Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

'Ali ibn Abi Tilib 193
charge of it, but the hajj of the Muslims had not yet been made
distinct from the hajj of the polytheists!85 When hajj season came in
9 AH, the Prophet (g) wanted to perform hajj, but he said: ''If the
polytheists circumambulate the House naked486, I would not like to
do hajj." So Abu Bakr (&) set out with a large number of the
Companions, and they took the sacrificial animals with themyE7
When Abu Bakr (&) set out with the pilgrim caravan, Soorah
Bari'ah4" was revealed. The Prophet (g) called 'Ali (&) and
ordered him to catch up with Ahu Bakr as-Siddeeq (&). So he set
out on al-'Adha', the she-camel of the Messenger of Allah (@I, and
caught up with Ahu Bakr as-Siddeeq (&) at Dhul-Hulayfah. When
Abu Bakr (&) saw him, he said to him: "Are you coming to lead or
be led?" He said: "To be led." So they went on together, and Abn
Bakr led the people in hajj, following the same sequence of rituals as
they had done during the jailiyyah. The hajj in that year was in the
month of Dhul-Hijjah, as indicated by sound reports, and it did not
take place in Dhul-Qa'dah as some people say.
Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (&) gave speeches before at-Tamiyah,
on the day of 'Arafah, on the day of sacrifice, and on the first day of
departure. He taught the people their rituals: standing in 'Arafah,
departing from there, sacrifice, departure, the symbolic stoning of the
devil and so on, with 'Ali (&) .. following him each time, reciting the
opening verses of Soorah Bari'ah, then proclaiming to the people
each time these four things: "No one but a believing soul will enter
paradise; the House is not to be circumambulated naked; whoever
has a covenant with the Prophet (@), it stands until it expires; and the
polytheists and the Muslims are not to perform hajj together after this
year."489 Abu Bakr (4) ordered another group of the Companions
to help 'Ali ibn Abi T%b (&) carry out his mission!90
The revelation of the first verses of Soorah Bari'ah marked the
final break with idolatly and its followers, as their pilgrimage was
banned, and war was declared against them.491