Ruling on performing the Tawaf of Ifadah and Sa'y before stoning the Jamrat al-Aqabah

Question: Is it permissible to perform the Tawaf of Ifadah and Sa'y before stoning the large Jamrat al-Aqabah, or before standing at 'Arafah? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.

Answer: It is permissible to perform the Tawaf and Sa'y for Hajj before the stoning, but the Tawaf of Hajj is not valid before 'Arafah, nor before the middle of the night of the Day of Sacrifice. Rather, when one departs from 'Arafah and descends from Muzdalifah on the night of the festival, it is permissible for him to perform Tawaf and Sa'y in the latter half of the night of the Day of Sacrifice and on the Day of Sacrifice before he stones. A man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), saying: "Did I complete my Hajj before I stoned?" He said: When one descends from Muzdalifah in the morning of the festival, or at the end of the night, especially if he is among the elderly and they descend at the end of the night, like women and those similar to them, it is permissible for them to begin with Tawaf, so that the woman does not enter menstruation. Likewise, the weak man begins with Tawaf and then stones afterwards; there is no harm in that. However, the best is to stone, then slaughter the sacrificial animal if he has one, then shave or shorten the hair, with shaving being better, and then perform Tawaf, so that Tawaf is the last act, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did when he stoned the Jamrah on the Day of the Festival, then slaughtered his sacrificial animals, then shaved his head, then applied perfume, then mounted his mount to the House and performed Tawaf. But if one advances some of these over others, such as slaughtering before stoning, or shaving before slaughtering, or shaving before stoning, or performing Tawaf before stoning, or performing Tawaf before slaughtering, or performing Tawaf before shaving, all of that is valid, with the praise of Allah; because the Messenger (may the best of prayers and peace be upon him) was asked about advancing and delaying, and he said: .