What is the ruling on one who spent the night outside Muzdalifah while not knowing that he was outside it?

The questioner : We are a study group who studied the rituals of Hajj in detail from your two books, *Hajj of the Prophet* (peace and blessings be upon him) and *The Rituals of Hajj and 'Umrah*. But despite this, we spent the night outside the boundaries of Muzdalifah according to the signs used, out of ignorance of the location, not the ruling. What are the consequences for us?

The Shaykh : How so, according to the signs? Does that mean you spent the night in Muzdalifah?

The questioner : No. He says that according to the signs, they spent the night outside Muzdalifah.

The Shaykh : Ah, they spent the night outside Muzdalifah.

The questioner : Out of our ignorance of the location, not the ruling. What are the consequences for us?

The Shaykh : If they spent the night outside Muzdalifah while it was possible for them to spend the night in Muzdalifah, then their Hajj is not valid. However, if it was not possible for them to do so, I believe their excuse is acceptable here. But I do not understand how they know the ruling on spending the night in Muzdalifah and see the signs that define the area?

The questioner : They did not see the signs. They slept, and in the morning the signs became apparent to them. It appears so, according to the question. And Allah knows best.

The Shaykh : The question says that they knew, first, the ruling, and second...

The questioner : They were only ignorant of the location.

The Shaykh : And the signs.

The questioner : They saw the signs in the morning.

The Shaykh : In any case.

Another questioner : O Shaykh, we slept at night and did not see the signs.

The Shaykh : How?

The questioner : We did not see the signs that are posted. We came at night after leaving 'Arafah, and out of our desire to follow the Sunnah of spending the night before al-Mash'ar al-Haram, then we would come to al-Mash'ar al-Haram in the morning. We did not see the signs, but we know the ruling that spending the night in Muzdalifah is obligatory. And to be precise, every...

The Shaykh : Okay, did you not see people directing themselves and aiming for a place?

The questioner : Many people were still around us, so it was accepted from us.

The Shaykh : The important thing is that you do not settle around them because they may be ignorant. Did you see the crowds, for example, directing themselves toward a known direction? Or were you confused by those who had settled before you? The important thing is that the answer in such cases is that the matter is left to the person obligated, after detailing the situation. If the person obligated has done what is possible to apply the ruling of the Shari'ah that you read in the book, and then you were not successful in doing so, then [our Lord, do not hold us accountable if we forgot or erred]. However, if there was negligence for which the negligent one is asked, then the matter is like one who prays a prayer that is invalid, which is among the matters, like one who prays without ritual purity. This person has no excuse, because the command regarding the condition of ritual purity for prayer is not hidden from anyone. So if you did what was possible to know Muzdalifah and spend the night in it, and then you were not successful, I think that your Hajj is valid. But if the matter, God forbid, is that you were negligent and your inner state was saying, "O people, follow the people," while this is not the Shari'ah, or "O people, follow the master of the people." If, God forbid, your inner state was like this, "The people are at their price, and as some ignorant people say, 'We are with the people. If they enter Paradise, we enter with them, and if they enter the Fire, and may Allah protect us, we enter with them.'" No. So whoever did the obligatory and erred, he owes nothing. But whoever was negligent, then responsibility comes into play. Yes.