Is it necessary to follow a particular madhab?

Sources

• ✓ 2:196 · Al-Baqara

  2:196 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  وَأَتِمُّوا۟ ٱلْحَجَّ وَٱلْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِ ۚ فَإِنْ أُحْصِرْتُمْ فَمَا ٱسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ ٱلْهَدْىِ ۖ وَلَا تَحْلِقُوا۟ رُءُوسَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ ٱلْهَدْىُ مَحِلَّهُۥ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِۦٓ أَذًۭى مِّن رَّأْسِهِۦ فَفِدْيَةٌۭ مِّن صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍۢ ۚ فَإِذَآ أَمِنتُمْ فَمَن تَمَتَّعَ بِٱلْعُمْرَةِ إِلَى ٱلْحَجِّ فَمَا ٱسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ ٱلْهَدْىِ ۚ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَٰثَةِ أَيَّامٍۢ فِى ٱلْحَجِّ وَسَبْعَةٍ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ ۗ تِلْكَ عَشَرَةٌۭ كَامِلَةٌۭ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن لَّمْ يَكُنْ أَهْلُهُۥ حَاضِرِى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ

  Perform the pilgrimage and the visit (to Makka) for Allah. And if ye are prevented, then send such gifts as can be obtained with ease, and shave not your heads until the gifts have reached their destination. And whoever among you is sick or hath an ailment of the head must pay a ransom of fasting or almsgiving or offering. And if ye are in safety, then whosoever contenteth himself with the visit for the pilgrimage (shall give) such gifts as can be had with ease. And whosoever cannot find (such gifts), then a fast of three days while on the pilgrimage, and of seven when ye have returned; that is, ten in all. That is for him whoso folk are not present at the Inviolable Place of Worship. Observe your duty to Allah, and know that Allah is severe in punishment.

