In the rites of Hajj and Umrah, tawaf holds a central place as one of the core pillars. The ritual consists of circling the Ka’bah seven times in a continuous sequence. Because of its importance, scholars have long examined the conditions that determine its validity.
The majority of scholars maintain that tawaf requires a state of ritual purity from both major and minor impurities. This requirement stems from its strong resemblance to prayer, even though certain legal differences exist.
The primary basis for this view is a hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas:
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: الطَّوَافُ بِالْبَيْتِ صَلَاةٌ، إِلَّا أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَحَلَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ الْكَلَامَ، فَمَنْ تَكَلَّمَ فِيهِ فَلَا يَتَكَلَّمْ إِلَّا بِخَيْرٍ
(رواه الحاكم وابن حبان وصححه الحاكم وابن حبان والألباني)
Translation: “Tawaf (circumambulation) of the House (Ka’bah) is like prayer, except that Allah has permitted speech during it. So whoever speaks should speak only good.”
This narration indicates that the rules of prayer largely apply to tawaf, particularly the requirement of purity. Just as prayer is invalid if wudu is broken, tawaf also, in principle, demands a purified state.
Further support comes from a report by ‘Aisyah regarding the Prophet’s practice upon arriving in Makkah:
عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ نَوْفَلٍ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ عُرْوَةَ بْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ فَقَالَ: مَا أَوَّلُ شَيْءٍ بَدَأَ بِهِ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ قَدِمَ؟ فَقَالَ عُرْوَةُ: سَأَلَتْنِي عَائِشَةُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا أَنَّ أَوَّلَ شَيْءٍ بَدَأَ بِهِ حِينَ قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ تَوَضَّأَ ثُمَّ طَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ (رواه البخاري ومسلم)
Translation: “From Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Nawfal, who asked ‘Urwah ibn al Zubayr: ‘What was the first thing the Prophet (PBUH) did when he arrived?’ ‘Urwah replied, ‘Aisyah (may Allah be pleased with her) told me that the first thing the Prophet PBUH did upon arriving was to perform wudu, and then he circumambulated the House.’” (Sunan al-Bukhari and Muslim)
This report shows that the Prophet performed wudu before beginning tawaf. Therefore, it reinforces the importance of purification as part of the ritual.
When Crowds Complicate Ritual Precision
Even so, Islamic law is built upon the principle of ease rather than hardship. During the peak Hajj seasons, the Grand Mosque becomes extremely crowded. As a result, pilgrims may find it difficult to exit the flow, renew their wudu, and return to complete their circuits.
In such situations, scholars allow a degree of flexibility. They rely on legal principles such as رفع الiحرج (raf’ al-haraj) or removal of hardship and دفع المشقة (daf’ al-mashaqqah) or prevention of undue difficulty. This consideration becomes even more pressing when the tawaf in question is tawaf ifadah, a pillar of Hajj.
The Qur’an affirms this approach:
يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ
(البقرة: 185)
Translation: Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship for you.” (Q.S. al-Baqarah: 185)
Therefore, if a wudu is broken during tawaf in extremely congested conditions and renewing it would cause significant harm or disruption, they may continue their tawaf. This concession does not diminish the sanctity of the ritual. Instead, it reflects the broader objectives of Islamic law in preserving ease and preventing excessive difficulty.
Nevertheless, a more cautious approach remains preferable. If circumstances allow, the pilgrim should step out, renew wudu, and resume tawaf in a state of purity. Maintaining the completeness of worship holds greater merit than resorting to concessions without necessity.
Impurity that Cannot be Easily Avoided
Another issue arises when a pilgrim is affected by impurity that is difficult to avoid. This includes conditions such as istihadhah (non-menstrual bleeding) or other ongoing medical circumstances.
In these cases, Islamic law again provides accommodation. A report attributed to Abdullah ibn ‘Umar illustrates this flexibility:
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سُفْيَانَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ جَالِسًا مَعَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، فَجَاءَتْهُ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فَقَالَتْ: يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَطُوفَ بِالْبَيْتِ، فَإِذَا أَنَا بَلَغْتُ بَابَ الْمَسْجِدِ هَرَاقَ عَلَيَّ الدَّمُ، فَرَجَعْتُ حَتَّى إِذَا ذَهَبَ ذَلِكَ عَنِّي أَتَيْتُ، فَإِذَا أَنَا بَلَغْتُ بَابَ الْمَسْجِدِ هَرَاقَ عَلَيَّ الدَّمُ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ: إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ، فَاغْتَسِلِي ثُمَّ اسْتَثْفِرِي بِثَوْبٍ، ثُمَّ طُوفِي (رواه مالك في الموطأ)
Translation: “From ‘Abdullah ibn Sufyan, who said that he was sitting with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar when a woman from Quraysh came to him and said: ‘O Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman, I wish to perform tawaf around the House, but whenever I reach the gate of the mosque, blood flows from me…’ He replied: ‘That is only from Satan. So perform a ritual bath, then secure yourself with a cloth, and then perform tawaf.’” (Sunan Malik in al-Muwatta’)
Thus, unavoidable impurity does not invalidate the act of worship when a person has taken reasonable steps to manage it. Once again, the law emphasizes both responsibility and compassion.
Reference:
Central Board of Muhammadiyah, “Tuntunan Manasik Haji”, in Berita Resmi Muhammadiyah: Tanfidz Keputusan Musyawarah Nasional Tarjih XXVIII, 2015.
