What are the conditions and obligatory parts of tawaf?
Praise
be to Allah
The scholars
have mentioned a number of conditions for tawaf or circumambulation of the
Ka‘bah to be valid. They are as follows:
1.
Being Muslim.
This is
according to scholarly consensus. Tawaf done by a disbeliever is not valid,
because tawaf is an act of worship, and acts of worship are not valid and
are not acceptable if done by a disbeliever.
2.
Being of sound mind.
This is the view
of the Hanafis and Hanbalis. The Maalikis and Shaafa‘is did not stipulate
that, by analogy with the fact that tawaf done by a minor who has not
reached the age of discernment is valid, if his guardian forms the intention
(niyyah) on his behalf.
3.
Forming the intention (niyyah).
There is
consensus among the scholars on this point, because the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Actions are but by intentions, and
each person will have but that which he intended.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari
(1) and Muslim (1907).
4.
Covering the ‘awrah.
If a person
circumambulates the Ka‘bah naked, then his tawaf is not valid, because the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) ordered that it be
proclaimed during the Hajj: “No mushrik should perform Hajj after this year
[i.e., 9 AH], and no one should circumambulate the House naked.” Narrated by
al-Bukhaari (369) and Muslim (1347).
Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen said: If a person circumambulates the Ka‘bah naked, it is not
valid, because it is a kind of tawaf that is forbidden, and the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does an action
that is not part of this matter of ours [i.e., Islam], it will be
rejected.”
End quote from
ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘ (7/257).
5.
Being in a state of purity.
We have
discussed this condition in detail in the answer to question no.
34695.
6.
One’s clothes and body should also be clean and free of
impurities according to the majority of scholars.
We have
discussed the difference of opinion concerning that in the answer to
question no. 136742.
7.
Performing seven complete circuits
If even one step
is missing from the seven, then tawaf is not complete.
An-Nawawi said:
One of the conditions of tawaf is that it should be seven circuits, each one
starting and ending at the Black Stone. If one step is omitted from the
seven, then one’s tawaf does not count, regardless of whether one remains in
Makkah or has left to return to one’s homeland, and that cannot be made up
for by offering a sacrifice or doing any other act.
End quote from
al-Majmoo‘ (8/21).
8.
Keeping the Ka‘bah on one’s left.
That is because
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) kept the Ka‘bah on
his left, and he said: “Learn from me your rituals [of Hajj].” Narrated by
Muslim (1297), from the hadith of Jaabir.
9.
Tawaf should encompass all of the Ka‘bah.
If a person goes
through the Hijr in order to make it shorter, this is not tawaf. Whoever
does that, his tawaf is not valid.
See the answer
to question no. 46597.
10.
He should perform tawaf on foot, if he is able to walk.
This is the view
of the majority of scholars, apart from the Shaafa‘is.
Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
What appears to
me to be the case is that it is not permissible to ride whilst performing
tawaf, whether on a camel or on people’s shoulders or in a wheelchair,
unless there is a need for that. What constitutes need is matters such as
sickness or old age, or if a person finds the crowding to be severe and he
cannot stand it, because when it is crowded, some people can put up with it
and some cannot. What matters is that if there is an excuse, there is
nothing wrong with it, but if there is no excuse, then it is not
permissible.
End quote from
Sharh Kitaab al-Hajj min Saheeh al-Bukhaari (1/83).
11.
The circuits must be done consecutively
This has been
discussed in detail in the answer to question no.
219227.
12. Tawaf
must be done within the confines of al-Masjid al-Haraam.
That is because
what is required of the Muslim is to circumambulate the Ka‘bah; if he does
tawaf outside of the mosque, then he has circumambulated the mosque, not the
Ka‘bah.
Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The scholars
said: In order for tawaf to be valid, it is stipulated that it should be
within the confines of al-Masjid al-Haraam; if someone does tawaf outside
the mosque, then it is not valid. If someone wants to go around al-Masjid
al-Haraam from the outside, then it is not valid, because in that case he
will have circumambulated the mosque, not the Ka‘bah. As for those who do
tawaf inside the mosque itself, whether on the upper or lower floors, their
tawaf is valid. Based on that, one should avoid doing tawaf in the Mas‘aa or
on its roof, because the Mas‘aa is not part of the mosque.
End quote from
Tafseer Soorat al-Baqarah.
13. Tawaf
should begin from the Black Stone.
If it begins
from the door of the Ka‘bah then the tawaf is deficient and is not valid.
Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen said:
Some people
begin from the door of the Ka‘bah and not from the Black Stone. The one who
begins his tawaf from the door of the Ka‘bah and completes it on that basis
is not regarded as having completed tawaf, because Allah, may He be exalted,
says (interpretation of the meaning): “Then
let them … perform Tawaf around the ancient House”
[al-Hajj 22:29].
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began from the Black
Stone, and he said to the people: “Learn from me your rituals [of Hajj].” If
a person begins from the door, or from a point that is not in line with the
Black Stone, even by a short distance, then this first circuit that he
begins in this manner will not count, because it is not complete, and he
must do another circuit to make up for it, if he remembers shortly
afterwards, otherwise he should repeat tawaf from the beginning.
End quote from
Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa.
These are the
conditions of tawaf, without which it is not valid.
With regard to
the obligatory parts of tawaf, some scholars are of the view that it is
obligatory to pray two rak‘ahs after completing tawaf, but the correct view
is that this is Sunnah in the sense of being mustahabb (recommended). This
is the view of ash-Shaafa‘i and Ahmad.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz
(may Allah have mercy on him) said concerning the two rak ‘ahs of tawaf: It
is not essential to do them behind the Maqaam; rather the two rak‘ahs are
valid in any place in the Haram, and if someone forgets them, it does not
matter, because they are sunnah and are not obligatory.
End quote from
Majmoo‘ Fataawa ash-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (17/228).
With regard to
the other obligatory parts of tawaf mentioned by the scholars, some of them
are among the conditions mentioned above, but some of the scholars regarded
them as obligatory parts of tawaf and not as essential prerequisites or
conditions. Please see a paper entitled Shuroot at-Tawaf by Dr.
‘Abdullah az-Zaahim, in Majallat al-Buhooth al-Islamiyyah, issue no.
53, and another paper of his (in issue no. 58) entitled Waajibaat at-Tawaf.
And Allah knows
best.
