Mut'ah of Hajj

"Mut'ah of Hajj" (joy of hajj), involves relaxation of the ihram between the Umrah and Hajj, including the dress code and the prohibition of having sex. Not to be confused with "hajj at-tamattu" (The Joyus Hajj) which is another name for the Greater Hajj.

History

This relaxation was seen as one of the greatest sin in the pree Islamic days of Arabia, but Muhammad decreed the prohibitions of relaxation bettwen the Umra and Hajj as void ^{Sahih Bukhari 26.635} during his last hajj . At that point Umar, the future second Sunni Caliph, asked:

"Are we supposed to go to our wifes and then go to the Kaaba"?

Following Muhammad decree, some people choose to cast of their Ihram after the Umrah ^{Sahih Muslim 7.2801}

Controversy

During Umars reign as Sunni Caliph, he re-introduced the prohibition. Conflict arose between Ali and the other Sunni Caliphs regarding this issue. Uthman upheld Umars re-intruduction and urged Ali to respect Umar's reintroduction of the pree Islamic rules. Ali replied:

"I see you want to forbid people to do a thing that the Prophet did?" ^{Sahih Bukhari 26.640}

and:

"I will not leave the tradition [Sunnah] of the Prophet on the saying of a man [Umar]." ^{Sahih Bukhari 26.634}

Shia view this as yet another point where Umar deviated from true Islam, by giving ignorant verdicts (fatwas), and his followers following them, despite Ali urging them to follow Muhammads Sunnah.

Today, Sunni have changed their stance and allow the Mut'ah of Hajj.

See also

• Mut'ah
• Changes to the Sunnah made by the Rashidun

External Sources

• http://www.islam-pure.de/imam/fatwas/manasik02.htm
• http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/026.sbt.html#002.026.635