Whenever you perform Umrah, you have to do the step of Tawaf. Tawaf is the third step of the pilgrimage that pilgrims must have to perform. It's the mandatory step of Umrah and Hajj. Otherwise, your pilgrimage will be invalid. The word Tawaf means “to walk around” or circling anything. In Islam, Tawaf means circling the Holy Kaaba.

The Ritual of Tawaf:  

Tawaf is performed during Hajj or Umrah – the second step after wearing the Ihram attire. Performing pilgrimage is an honourable act for Muslims. One who gets the opportunity should take it as a blessing from God. In this article, we will discuss each and everything about Tawaf.

Let's understand the Tawaf ritual by having an overview of its main points:

What actually is Tawaf?

In Islam, Tawaf walks around the Holy Kaaba seven times during the pilgrimage. This act can also be done after performing all the rituals of a major pilgrimage; in that case, it's called farewell Tawaf. We will discuss this in more detail in the part of this article below.

During Tawaf, pilgrims recite the Dua in each circle/round of Tawaf. While you are performing any Tawaf, you have to recite Dua. That specific Dua is known as Taliyah.

Types of Tawaf:

There are different types of Tawaf; each performs in a different scenario, and almost the method of performing is the same. Look at the list below:

  1. Tawaf al-Umrah
  2. Tawaf al-Qudum
  3. Tawaf al-Ifadah
  4. Tawaf al-Widaaa (Farewell Tawaf)
  5. Nafl Tawaf

Tawaf al-Umrah is performed during the Umrah. Whenever Muslims perform Umrah, they must have to do this circumambulation for pilgrimage completion.

Tawaf al-Qudum is performed at the start of the Hajj, which pilgrims perform when they go for Hajj.

Tawaf al-Ifadah is also known as Tawaf al-Hajj, which is performed on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah. When pilgrims came from Mina to Mecca, they performed this circumambulation around the Holy Kaaba.

Farewell Tawaf is performed on the last of Hajj when pilgrims depart from Mecca. That's the reason why it's called the Farewell Tawaf.

And the last is Nafl Tawaf, which can be done at any time as it's a Nafl act. You can do it anytime during your pilgrimage journey.

How can you perform Tawaf correctly?

Performing Tawaf is quite simple; follow the below steps:

  • Make your Niyyah to perform Umrah. Niyyah (intention) is mandatory as Islam promotes everything on the basis of intention. Although your intention is from your pure heart, saying it verbally would be better.
  • Wearing Ihram is necessary to conduct all the steps of pilgrimage. Make sure your Ihram is clean.
  • It's better to ensure your purification.
  • Do Istilam (the act of kissing or touching the Black Stone) is mostly done during Tawaf.
  • You can also perform Ramal (fast walking), which is done in the first three circles of Tawaf.
  • Touching the Hatim pillar after Ramal
  • After completing Tawaf, you can offer two Rakats of Nafl prayers near the Station of Ibrahim (Maqam-e-Ibrahim).

If some people lack knowledge about performing Umrah, then consulting an Umrah guide will guarantee the completion of your Umrah.

Additional tips to remember when performing Tawaf:

  • While Tawaf is done by foot/walking for disabled/older, a wheelchair can be used provided by authorities.
  • Holy Kaaba is covered with black cloth, which is known as “Kiswa”.
  • Women should perform Tawaf by taking care of their surroundings and shouldn't be touched by men.
  • During Tawaf, as well as for the whole pilgrimage, women shouldn't cover their faces and hands.
  • Men are not allowed to cover their heads.

Summary

To sum up, performing Tawaf is the great ritual of pilgrimage. When you perform it, you will have blessed feelings from God. This includes the footsteps of countless blessings. Make sure that when you are in front of Kaaba, offer more and more Duas. These are the moments when your desirable wishes will not be ignored. May your Tawaf be accepted!