The prerequisites and Sunnahs of valid Tawaf

To ensure the validity of Tawaf, the Muhrim should do the following: 

1. He should clean his body and clothes from all major or minor impurities. Minor impurity is, of course, washed away through ablution, whereas, major impurity such as sexual impurity, menstruation and post-birth bleeding is washed away through performing Ghusl after the bleeding in the last two cases stops. The Hanafi school held that purity is not requisite for the validity of Tawaf. They stated that if a person performed Tawaf without making ablution, his Circumambulation is judged as valid yet he must compensate by sacrificing. The Hanafi school held that purity of the clothes, body and place is a confirmed Sunnah which cannot be compensated for. Accordingly, the Muhrim must be pure while performing Tawaf. The Zahiris, such as Dawoud and Ibn Hazm adopted a more moderate standpoint for they were of the opinion that purity from minor and major impurities of the body, clothes and place while performing Circumambulation is a Sunnah. They stated that purity from menstruation is requisite if a woman wants to perform Tawaf. They depended on the clear-cut authentic Hadith which was narrated to the same effect. They did not believe in drawing analogies. 

2. There is consensus among scholars, with the exception of Abu Hanifa, that covering 'Aurah (the private parts) is obligatory during Tawaf. Abu Hanifa held that it is a requisite condition which can be atoned for by sacrificing a sheep. 

3. The Muhrim must declare his intention of performing the kinds of Tawaf which are not obligatory such as: Tawaf Al Qudum (arrival Circumambulation), Tawaf Tatawu' (supererogatory Circumambulation), and Tawaf Wadaa' (Farewell Tawaf). Intention is not requisite in obligatory Tawaf such as: Tawaf Al Umrah and Tawaf Al Ifada (return from Mina Circumambulation). Intention is not necessary because the Muhrim has already declared his intention of performing the rites of Hajj and Circumambulation comes under these rites. The Hanafi school, Malik and Ash-Shaf'i advocated this standpoint. 

4. The Muhrim must complete seven rounds of the Ka'bah beginning and ending at the Black Stone. The Hanafi school was of the opinion that Tawaf consists of four obligatory rounds. The three remaining rounds are judged as requisite rites which can be compensated for by sacrifice. 

5. There is a consensus among the scholars that Tawaf must be performed inside the Sacred Mosque, not outside it. Tawaf must be performed outside the Hijr of Isma'il which is part of Ka'bah. The Muhrim must not also perform Tawaf in the construction contiguous to the Ka'bah to which are fixed the rings holding the Ka'bah cover because it is a part of the Ka'bah. If the Muhrim violates these limits, his Tawaf will not be valid. The Hanafis were of the opinion that Tawaf within the Hijr is only a requisite condition which can be compensated for by sacrifice. Failing to observe this requisite condition does not invalidate Tawaf. 

6. The Muhrim must begin every round of the Ka'bah standing opposite to the Black Stone, with Ka'bah on his left side until he ends all seven rounds. The Hanafis held that these two musts are, in fact, requisite conditions. As such, if the Muhrim failed to fulfill either or both, his Circumambulation is valid but he must atone. However, he is exempted of compensation if he remakes Tawaf serving these requisite conditions. 

7. Close sequence of the rounds and one round and another is a must. The Muhrim must not separate the round or the seven rounds with acts which are not related to them. If these acts were done without a strong excuse and lasted for a long duration of time, his Tawaf is judged as invalid. Malik and Ahmad advocated this point of view. However, Abu Hanifa and Ash-Shaf'i held that close sequence is a Sunnah. Accordingly, it is merely disliked to separate the rounds with unrelated acts which last for a long duration of time and for which the Muhrim has no strong excuse. Ibn Hazm sided with Malik and Ahmad's standpoint. Building on the opinion of Abu Hanifa and Ash-Shafi'i, if the Iqamah of prayer is in progress while the Muhrim is performing supererogatory Tawaf, it is disliked to cut it for prayer unless the time of prayer is almost over. If something very urgent came up which he must attend to in person, he is allowed to cut his Tawaf then continue it after he has taken care of this urgent matter. If the Muhrim suffers a minor impurity - excretion of the penis, vagina and anus - he/she can cut Tawaf, perform ablution then resume his/her Tawaf.

