Hajj the Duties and Rulings

  1. Tawaf ========

Having intended, declared, and assumed the status of IHRAAM, the HAAJJ, or the pilgrim, enters Makkah and starts the second practice of the Umrah, which is TAWAAF around the Holy CA'BAH.

To do the TAWAAF, one must position him/herself such that the CA'BAH is his left hand side, and go round the CA'BAH seven times. One must start from the Black Rock, AL-HAJAR AL-ASWAD, and finish at the same point.

The validity of the TAWAAF is dependent on a number of criteria:

  1. NEYYAH, or intention, which is to state: "I do TAWAAF for the Umrah of TAMATTU', seeking nearness to Allah Almighty"

  2. TAHAARAH, i.e. to be clear of JANAABAH, HEYDH, and NIFAAS, and to be on Wudhu.

  3. The TAHAARAH of one's body and clothing from anything unclean or NAJIS.

  4. In the case of the man, he should be circumcised.

  5. For the AWRAH of the person to be covered. The criteria for the covering here is the same as when in performing SALA, daily prayers.

  6. That the TAWAAF is performed between the Noble CA'BAH and MAQAAM IBRAHIM, the station of Ibrahim (pbuh).

This criterion is being on the safe side and MUSTAHAB, desirable.

  1. That HIJR ISMA'IL is within the (circumference of the) TAWAAF. [HIJR ISMA'IL is a semicircular low level wall adjacent to the CA'BAH]

  2. That all of one's body is outside the CA'BAH and even one's hands must be outside the perimeter foundation of the CA'BAH too.

  3. The Prayer of the TAWAAF The third practice of the Umrah is to perform the TAWAAF SALA or prayer two Rak'ats by MAQAAM IBRAHIM (pbuh) or behind it.

This prayer is similar to the FAJR, or morning, prayer and in the intention, state "I pray two Rak'ats SALA of the Umrah TAWAAF, seeking nearness to Allah Almighty."

4. The SA'Y

The fourth practice is to do SA'Y between SAFA and MARWAH. In the SA'Y one is required to cover the distance between the SAFA and MARWAH seven times starting from SAFA and finishing at MARWAH.

The journey from SAFA to MARWAH is counted as one, and that from MARWAH to SAFA is counted as the second length. The NEYYAH for the SA'Y is:

"I do the SA'Y between SAFA and MARWAH for the Umrah of TAMATTU', seeking nearness to Allah Almighty."

5. TAQSEER

After the SA'Y, one must perform the fifth practice, which is TAQSEER.

TAQSEER is the cutting or trimming of some of the hair of the head, or the face, or clipping of the fingernails. The NEYYAH for the TAQSEER is:

"I do TAQSEER for the Umrah of TAMATTU', seeking nearness to Allah Almighty."

After the TAQSEER, all the aspects which became Haram for the MUHRIM because of the IHRAAM become Halal. (After TAQSEER one is no longer in the state of IHRAAM.)

Two aspects remain Haram, and this is not because of the IHRAAM, but because of the Sanctity of the Holy Mosque of the CA'BAH. These are:

Hunting, and Uprooting any tree or vegetation of the Holy Mosque.