Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 1564
sahih

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

The people (of the Pre-Islamic Period) used to think that to perform `Umra during the months of Hajj was one of the major sins on earth. And also used to consider the month of Safar as a forbidden (i.e. sacred) month and they used to say, "When the wounds of the camel's back heal up (after they return from Hajj) and the signs of those wounds vanish and the month of Safar passes away then (at that time) `Umra is permissible for the one who wishes to perform it." In the morning of the 4th of Dhul- Hijja, the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions reached Mecca, assuming Ihram for Hajj and he ordered his companions to make their intentions of the Ihram for `Umra only (instead of Hajj) so they considered his order as something great and were puzzled, and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ! What kind (of finishing) of Ihram is allowed?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Finish the Ihram completely like a non-Muhrim (you are allowed everything)."

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانُوا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّ الْعُمْرَةَ فِي أَشْهُرِ الْحَجِّ مِنْ أَفْجَرِ الْفُجُورِ فِي الأَرْضِ، وَيَجْعَلُونَ الْمُحَرَّمَ صَفَرًا وَيَقُولُونَ إِذَا بَرَأَ الدَّبَرْ، وَعَفَا الأَثَرْ، وَانْسَلَخَ صَفَرْ، حَلَّتِ الْعُمْرَةُ لِمَنِ اعْتَمَرْ‏.‏ قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَصْحَابُهُ صَبِيحَةَ رَابِعَةٍ مُهِلِّينَ بِالْحَجِّ، فَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَجْعَلُوهَا عُمْرَةً فَتَعَاظَمَ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَهُمْ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الْحِلِّ قَالَ ‏

‏ حِلٌّ كُلُّهُ ‏

‏‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 25, Hadith 50
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 2, Book 26, Hadith 635 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Tamattu’ in Hajj means entering into ihraam for `Umrah during the months of Hajj, completing it and then exiting the state of ihram before subsequently entering ihraam for Hajj during the same year. After arriving at Makkah during the months of Hajj and completing ‘Umrah, pilgrims may exit their Ihraam and enjoy all that which is lawful until the commencement of the Hajj rites. In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that Arabs before Islam used to consider performing ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj one of the most heinous sins and forbade performing ‘Umrah until the end of the month of Muharram, and that they would consider the month of Safar one of the forbidden (sacred) months, and reallocate the sanctity of months, whenever they liked, and postponed the sacred months to the end of Safar, which is the condemned practice that Allah mentions in the Quran: {Indeed, the postponing [of restriction within sacred months] is an increase in disbelief} [Quran 9:37]. They used to believe that only after the wounds that appear on the camel's back because of carrying the luggage in their long trips heal up, the traces of their footprints vanish, and the month of Safar expires, which is one of the sacred months because of their reallocation, performing `Umrah becomes permissible for the one who wishes to perform it. However, when the Prophet ﷺand his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) arrived at Makkah in the morning of the 4th of Thoo al-Hijjah to perform Hajj, he ﷺordered his Companions to perform ‘Umrah and then exit their Ihraam, so they can enjoy all that which is lawful until the time of Hajj begins. As this was against the customary practice that people were used to, they inquired from him whether they are allowed to enjoy all that which is lawful or just part of it. The Prophet ﷺinformed them that exiting their Ihraam would allow them to enjoy all that which is not allowed for them during their Ihraam for ‘Umrah, including intercourse. By this, he ﷺput an end to the customary practices of the people of pre-Islam, namely the reallocation of sacred months and forbidding performing ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj, and established the law of Islam..
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