I entered the state of ihram for 'Umrah and performed its rituals, except that I circumambulated the Holy House more than seven times because I was occupied with supplication and could not keep track of the number.
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The questioner : Honorable Shaykh, I entered the state of ihram for 'Umrah and performed its rituals, except that I circumambulated the Holy House more than seven times because I was occupied with supplication and could not keep track of the number. So I started counting from the first lap each time, and I probably circumambulated more than twenty times. I said to myself, “Circumambulating more is better for me.” Is this permissible? Is my 'Umrah valid or invalid? We ask for clarification, O honorable Shaykh?
The Shaykh : It is more fitting for a Muslim, and more befitting him, to be attentive to his worship.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And he should be present in heart with it, so that he does not add to it or subtract from it. It is well known that what is prescribed in tawaf is seven laps only, without addition, and it is not permissible to add to the seven laps. However, if one doubts whether he completed seven or six, and it does not predominate in his mind that it was seven, he should perform one lap, i.e., a single lap, to complete the six. It is not permissible to exceed the number that Allah the Exalted prescribed through the tongue of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), rather, Allah prescribed it in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And the fact that a person is occupied with dhikr and supplication during tawaf does not prevent him, absolutely, from being present in heart with the number of tawaf, i.e., the number of his laps. But if it is assumed that a person added to the seven laps, his tawaf is not invalidated, because each lap is independent of the other. This is unlike prayer, where if one prays the four-rak'ah prayer as five, his prayer is not valid, because it is one single part; from the moment he says the takbir, he enters the prayer until he says the taslim. As for tawaf, each lap is independent in itself, even if the seven laps are consecutive. But if he adds eight, nine, or ten, that does not invalidate the tawaf. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This listener, Babakr Muhammad Ahmad, says.
The Shaykh : It is more fitting for a Muslim, and more befitting him, to be attentive to his worship.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And he should be present in heart with it, so that he does not add to it or subtract from it. It is well known that what is prescribed in tawaf is seven laps only, without addition, and it is not permissible to add to the seven laps. However, if one doubts whether he completed seven or six, and it does not predominate in his mind that it was seven, he should perform one lap, i.e., a single lap, to complete the six. It is not permissible to exceed the number that Allah the Exalted prescribed through the tongue of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), rather, Allah prescribed it in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And the fact that a person is occupied with dhikr and supplication during tawaf does not prevent him, absolutely, from being present in heart with the number of tawaf, i.e., the number of his laps. But if it is assumed that a person added to the seven laps, his tawaf is not invalidated, because each lap is independent of the other. This is unlike prayer, where if one prays the four-rak'ah prayer as five, his prayer is not valid, because it is one single part; from the moment he says the takbir, he enters the prayer until he says the taslim. As for tawaf, each lap is independent in itself, even if the seven laps are consecutive. But if he adds eight, nine, or ten, that does not invalidate the tawaf. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This listener, Babakr Muhammad Ahmad, says.