Umrah al-Qaza – The Missed Umrah | Part – 4

As agreed a year ago at Hudaybiya, the Prophet told his companions to make preparations for Umrah, the minor pilgrimage. He said that except for those who had passed away, no one from those who had been at Hudaybiya should be left behind.

Two thousand people, not including the children, began the journey from Madina to the Ka’ba. They were going to show the entire world how to really worship there. The Prophet dressed in his ihram, the two-piece white garment, at the door of the Grand Mosque and began uttering the supplication of talbiya;

“Labbayk Allahumma labbayk; labbayka la sharika laka labbayk. Inna’l-ham- da wa’n-ni’mata laka wa’l-mulk la sharika lak.”

It was the fourth day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. Being loyal to the agreement they had made with the Quraysh, Muslims entered Makka without weapons. While the animals marked for sacrifice in front, Muslims were returning to this sacred place that they had left seven years ago. They were going to stay in Makka for 3 days according to the agreement. Meanwhile, the Quraysh were gossiping about the companions saying that they were not able to walk after the long journey.

Before greeting Hajar al-Aswad, the Black Stone, the Prophet took one end of his ihram under his arm and opened his right shoulder, and let the other end rest on his left one. He also advised his companions to show themselves strong and look in a way that will cause the Makkans distress. He wanted to show the polytheists who is strong and mighty and who is not. That is why he asked the Muslims, especially in the first three rounds of their circumambulation, to walk strongly and put their chests forward. Of course, the pagans were unable to hide their surprise.

The polytheists went up to the mountains to observe the Muslims around the Ka’bah. When it was time for the Noon Prayer, the Prophet asked Bilal al-Habashi to make the adhan, call to Prayer. The polytheists watching the Muslims circumambulate the Ka’ba were startled by this voice that they were hearing for the very first time.

Everything was going according to the articles of the agreement they had signed at Hudaybiya. At one point the Prophet requested to enter the Ka’ba, but Makkan leaders were got angry and said:

“There was no such article in the agreement”

and refused his request.

Therefore, the Prophet completed his circumambulation, went back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwa, slaughtered the sacrificial animals, and finally shaved his head. Now the Umrah, minor pilgrimage was completed. Although the Prophet wanted to stay longer in Makka, the Makkan leaders said,

“Your time is up. In the agreement we made with you there is no alternative than leaving our land at once”

so the Prophet gave the order to travel back to Madina.

Further Reading:

Haylamaz, Resit and Harpci, Fatih. Prophet Muhammad: Sultan of Hearts, II vol. New Jersey: Tughra Books, 2014.

Gülen, Muhammad Fethullah. The Messenger of God: Muhammad, An Analysis of the Prophet’s Life. New Jersey: The Light, 2006.