This is a translation of the detailed report of the Prophet’s pilgrimage as given by Jabir ibn Abdullah, one of his young companions on whose authority a large number of the Noble Prophet’s pronouncements are transmitted by the most authentic of compilers.  This report forms the basis of many of the rulings and opinions given by the different schools of thought with regard to pilgrimage and its practices and duties.   Phrases given in parenthesis are explanatory additions.  

    Allah’s Messenger, peace be on him, stayed (in Madinah) nine years without offering the pilgrimage.  In his tenth year in Madinah it was announced to all people that Allah’s Messenger will offer the pilgrimage.  Many people flocked to Madinah seeking to follow the guidance of Allah’s Messenger and to do like him.  

   We went out with him until we arrived at Dhul-Hulaifah where Asmaa’ bint Umais gave birth to Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr.  She sent a message to the Prophet asking what she should do (considering that she would be in her post-natal period).  She can then go into Ihram.   The Prophet offered his prayers at the mosque there and mounted his she-camel, Al-Qasswaa’.  When his she-camel was well into the desert, I looked up and saw all around me people walking on foot, or riding animals, accompanying him.  I could not see the end of them either in front or on the right or on the left or in the rear.  

      The Prophet was with us, receiving Qur’anic revelations, the interpretation of which he knew very well.  Whatever he did, we did likewise.  He raised his voice with phrases stressing Allah’s unity: “Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk, Labbayk La Shareeka Laka Labbayk. Innal Hamda Wanne’mata Laka walmulk, La Shareeka Laka”.   People raised their voices with whatever praises they wished to repeat, and the Prophet did not take exception to any of it.  He, however, maintained his own mode of “Talbiyah”.          

      We did not intend to do any thing other than pilgrimage.  We knew nothing about Umrah.  When we arrived at the House with the Prophet (peace be on him) he touched the corner (kissed the Black Stone) then he moved in a jogging movement for three rounds and walked in the other four.  He then went to Maqam Ibrahim and recited “Do pray at Maqam Ibrahim”.  He stood with the Maqam between him and the house (the Ka’bah).  In his two rak’ahs he read Surah:  “Al-Ikhlas” and Surah: “Al-Kafiroon”.  He then returned to the corner (of the Ka’bah, where the Black Stone is) and kissed it.   

          He then left through the door nearer to the hill of Safa.  When he approached Safa he read: “Safa and Marwah are two places which Allah has made sacred”.  He also said: “Start with the one with which Allah has started”.  He went first to Safa and climbed up until he could see the Ka’bah, he turned his face towards the Qiblah and declared Allah’s unity and glorified Him.  

          He then said: ‘ “there is no deity except Allah.  He has no partners; to Him belongs the Kingdom as well as all praise.  He is able to do every thing.  There is no deity except Allah. He has fulfilled His promise, given victory to His servant and has defeated the confederates on His own”.  

          This refers to the defeat of the allied forces of disbeliever’s when human forces did not fight them.  He also prayed Allah.  He repeated these phrases three times, then descended towards Marwah.  When he was at the bottom of the valley (marked nowadays with the two green marks) he started running.   When we were again climbing up he walked.  When he arrived at Marwah he did there the same as he did at Safa.  

          He finished his Saee at Marwah, and then said:  “Were I to start anew I would not have brought my sacrificial animals with me, and would have started with Umra.  Whoever of you has not brought his sacrificial animal with him should release himself from Ihram and make this an Umra”.  

          Suraqah Ibn Malik ibn Ju`thum stood up and said “Messenger of Allah, does this apply to this year only or for ever?”  The Prophet put his two hands together with his fingers intercrossing with one another and said:  “The Umrah has intermingled with pilgrimage”.  He repeated that twice and said: “Indeed, till the end of time”.  

          Ali (ibn Abu Talib) came with the sacrificial animals (cows and camels) which belonged to the Prophet from Yemen.  When he arrived he found Fatimah (his wife and the Prophet’s daughter) having released herself from Ihram and put on a colorful dress and colored her eyelashes.  He objected to what he saw, and she told him:  “My father has ordered me to do so”.  

          Ali used to say later when he was in Iraq that he went to the Prophet (peace be on him) complaining against Fatimah for what she did.  He asked the Prophet’s opinion concerning what she attributed to him.  Ali said:  “ I told the Prophet that I objected to her action”.  He said: “She has told the truth.  What did you say when you started your pilgrimage”?  I told him that I said:  “My Lord, I intend to do the same as your Messenger (peace be on him).  He said:   “I have my sacrificial animals with me.  Do not, then, release yourself from Ihram”.  

      The sacrificial animals that Ali brought with him from Yemen and which the Prophet brought with him as well numbered one hundred.  All people released themselves from Ihram and shortened their hair except the Prophet (peace be on him), and those who had their sacrificial animals with them.  

    On the Day of Tarwiyah (the 8^th of Dhul-Hijjah) they proceeded to Mina resolving to do the pilgrimage.  The Prophet mounted (his she-camel) and prayed at Mina the prayers of Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr (meaning that he stayed all day and through the night).  He ordered that a dome made of animal hair be erected for him at Namirah (in Arafat).  

