Then `Ali (a.

Then `Ali (a.s) made a report about his campaign in Yemen and gave the account of the booty and jizyah collected. He said that he had left those things in the charge of the contingent and had started for the pilgrimage. The Prophet (a.s) asked him to fetch his contingent to Makkah. He must have gone a small distance when he saw his contingent arriving. He reprimanded the men for coming away without orders. He also saw that they were all wearing cloth from the booty as Ihram.

He told the person in charge of the contingent to take the cloth pieces from the men. The men were not too happy about this order and they complained to the Prophet (a.s) when they met him. The Prophet (a.s) said: “O people! Do not complain about `Ali (a.s)! He is strict in the Cause of Allah!”[1] Prior to Islam people used to perform two types of Hajj; hajj al-ifrad hajj al-qiran. In both these types, `Umrah has a definite and permanent place which is performed after the rites of the Hajj.

The only difference between the two types is that for the Hajj al-Qiran the sacrificial animals have to be with the pilgrim and for the hahh al-ifrad the sacrificial animals will not be with the pilgrim. At this time, the verse “And accomplish the pilgrimage and the visit for Allah… (2:196)” was revealed and a third type of Hajj, Hajj al-Tamattu` came into vogue. In this type of Hajj, both Hajj and `Umrah are performed together. The `Umrah here is performed, at the same time, prior to the Hajj.

After the `Umrah the Ihram is removed and is again put on for the Hajj. This is called Hajj al-Tamattu` because the restriction of wearing Ihram between `Umrah and Hajj is removed. Here the Ihram is removed and again put back on the eighth of Dhul-Hijjah, the Day of Tarwiyah and the rites of Hajj are performed. This Hajj is for the people who live within 48 miles or more from Makkah. During the Hijjat al-Wada`, mostly there were people who did not have the sacrificial animals with them.

The Prophet (a.s) asked them to change their intent for Hajj to that of `Umrah and remove the Ihram thereafter. Those who [1] Tārīkh al-Tabarī, Vol 2, Page 402 had the animals with them must keep wearing the Ihram after the `Umrah. Since the Prophet (a.s) was having the sacrificial animals with him, his intent was for Hajj al-Qiran and since `Ali’s intent too was same as that of the Prophet (a.s), he too did not remove the Ihram and continued with the performance of the Hajj al-Qiran .