• ✓ Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 2:196

  Sunni

  Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 2:196

  When Allah first mentioned the rulings concerning fasting and added mention of striving in His cause, He then proceeded to explain the rituals of pilgrimage. He commanded the completion of both Hajj and Umrah, and the apparent context indicates that the completion here means to perform all their prescribed acts after entering the sacred state (Ihram). Thus, He says, "If you are prevented (from completing the rituals)," meaning if you are stopped from reaching the Sacred House and prevented from completing your rituals. Scholars unanimously agree that entering the state of Ihram for Hajj and Umrah is mandatory, whether one considers Umrah obligatory or recommended — both views are held among scholars, which Ibn Kathir discussed fully in his book on rulings. Shu'bah reported from Amr ibn Murrah from Abdullah ibn Salamah, from Ali, that regarding the command "And complete the Hajj and Umrah for Allah," it means that one must assume Ihram from the area of one's tribe (duirat ahl). Ibn Abbas, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, and Tawus agreed on this meaning. Sufyan al-Thawri explained ‘‘completion’’ as assuming Ihram from one's home, intending only the rituals of Hajj and Umrah, not for trade or other purposes. When nearing Mecca, saying "If I were to perform Hajj or Umrah" suffices, but true completion is to enter assuming Ihram specifically for these rituals, not for other activities. Others explained completion as initiating both rituals from the Miqat stations. Abdul Razzaq narrated from Ma’mar from al-Zuhri that Umar ibn al-Khattab said regarding the verse: completion means you perform the rituals separately, that is, making Umrah outside the months of Hajj. This is supported by Allah’s words: "Hajj is in well-known months." There is scholarly debate about whether Umrah during the months of Hajj is considered complete. Hisham reported from Ibn ‘Awn that al-Qasim ibn Muhammad said that Umrah in the months of Hajj is not complete. When asked if it is complete in Muharram, he said the people then considered it complete. Likewise, Qatada ibn Di’ama held a similar view. This is questionable because the Prophet ﷺ performed Umrah four times during Dhul-Qi’dah after migration, never outside it, though he mentioned to Umm Hani that performing Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj with him since she was determined to perform Hajj but was prevented due to menstrual impurity. Al-Suddi said the phrase "And complete the Hajj and Umrah for Allah" means to maintain and fulfill their rites. Ali ibn Abi Talhah reported from Ibn Abbas that whoever enters Ihram for Hajj or Umrah should not leave the state of Ihram until completion. The completion of Hajj is on the Day of Sacrifice, after stoning the Jamrat al-Aqaba and circumnavigating the House and going between Safa and Marwah, then they may exit Ihram. Qatada narrated from Zurara, from Ibn Abbas that he said: "Hajj is ‘Arafah and Umrah is the Tawaf around the House." Similarly, al-A’mash from Ibrahim from Alqama read the verse as "And maintain the Hajj and Umrah to the House," meaning Umrah does not extend beyond the Sacred House. Ibrahim informed Sa’id ibn Jubayr of this, and Sa’id affirmed Ibn Abbas held this view. Some variant recitations mention "complete the Hajj and Umrah" without the accusative case on Umrah, implying it is not obligatory. Others disagreed. Many hadiths from various companions, including Anas, confirm that the Prophet ﷺ combined the Ihram for Hajj and Umrah together, commanding those with sacrificial animals to enter Ihram for both rituals simultaneously, and that Umrah is included in Hajj until the Day of Judgment. There is a strange hadith reported by Abu Muhammad ibn Abi Hatim regarding the context of this verse: a man came to the Prophet ﷺ scented with saffron and wearing a cloak, asking how to perform his Umrah. The Prophet ﷺ recited the verse "And complete the Hajj and Umrah for Allah," then instructed him to remove his cloak, wash himself, rinse his nose as much as possible, and do in his Umrah what he refrained from during Hajj. This narration is unusual in its wording. Another report from the Sahihayn (Bukhari and Muslim) tells a similar story with minor differences. Regarding the statement "If you are prevented (from completing the pilgrimage), then sacrifice what is easy among the animals," scholars reported that this was revealed in the year of Hudaybiyyah when the polytheists blocked the Prophet ﷺ and the Muslims from entering the Sacred House. Allah revealed Surah al-Fath to indicate completion and gave the Muslims a concession to slaughter the sacrificial animals they had, about seventy livestock, and to leave Ihram. When the Prophet ﷺ did so, the companions followed, some shaving their heads, some shortening hair. The Prophet ﷺ said, "May Allah have mercy on those who shave their heads." When asked about those who shortened, he said the same about the third time. This event confirmed the concession and its conditions. Scholars differ on whether the restriction of being "prevented" applies only to an enemy blocking one or includes other cases like illness or other harm. Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Ibn Abbas and others that "prevention" means enemy obstruction alone, while illness or other impediments do not count. Verse says, "But when you are safe," so safety is not considered prevention. Others say prevention is broader and includes illness, confusion, or other harms. Ahmad ibn Hanbal narrated from Hajaj ibn al-Sawwaf that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever breaks a leg or shoulder is considered relieved and must perform Hajj another time." This view is supported by many early scholars and narrated in the major hadith collections. Malik and others narrated from Ali ibn Abi Talib that the "easy sacrifice" refers to a sheep. Ibn Abbas said the sacrifice can be from the traditionally acceptable animals: camels, cattle, goats, or sheep. Many prominent scholars concurred that the minimum sacrifice required when prevented is one sheep, even if the original intention was to sacrifice larger animals. Regarding "And do not shave your heads until the sacrifice reaches its place," Ibn Kathir points out that this is linked to the prior command to complete Hajj and Umrah and does not connect with the concession when prevented, contrary to Ibn Jarir’s view. During Hudaybiyyah, they shaved and sacrificed outside the Sacred Mosque due to obstruction, but in the case of safety and entering the Sacred Mosque, shaving is not allowed until the sacrifice arrives at its designated place. The pilgrim finishes the acts of Hajj and Umrah—whether combined (Qiran) or separate—before shaving, as the Prophet ﷺ explained when addressed by Hafsa about the companions ending Umrah before him. The phrase "Whoever among you is ill or has harm to his head" means if one suffers illness or harm to the head, there is an alternative to sacrifice: fast, give charity, or perform sacrifice. Bukhari and others report the story of Ka'b ibn 'Ujrah who asked the Prophet ﷺ when lice troubled his head; he was told to shave, fast three days, or feed six needy people. This ruling applies generally. The verse continues to describe those who cannot find an animal to sacrifice must fast ten days, three during Hajj and seven after returning home. Scholars have explained details about when to fast, some recommending fasting before the day of 'Arafah or from the day of Ihram. The hadiths also clarify that fasting during the days of Tashreeq (11th-13th of Dhu al-Hijjah) is generally not permitted except for those obliged. There are two main positions on whether the seven days fasting must be done while traveling or after returning to one's residence. Evidence and consensus from many Companions and scholars support that returning home is the correct understanding. The phrase "Those ten complete (days)" is interpreted by scholars as emphasizing the completion and sufficiency of the ten days, as Arab rhetoric uses "complete" to mean full and sufficient, as exemplified in other Quranic contexts. Finally, regarding "That is for whoever whose family is not present at the Sacred Mosque," Ibn Kathir notes scholarly disagreement on who exactly is meant, but consensus holds it refers to the residents of the Haram area who are excluded from performing Umrah during Hajj (i.e., prohibited from combining or enjoying the ‘Umrah at that time). Some say it refers specifically to the people inside the sanctuary; others extend it a little further. Ibn Abbas and Mujahid said it is the people of Haram. One narration says Ibn Abbas said: "O people of Mecca, no Umrah for you; it is lawful for the outsiders and forbidden for you." Allah concludes with an admonition: "And fear Allah and know that Allah is severe in punishment" to emphasize obedience to His commands and fear of disobedience. Thus, this ayah elaborates on the rulings about Hajj and Umrah, the conditions for completion, concessions when prevented, forms of compensation, and the status of the residents of the Haram, incorporating the Prophet's practices and sayings, consensus and differences among scholars, and the circumstances of revelation at Hudaybiyyah.