate compliance, as shown by his repeating it three times. When no one rose, he went in to Umm Salamah and told her of the response he had encountered from the people. It is also reported that he became angry and said:

“Why should I not be angry when I give a command and it is not (2) obeyed?” (3).

It is also reported that he said this when he commanded them to leave the state of ihram during the Farewell Pilgrimage.