          The Prophet then proceeded. The Quraish people were certain that he would stop at al-Mash’ar al Haraam (in Muzdalifah) in the same way as Quraish used to do before Islam.  The Prophet, however, proceeded until he came to the dome, which was erected for him at Namirah and dismounted there.  When it was midday, he ordered that his she-camel, Al-Qasswaa, be prepared for him and proceeded to the middle of the valley (of Arafat).  

          He addressed the people and said:  “Your blood and your properties are forbidden among you in the same degree of sanctity as this day in this month, in this city.  Every thing, which belonged to ignorance, is hereby forgiven.  The first (victim), whose blood I forgive from among our own people, is Ibn Rabi`ah ibn al-Harith (the Prophet’s own cousin) – He was nursed in the tribe of Bani Sa`ad and was killed by the tribe of Huthail.  – All the usury of ignorance (pre-Islamic days) is wiped off.  The first of it I wipe off is that which belongs to Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib (the Prophet’s own uncle).  All of it hereby foregone.  

          “Fear Allah in (your treatment of) women.  You have taken them on to yourselves with peace from Allah and they are lawful to you with Allah’s word”.  He continued his speech until he said:  “They have a right against you to provide for them and to dress them with what is reasonable.  I left with you Allah’s book.  If you hold fast to it you will never go astray.  You will be asked about me.  What will you say”?  They said:  “We declare that you have given the counsel”.   He pointed with his forefinger raising it to the sky and pointing it to the people said: My Lord, bear witness”.  (He repeated that three times). 

        He then said the Adhan  (the call to prayers) and followed it by Iqamah and prayed Dhuhr.  He then said another Iqamah and prayed Asr.  He did not pray any Sunnah between them.  He then mounted his she-camel until he arrived at the place where he stood.  He put the tummy of his she-camel until he arrived at the place where he stood.  He put the tummy of his she-camel against the large rocks and turned toward those who were walking, facing the Qiblah.

     He remained in attendance at Arafat until the sun had set and the whole of the round shape of the sun had completely disappeared.  He carried Usamah behind him on his camel and moved onward pulling the rein of his she-camel, al-Qasswaa’ right back, to the extent that her head could touch his saddle.  He motioned with his right hand and said: “Be calm, be calm”. Every time he came to a hill he would relax his grip on the rein a little so that the camel could go up hill.

     When he arrived at Muzdalifah, he prayed there the two prayers of Maghrib and Isha with one Adhan and two Iqamahs.  He did not separate the two prayers with any glorification of Allah.  He then reclined until dawn.  He then prayed Fajr or dawn prayers, when he was sure that it was time for it.  Adhan and Iqamah were said before that prayer.  

      He then mounted al-Qasswaa’ and moved on until he arrived at al-Mash’ar al-Haraam and facing the Qiblah, he prayed Allah, glorified Him and repeated phrases of Allah’s unity and declarations that he believed in no god other than Allah until the light of the day was very bright.  He then moved forward before sunrise.

        The Prophet (peace be on him) took on Al-Fadhl ibn Abbas behind him on his she-camel.  Al-Fadhl was a man of fine hair, fair complexion and handsome.  When the Prophet moved on, he came across some women riding on their camels and moving fast.  Al-Fadhl gazed at them, at which the Prophet put his hand on Al-Fadhl’s face.  Al-Fadhl then turned his face the other way and gazed at the women.  The Prophet put his hand again from the other side to turn Al-Fadhl’s face away from the women.

      When he arrived at Muhassar valley, he increased his speed a little and proceeded along the middle road (a different road from that which he used on his way to Arafat) which led to the Grand Jamarah.  He proceeded up to the Jamarah, which is by the tree where he did the stoning.  He threw at it seven little stones and each time he threw a stone, he said: “Allahu Akbar” or Allah is the Greatest.  When he did his stoning, he stood at the bottom of the valley (so that Mina, Arafat and Muzadalifah were on his right hand side and Makkah was to his left).  

     He then went to the slaughter place where, with his own hand, he sacrificed sixty-three animals and asked Ali to slaughter the rest.  Ali did that, and the Prophet made Ali his partner in his sacrificed animals.  He ordered that a small piece of meat be taken from each animal he sacrificed and they were all put in a large saucepan to cook.  When it was ready, the Prophet and Ali had some soup and ate of the meat of the cooking.  

      The Prophet then mounted his she-camel and went straight on to Makkah.  Arriving at the Sacred Mosque, he did the Tawaf of Ifadah and prayed Dhuhr at Makkah.  He then went toward Zamzam, where members of the clan of Abdul Muttalib (the Prophet’s own clan) were serving people, getting the water from the well of Zamzam to give a drink of its water to anyone who cared to have one.         

      The Prophet said to his tribesmen: “Bani Abdul Muttalib, work hard at providing drinks for people.  I would have joined you in your service if it was not for fear that people would overpower you to do this service”.  (This means that the Prophet feared that people would think that giving water to other pilgrims is one of the rituals of pilgrimage and there will be a great deal of fighting over it.) They gave him a bucket of water and he drank from it.

From: The Muslim World League Journal

Vol. – 27 No. – 12