do anything but the most preferred. If it is said: 'This was done only to clarify permissibility,' we respond: The clarification of permissibility has already been achieved through his words, just as with all other mawaqit (designated stations). Furthermore, if that were the case, the companions of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and his successors would have assumed ihram from their houses and would not have unanimously agreed to abandon the most preferred and choose the lesser, while they are the people of piety and excellence, the best of creation, and possess as much eagerness for virtues and high ranks as they do. Abu Ya'la al-Mawsili narrated in his Musnad from Abu Ayyub, who said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Let one of you enjoy his state of being in the halal (permitted state) as much as he is able, for he does not know what might happen to him in his ihram." Al-Hasan narrated that Imran ibn Husayn assumed ihram from his city, and this reached Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), who became angry and said: "People will hear that a man from the companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) assumed ihram from his city." He also said that Abd Allah ibn Amir assumed ihram from Khurasan, and when he arrived before Uthman, he blamed him for what he had done and disliked it for him. Both of these were narrated by Sa'id and al-Athram. Al-Bukhari said: Uthman disliked that one should assume ihram from Khurasan or Kirman. This is because he assumed ihram before the miqat, so it was disliked, like assuming ihram for Hajj before its months. Also, it is a risk regarding the state of ihram and exposes one to performing its forbidden acts, and it involves hardship upon the self, so it was disliked, like al-wisal (continuous fasting) in fasting. Ata said: "Look at these mawaqit that have been designated for you, and take the concession of Allah in them, for it may be that one of you falls into a sin in his ihram, which would make his burden greater, for a sin while in the state of ihram is greater than that." As for the hadith regarding assuming ihram from Bayt al-Maqdis, it contains...