What is the arrival tawaf and what is its method?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : What is the arrival tawaf and what is its method?
The Shaykh : The arrival tawaf is the circumambulation of the Ancient House upon first arriving in Makkah. If it is during Hajj, meaning one is in the state of ihram for Hajj alone (ifrad), then this tawaf is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked by 'Urwah ibn al-Mudharris (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was at Muzdalifah during the Fajr prayer. 'Urwah asked him, saying that he had not left a mountain without stopping at it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him:Sunan an-Nasa'i 3041Sahih (Darussalam) 'Urwah did not mention that he had performed tawaf around the House, which indicates that the arrival tawaf for the pilgrim performing Hajj alone is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory.
Likewise, the arrival tawaf is performed when one circumambulates for 'Umrah upon first arriving, whether one is combining 'Umrah with Hajj (tamattu') or is in the state of ihram for 'Umrah alone. Although this tawaf is a pillar of 'Umrah, it is also called the arrival tawaf because it encompasses both the tawaf of 'Umrah, which is the pillar, and the arrival tawaf. It is in the position of one who enters the mosque and prays the obligatory prayer; that prayer serves as both the obligatory prayer and the greeting of the mosque at the same time.
We mentioned that the arrival tawaf is for the one who performs Hajj alone (ifrad). We say: it is also for the one who performs Hajj in combination (qiran), because the actions of the pilgrim performing qiran are exactly like those of the pilgrim performing ifrad, except that he is distinguished by having obtained two states of ihram and that it is obligatory for him to offer the sacrificial animal (hady) of tamattu', based on the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):[Al-Baqarah 2:196].
The scholars, or most of them, stated that the one performing qiran is like the one performing tamattu', and some of them applied the name of the one performing tamattu' to the one performing qiran.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The arrival tawaf is the circumambulation of the Ancient House upon first arriving in Makkah. If it is during Hajj, meaning one is in the state of ihram for Hajj alone (ifrad), then this tawaf is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked by 'Urwah ibn al-Mudharris (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was at Muzdalifah during the Fajr prayer. 'Urwah asked him, saying that he had not left a mountain without stopping at it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him:
Whoever offers this prayer with us, and stood before that in Arafatat by night or by day, his Hajj is complete, and he has completed the prescribed duties.
من شهد صلاتنا هذه ووقف معنا حتى ندفع وقد وقف قبل ذلك بعرفة ليلاً أو نهاراً فقد تم حجه وقضى تفثهLikewise, the arrival tawaf is performed when one circumambulates for 'Umrah upon first arriving, whether one is combining 'Umrah with Hajj (tamattu') or is in the state of ihram for 'Umrah alone. Although this tawaf is a pillar of 'Umrah, it is also called the arrival tawaf because it encompasses both the tawaf of 'Umrah, which is the pillar, and the arrival tawaf. It is in the position of one who enters the mosque and prays the obligatory prayer; that prayer serves as both the obligatory prayer and the greeting of the mosque at the same time.
We mentioned that the arrival tawaf is for the one who performs Hajj alone (ifrad). We say: it is also for the one who performs Hajj in combination (qiran), because the actions of the pilgrim performing qiran are exactly like those of the pilgrim performing ifrad, except that he is distinguished by having obtained two states of ihram and that it is obligatory for him to offer the sacrificial animal (hady) of tamattu', based on the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):
then whoever performs 'umrah [during the Hajj months] followed by Hajj [offers] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And whoever cannot find [or afford such an animal] - then a fast of three days during Hajj and of seven when you have returned [home]. Those are ten complete [days]
فَمَنْ تَمَتَّعَ بِالْعُمْرَةِ إِلَى الْحَجِّ فَمَا اسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ الْهَدْيِ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي الْحَجِّ وَسَبْعَةٍ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ تِلْكَ عَشَرَةٌ كَامِلَةٌThe scholars, or most of them, stated that the one performing qiran is like the one performing tamattu', and some of them applied the name of the one performing tamattu' to the one performing qiran.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.