‘A’isha said that stopping at al-Abtah was not a sunna ; God’s messenger stopped there simply because it was easier for him to depart from when he left.
‘Abd al-‘AzIz b. Rufai' said he asked Anas b. Malik to tell him something he knew about God's messenger, viz. where he prayed the noon prayer on yaum at-tarwiya, and he replied that it was in Mina. He asked where he had prayed the afternoon prayer on yaum an-nafr,( There are two days with this name, the first being the 12th of Dhul Hijja and the second the following day. The second of these is said to be the one referred to here) and he replied that it was in al-Abtah.(The part of the wadi of Mecca with small pebbles) He then said, “Do as your commanders do.”
I put on the ihram at at-Tan‘im for an ’umra , then entered and performed my ’umra . God’s messenger waited for me in al-Abtah till I had finished, then ordered the people to move on. He set out, and when passing the House he performed the circumambulation before the morning prayer, then went off to Medina.
I did not find this tradition in what the two shaikhs transmitted, but in Abu Dawud’s version, with a slight difference at the end.
Anas said that the Prophet prayed the noon, afternoon, sunset and evening prayer, after which he had a sleep, in al-Muhassab. (The valley opening on al-Abtah between Mecca and Mina ; so called because of the pebbles in it) He then rode to the House and performed the circumambulation.
