Circling the Kaaba: Understanding the Significance of Tawaf al-Ziyarah in Hajj

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The definition of tawaf e ziyarat in hajj is divided into two parts: The first is tawaf in its abstract form, which is the source of tawaf; It means circling around something, while the second section is related to tawaf e ziyarat in hajj as an act of worship to Allah – Glory be to Him – performed by a person coming to Mecca upon his arrival to the Sacred Mosque.

By circling the Holy Kaaba seven times, and there are many names for tawaf e ziyarat in hajj, and they all revolve around the meaning of arriving at Mecca. Because tawaf e ziyarat in hajj is a legitimate act of worship for everyone who comes from outside Mecca to the Sacred Mosque. 

How to circumambulate tawaf e ziyarat in hajj 

tawaf e ziyarat in hajj, is performed in greeting of the Grand Mosque. By placing the Kaaba on the left of the person performing the circumambulation, then he faces the Black Stone and begins the circumambulation from it, and ends with it in each of the seven rounds that he circumambulates. 

tawaf e ziyarat in hajj is considered a circumambulation similar to the Tawaf of Ifadah, but the difference between them is that the Tawaf of Qodom is not Sunnah in which it is not recommended to press down* or to sand*. It is not Sunnah to sa’y* for this reason.

Unless the pilgrim wants to put forward the sa’y of Hajj, and then sa’y after the Tawaf of Qodom. It is Sunnah for the pilgrim to perform tawaf and sand during the Tawaf, because it is Sunnah for the Hajj to perform Thuba’ and sand in every Tawaf after a Sa’i.

The ruling on tawaf e ziyarat during Umrah 

Umrah is specific to the pillars without which the Umrah is not valid, and tawaaf is one of these pillars. Whoever intends to enter ihram for Umrah and arrives at the Sacred Mosque must begin by tawafing the pillar of Umrah, then sa’i and either shave his head or cut his hair short. 

The ruling on the tawaaf of arrival in this case is the same as the ruling on one who enters the mosque and finds the prayer standing, for he He prays with the congregation and is not required to perform the Sunnah of greeting the mosque. 

The Tawaf of Arrival is a Sunnah, so it is included in the Tawaf of the cornerstone of Umrah. The pilgrim can worship by repeating the Tawaf after performing the complete Umrah rituals.

The ruling on tawaf e ziyarat in hajj

The majority of Shafi’i, Hanafi, and Hanbali jurists saw that tawaf e ziyarat in hajj is Sunnah for everyone who comes from outside Mecca, because it is considered a greeting to the Sacred Mosque, so it is desirable to begin it without delay. 

The Shafi’is saw that the tawaf e ziyarat in hajj is Sunnah for everyone who entered Mecca, whether he is in ihram or not, and they cited as evidence As was reported from the Messenger – may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

In the hadith of Jabir – may Allah be pleased with him – regarding the description of the Messenger’s Hajj, where he said: (Until we came to the Ka’bah with him, he took the corner and braked three times and walked four times).

It was narrated on the authority of Aisha – may Allah be pleased with her – that she said: (The first thing he started doing – when the Prophet, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, came – was that he performed ablution, then circumambulated). 

As for the Malikis, they see that the Tawaf of Arrivals is one of the obligatory duties of Hajj, and whoever abandons it is considered to have incomplete proof. This deficiency is compensated for by slaughtering the sacrificial animal, and they cited as evidence that the Messenger – peace be upon him.

Used to say during his Hajj whenever he finished performing one of the rituals of Hajj: (You should perform your rituals, for I do not know whether I may not perform Hajj after this Hajj of mine), for the first thing the Prophet did – peace be upon him – He walked around the house.

Time for tawaf e ziyarat in hajj

The time of the beginning of tawaf e ziyarat in hajj. The scholars unanimously agreed that the tawaf e ziyarat in hajj begins when entering Mecca, and evidence for this came in the Sunnah of the Prophet in the hadiths of Aisha and Jabir – may Allah be pleased with them.

Which were mentioned previously, and the main indication from both hadiths is that the Prophet – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – He began with tawaf e ziyarat in hajj the first time he entered the Holy Kaaba, and the jurists unanimously agreed that the recommended time for the tawaf e ziyarat in hajj is immediately after arriving in Mecca. 

It should be started before the traveler lands on his flight, and this is considered part of the Sunnah. If the Prophet – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – entered Mecca, he would go to the Sacred House and circumambulate, and if a Muslim did not do that, there was no blame on him.

The end time of the tawaf e ziyarat in hajj

The majority of scholars from the Hanafi, Maliki and Shafi’i schools believed that tawaf e ziyarat in hajj ends its time when stopping at Arafat, so the pilgrim must then perform the Tawaf al-Ifadah, which is considered one of the pillars of Hajj. 

The majority cited as evidence for what was narrated on the authority of Aisha – may Allah be pleased with her – that she said: (So those who were deemed worthy circumambulated. They performed Umrah at the House and between Safa and Marwah.

Then they came out of Hajj, then they circumambulated another circumambulation, after they returned from Mina. As for those who combined Hajj and Umrah, they circumambulated only one circumambulation.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, tawaf e ziyarat in hajj is part of the rituals of Hajj that the pilgrim must observe, and therefore we mentioned in the previous paragraphs all the provisions related to tawaf e ziyarat in hajj.


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