The Prophet's Guidance in Hajj — Part 1: Ihram to Arafah

Ibn al-Qayyim's treatment of the Prophet's Hajj is among the most detailed sections of Zad al-Ma'ad, drawing extensively on the narration of Jabir ibn Abdillah ﷺ which is considered the most comprehensive account of the Farewell Pilgrimage. This chapter covers the first half of the Hajj journey, from the assumption of ihram to the great standing at Arafah.

The Prophet ﷺ performed only one Hajj after the migration to Madinah — the Farewell Pilgrimage in the tenth year of the Hijra. He departed Madinah on the 25th of Dhul-Qa'dah with approximately one hundred thousand companions. He assumed ihram from Dhul-Hulayfah, which is the miqat for the people of Madinah. He bathed, applied perfume to his body before the ihram state, and donned the two white unsewn garments.

His intention at ihram was for Hajj Qiran — combining Hajj and Umrah in one ihram with a single talbiyah — because he brought sacrificial animals with him. He began reciting the talbiyah: 'Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, innal-hamda wan-ni'mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak.' He commanded his companions to make their own ihram according to their own type: those without animals could make Hajj Tamattu, those with animals should make Hajj Qiran like him.

Upon arriving in Makkah, he entered the Masjid al-Haram and began his tawaf of arrival (tawaf al-qudum), starting at the Black Stone and performing idtiba (placing the ihram cloth under the right arm) for the entire seven circuits. He performed raml (brisk walking with short steps) in the first three circuits of tawaf and walked normally in the remaining four. He prayed two rak'ahs behind the Maqam Ibrahim and then drank from the well of Zamzam.

He then proceeded to perform Sa'i between Safa and Marwah, climbing Safa and facing the Ka'bah and making supplication three times, then walking to Marwah and repeating the same, completing seven passes. Because he had animals with him, he did not exit ihram after Umrah but remained in ihram until the day of slaughter.

On the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah (Yawm al-Tarwiyah), he moved to Mina and spent the night there, praying Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha, and Fajr — shortening the four-unit prayers to two without combining them. After sunrise on the 9th, he moved to Arafah. There he delivered the famous Farewell Sermon from the back of his camel, establishing fundamental rights and obligations. He then prayed Dhuhr and Asr together (combining them early) with a single adhan and two iqamahs, then stood at Arafah making supplication with his hands raised until sunset, saying: 'The best supplication is that of the Day of Arafah.'