Hajj And Umrah Guides, Pilgrimage Essentials, Mecca & Medina Topics Links:

Advice To Pilgrims | A Step by step Hajj and 'Umrah | Adhkar (Pertaining to the remembrance of Allah) | A Lasting Word For Hajj And 'Umrah | An Account of the Miqat | An Account of visiting the Prophet's Mosque | Ayaam at-Tashreeq | Binding on the pilgrim to refrain from sins | Command about the Menstruating and similar women | Conditional Ihram | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day One | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Two | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Three | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Four | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Five | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Six | Day of Arafah | Day to Day Activities of Hajj | Dhabh | Duties of pilgrims at 'Arafah | Entering Mecca | Entering Al-Masjid-al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque) and Tawaf | Errors Often Committed by Pilgrims | Etiquette of Ihram | Etiquette of Visiting the Prophet's (P.B.U.H) Grave | Farewell Pilgrimage of the Messenger of Allah | Farewell Tawaf | Farewell Tawaf is binding on everyone except the menstruating and women with post childbirth bleeding | Fixed time for Hajj | Fixed time for Hajj | Four Khutbahs in Hajj | Hajj in Pre-Islamic Times | Hajj of a woman | Hajj, Umrah & Ziyarah At a Glance | Halq or Qass | Halq or Qasr: Shaving or Clipping | Ihram | Ihram for youngsters | Ihram: Introduction And Significance | Innovations of `Arafah | Innovations Before Ihraam | Innovations of Hajj, `Umra and Visiting Madinah | Innovations of Ihraam and Talbiyyah, etc. | Innovations of Muzdalifah | Innovations of Sacrifice and Shaving the Head | Innovations of Sa'y Between Safaa and Marwah | Innovations of Stoning | Innovations of Tawaaf | Innovations of Visiting Madinat-ul-Munawwarah | Innovations of Visiting Bait-ul-Maqdis | Innovations: Various Innovations | Istilaam | Kinds of Ihram | Leaving Arafah to spend night in Al Muzdalefah | Many `Umrahs after Hajj is not encouraged by the Shari`ah | Maqaam Ibraaheem | Meeqaat | Merits of Hajj | Merits of 'Umrah | Minaa | Neglecting and delaying the throwing of pebbles | No Specific Supplication for Tawaf and Sa'y | Not allowed to shave the beard | Not obligatory to visit the Prophet's Mosque | Objective of Hajj - To seek the Divine Pleasure | Obligations during Hajj and Umrah | Performing Hajj on behalf of others | Permitted and Forbidden things in the State of Ihram | Pilgrim with Sacrificial Animal in the month of Hajj should intend Qiran (accompanied Hajj) and the one | Pillars of Hajj | Prayers at Arafah | Preparations for Hajj, Umrah and travelling to the holy lands | Preparing for Hajj or 'Umrah | Prerequisites and Sunnahs of valid Tawaf | Ramy | Reaching Miqat at a Time other than the Hajj Season | Regulations Concerning Hady (Sacrificial animals) | Restrictions of Ihram | Rites, obligations and Sunnahs of Umrah | Sa'y | Sa'y between Safa and Marwah | Sa'y and its rituals | Sacrificial animals | Shaving or clipping hair | Sunnah and allowed throwing | Sunnahs of Tawaf | Supplication at the beginning of the journey | Supplication on entering the Mosque | Supplications at Arafah | Supplications: Some All-Inclusive Supplications | Supplications: Some Supplications which may Be Recited At 'Arafat, at the Sacred Sites, and at Other Places of Supplication | Talbeeyah | Tawaaf | Tawaaf al-Ifaadah | Throwing Al Jemar | Throwing pebbles on behalf of other people | Types of Hajj | Umrah | Veiling and giving up the display of beauty is compulsory for women | Verdict on spending the night at Mina | Visitation of the Prophet's Mosque | Visiting Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi | Visiting Quba Mosque and Al-Baqi' cemetery | What a Pilgrim should do when he reaches the Miqat | What Is Required of the Pilgrims | What is allowed to a Muhrim | Where to pick the pebbles from and the number and size of pebbles | Woman's Hajj with Mahram, expenses of Hajj, taking husband's permission | Woman may enter into the Ihram in any dress | Wuqoof 'Arafaat | Wuqoof Muzdalifah | Zamzam