The ruling on stoning the Aqabah pillar after midnight on the Day of Sacrifice

Question: Last year, it was made easy for me to perform the obligatory Hajj, praise be to Allah. However, it happened that I was with a group, and we stoned the first pillar at night before dawn, out of fear of the crowd, after we had spent half the night at Muzdalifah. What is the ruling on that? And is there anything required of me now? I ask for your guidance.

Answer: There is no blame on you for stoning the Aqabah pillar after midnight on the Day of Sacrifice if you were weak, or if there were weak people with you, such as women, children, the elderly, or the sick. However, if you were strong and there were no weak people with you, it is better for you to pray Fajr at Muzdalifah, and to remain there engaged in the remembrance of Allah and supplication until the light of dawn, then depart to Mina before the sun rises, and stone the pillar after it rises; following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in all of this; for Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Ahzab: 21], and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: narrated by Muslim in his Sahih. May Allah guide us and you and all Muslims to beneficial knowledge and acting upon it.