We know this fact, Hajj and Umrah are sacred journeys to Mecca that Muslims make. These spiritual pilgrimages contain many rituals. Tawaf is one of the most important rituals of these religious trips. It is a great form of worship. Any form of worship will be accepted by God when it is performed correctly and purposefully. In this context, study the following topic: “What are the conditions of Tawaf?”
Tawaf is the second-most essential rite of a sacred pilgrimage to Mecca. This ritual refers to making seven anti-clockwise rounds around the Kaaba, starting and ending at Hajar Aswad. There are many conditions for circumambulation, such as purification and making the intention.
Note: You have to know about the conditions of tawaf before booking your Umrah Packages 2023.
Conditions of Tawaf
There are numerous conditions for circumambulation. These are the following:
- Being Muslim
- Making the intention
- Covering the parts of the body
- Being in a state of purity
- Completing seven rounds
- Performing Tawaf from outside the Kaaba
Being Muslim
According to Islamic belief, a disbeliever cannot perform Tawaf because this ritual is an act of worship. The acts of worship are not valid if performed by a disbeliever.
Making the intention
According to numerous Islamic narrations, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stressed the importance of Muslims forming intentions before beginning any action because actions are dependent on intention. In this way, Tawaf is a great act of devotion to Allah Almighty. Pilgrims should have an intention when they start circumambulating the Kaaba.
Covering the parts of the body
Many scholars agree that circumambulation is a type of prayer and devotion. It is necessary to cover the same body parts throughout the Tawaf as during the prayer. Men are required to cover themselves from the waist down to their legs. While, women must cover their entire body, except their hands and face.
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Being in a state of purity
Purification is the most essential requirement in a religious context. Therefore, before encircling the Kaaba, a person must ensure that all impurities have been cleansed from him or his clothing. He must finish the ablution (wudu). According to many scholars, Tawaf is invalid without ablution.
Completing seven rounds
Another condition is that there must be seven full rounds or circles in the Tawaf. If a pilgrim skips even one step, his circumambulation is null and void. If a person is unsure about how many times he rounded the Kaaba, he should go by the lowest number to ensure that he completed it seven times.
Performing Tawaf from outside the Kaaba
It is necessary to make circumambulation from outside the Kaaba. Hateem, a semicircular area, is regarded as a part of the Kaaba. So, if anyone passes through it during Tawaf, then his circumambulation is inaccurate.
Violations of Tawaf
Pilgrims cannot perform the following actions while they are around the Kaaba:
- To circumambulate the Kaaba in a state of ritual impurity
- Performing Tawaf in a clockwise direction
- Passing through the Hateem during circumambulation
- Starting encircling the Kaaba in a place other than the Black Stone
- Skipping any of the mandatory steps of Tawaf
Why do Muslims perform Tawaf seven times?
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stated that Muslims must acquire knowledge from him to perform the rituals of pilgrimage. Therefore, it is necessary to complete seven rounds around the Kaaba during Tawaf to follow in his footsteps.
Conclusion
Tawaf is a beautiful form of devotion to Allah (SWT). A pilgrim must perform a full, anti-clockwise circle before returning to the Hajar Aswad.
Pilgrims should follow the requirements and rules of Tawaf. Making the intention and covering the body are two of the requirements.
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