Explanation: (Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We did not intend anything but Hajj; we did not know 'Umrah until we came to the House with him. He touched the Corner, then ran three circuits and walked four.")
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The reader: Sahih Muslim 1218a
The Shaykh : "He touched the Corner" means the stone, the Black Stone. It is called the Corner because it is located at the corner. The scholars said that the meaning of touching (istilam) is to wipe it with one's hand like this; this is what touching is. It is not placing one's hand on it, because placing one's hand on it does not constitute touching; rather, wiping is necessary.
The reader:.
The Shaykh :Sahih Muslim 1218d Regarding running (raml), the scholars said: it is walking quickly with close steps. It appears that by "close steps" they mean that a person does not lengthen his stride, because it is customary that when a person speeds up, his stride becomes longer. However, he speeds up without lengthening his stride, but keeps it natural.
"And walked four" means the remaining four circuits of the tawaf. The wisdom behind running becomes clear by understanding the origin of its prescription. The origin of the prescription of running is that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) negotiated with Quraysh in the 'Umrah of al-Hudaybiyyah, agreeing that he would return the following year, Quraysh wanted to show gloating over the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companions. They said: "A group of people will come to you who have been weakened by the fever of Yathrib," meaning they have been weakened. Yathrib is the name of the city, and the city had fever until the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called upon Allah the Exalted to transfer it to al-Juhfah. So they wanted to gloat over them. They sat to the north of the Ka'bah in order to watch the Companions. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knew of this, meaning he knew of their plot. But they plot and Allah plots, and Allah is the best of plotters. So he ordered his companions to run in the three circuits, but not in a way that completes the circuit; rather, they should run from the Black Stone to the Yemeni Corner, and walk between the two corners, because between the two corners they are hidden from Quraysh by the Ka'bah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not want to tire them. As for the Farewell Pilgrimage, he (peace and blessings be upon him) ran all three of his circuits from the Black Stone to the Black Stone.
And thus, the first running, which was in the 'Umrah of al-Qada', is abrogated by the running in all three circuits. Running in only the three circuits displays strength and endurance without hardship. If it were done in two, it would be an even number, not an odd one. If it were done in four, it would be an even number, not an odd one. If it were done in five, it would involve hardship. If it were done in one, it would not demonstrate strength. Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) chose that the running be in the three circuits only.
Because if it were limited to the first circuit, the ability and strength would not be clear. If it were limited to two circuits, it would be cut off at an even number, and the entire tawaf is an odd number. If it were cut off at four, it would be cut off at an even number. If it were cut off at five, it would involve hardship. So the best is that it be cut off at three circuits. And we will complete the rest, if Allah wills, in the future.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you.
The reciter: In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon His servant and messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
As for what follows, Imam Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in the Book of Hajj, in the context of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) pilgrimage, from the hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) said: We did not have any other intention but that of Hajj only, being unaware of the Umra (at that season), but when we came with him to the House, he touched the pillar and (made seven circuits) running three of them and walking four.
قال جابر رضي الله عنه لسنا ننوي إلا الحج لسنا نعرف العمرة حتّى إذا أتينا البيت معه، استلم الرّكن فرمل ثلاثًا ومشى أربعًاThe Shaykh : "He touched the Corner" means the stone, the Black Stone. It is called the Corner because it is located at the corner. The scholars said that the meaning of touching (istilam) is to wipe it with one's hand like this; this is what touching is. It is not placing one's hand on it, because placing one's hand on it does not constitute touching; rather, wiping is necessary.
The reader:
Then he proceeded to the Station of Ibrahim.
ثم نفذ غلى مقام إبراهيمThe Shaykh :
moved quickly in three circuits, and walked in four circuits.
رمل ثلاثًا ومشى أربعًا"And walked four" means the remaining four circuits of the tawaf. The wisdom behind running becomes clear by understanding the origin of its prescription. The origin of the prescription of running is that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) negotiated with Quraysh in the 'Umrah of al-Hudaybiyyah, agreeing that he would return the following year, Quraysh wanted to show gloating over the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companions. They said: "A group of people will come to you who have been weakened by the fever of Yathrib," meaning they have been weakened. Yathrib is the name of the city, and the city had fever until the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called upon Allah the Exalted to transfer it to al-Juhfah. So they wanted to gloat over them. They sat to the north of the Ka'bah in order to watch the Companions. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knew of this, meaning he knew of their plot. But they plot and Allah plots, and Allah is the best of plotters. So he ordered his companions to run in the three circuits, but not in a way that completes the circuit; rather, they should run from the Black Stone to the Yemeni Corner, and walk between the two corners, because between the two corners they are hidden from Quraysh by the Ka'bah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not want to tire them. As for the Farewell Pilgrimage, he (peace and blessings be upon him) ran all three of his circuits from the Black Stone to the Black Stone.
And thus, the first running, which was in the 'Umrah of al-Qada', is abrogated by the running in all three circuits. Running in only the three circuits displays strength and endurance without hardship. If it were done in two, it would be an even number, not an odd one. If it were done in four, it would be an even number, not an odd one. If it were done in five, it would involve hardship. If it were done in one, it would not demonstrate strength. Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) chose that the running be in the three circuits only.
Because if it were limited to the first circuit, the ability and strength would not be clear. If it were limited to two circuits, it would be cut off at an even number, and the entire tawaf is an odd number. If it were cut off at four, it would be cut off at an even number. If it were cut off at five, it would involve hardship. So the best is that it be cut off at three circuits. And we will complete the rest, if Allah wills, in the future.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you.
The reciter: In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon His servant and messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
As for what follows, Imam Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in the Book of Hajj, in the context of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) pilgrimage, from the hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: