What are the three tawaf during Hajj?
Welcome tawaf (also called “Tawaf Al Qudum”)
Hajj tawaf (also called “Tawaf Al Ifadah” or “Tawaf Al Ziyarah”)
Farewell tawaf (also called “Tawaf Al Wida”)
What is tawaf?
Tawaf is seven circuits around the Kaabah. After, its sunnah to perform two rakat.
In the first three cirtcuits, the Prophet ﷺ walked fast. This walking is called Ramal. He did it to show the pagans that the Muslims were not weak.
What are common questions and answers related to tawaf?
Do you need wudu to perform tawaf? There are no hadith on the matter. According to Ibn Taymiyyah, the answer is no. According to majority of scholars, the answer is yes. I lean towards Ibn Taymiyyah’s opinion.
Can you wear shoes during tawaf? Yes. Also, given that the Companions did tawaf on the hot summer sand, its obvious that they used shoes.
Where does Tawaf begin? From the corner closest to the door of the Kaabah.
Do you have to perform two rakat after tawaf? No, its sunnah. According to the Hanafi, its wajib to perform two rakat.
Is there any special time to drink Zam Zam water for tawaf? There is no special time to drink Zam Zam water, and it is not required.
Quran on tawaf
Hadith related to tawaf
The Prophet ﷺ said,
“Circling around the House is similar to prayer, except that you speak during it. Whoever speaks during it, let him speak nothing but goodness.”
Tirmidhi — Hasan according to Darussalam (most likely a quote of a Companion, not the Prophet ﷺ)
Abdullah bin Umar said, “Speak little when you are performing Tawaf for you are in a state of Salah."
Nasai — Sahih
Aisha said, “I got my menses do the Prophet ordered me to carry out all the rites except for Tawaf around the House.”
Tirmidhi — Sahih
Aisha said,
When the Prophet ﷺ reached Mecca, the first thing he started with was the wudu, then he performed Tawaf of the Kaabah and his intention was not Umra alone (but Hajj and `Umra together).
The Prophet ﷺ arrived at Mecca and performed Tawaf of the Kaabah and then offered a two rakat prayer and then performed Tawaf between Safa and Marwa.
I informed Allah's Messenger ﷺ that I was sick. He said, "Perform Tawaf (of the Kaabah) while riding behind the people." So, I performed the Tawaf while Allah's Messenger ﷺ was offering the prayer beside the Kaabah and was reciting Surat-at-Tur.
While the Prophet ﷺ was performing Tawaf of the Kaabah, he passed by a person who had tied his hands to another person with a rope or string or something like that. The Prophet ﷺ cut it with his own hands and said, “Lead him by the hand.”
Fast walking in the first 3 circuits
Ibn Umar said the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed Tawaf around the House for the first time, he walked briskly with short steps in the first three circuits, and walked normally in the last four, starting and ending at the Hijr. And Ibn ‘Umar used to do that.
I saw Allah's Messenger ﷺ arriving at Mecca. He kissed the Black Stone first while doing Tawaf and did fast walking in the first three circuits of the seven circuits.
The Prophet ﷺ did fast walking in the first three rounds (of Tawaf), and walked in the remaining four, in Hajj and Umra
Umar bin Al-Khattab addressed the Black Stone, “By Allah! I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit nor harm. Had I not seen the Prophet ﷺ touching (and kissing) you, I would never have touched (and kissed) you.”
Then he kissed it and said, “There is no reason for us to do fast walking in Tawaf except that we wanted to show off before the pagans, and now Allah has destroyed them.”
Umar added, “(Nevertheless), the Prophet ﷺ did that and we do not want to leave it (i.e. Ramal).”
Hadith related to the Farewell Tawaf
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade a man to depart until the last thing he did was (Tawaf around) the House.”
The people were ordered to perform the Tawaf of the Kaabah as the last thing, before leaving [Makkah], except the menstruating women who were excused.
Safiya bint Huyay, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ got her menses, and Allah's Messenger ﷺ was informed of that. He said, “Would she delay us?” The people said, “She has already performed Tawaf-al-Ifada." He said, “Therefore she will not (delay us).”
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet ﷺ performed Tawaf on a camel during the Farewell Pilgrimage, touching the corner with a staff.
I saw the Prophet ﷺ performing Tawaf on his camel, touching the corner with his staff and kissing the staff.
Ibn Majah — Sahih
History of Tawaf
In the year prior to the last Hajj of the Prophet ﷺ when Allah's Messenger ﷺ made Abu Bakr the leader of the pilgrims, the latter (Abu Bakr) sent me in the company of a group of people to make a public announcement: “No pagan is allowed to perform Hajj after this year, and no naked person is allowed to perform Tawaf of the Kaabah.”
My personal experience during Hajj: Miracle within Surah Hajj.
On my notes during Hajj: Ihram, Tawaf, Sahih duas exclusively for Hajj and Umrah, Hadith related to blessings of Makkah and Madinah