Q 3: In the first of the nights of
Mina,
my father and brothers slept after performing `Isha' (Night) Prayer in our home in
Makkah.
I tried to wake them up, but it took some time. After they woke up we had dinner and went to perform Tawaf-ul-Ifadah (final obligatory circumambulation of the Ka`bah in Hajj) at 11 P.M. That night. We completed the Tawaf at 1 A.M. In the morning and left the
Al-Haram (all areas within the Sacred Sanctuary of Makkah).
Our brother stayed behind under the pretext of bringing Zamzam water, but actually he went to smoke. We along with his wife waited for him in the courtyard of the
Al-Haram
till 2 A.M. In the morning. We searched for him and found him at our doorstep at 2.30 A.M. We all then went to
Mina
but the road was overcrowded with cars, consequently, we could not enter
Mina
until 4.20 A.M. That morning. We remained there and did not sleep until 4.50. (Part No. 10; Page No. 201
A:
Spending the night in
Mina during the Days of Tashriq (11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) is among the obligations of Hajj. It is not permissible to neglect it except for pilgrims with valid excuses. The least time for discharging the obligation is to remain until midnight. A pilgrim who leaves without an excuse will be charged with a sacrifice. If a pilgrim arrives there at midnight and remains there till dawn, it counts as sufficient.