Tawaf

Tawaf is an act of worship in which a Muslim performs Tawaf around the Ka’aba, worshiping the Lord of the House and coming closer to him in the way that he has prescribed.

How do we perform Tawaf?

First: Second: Third:
we enter Mataf (the circle around theKa’ba) and stand next to the Black Stone, keeping it on our left.

Fourth Fifth:
we supplyicate during Tawaf.

Second:
we raise our hand and say (Allahu Akbar) when we are aligned with the Black Stone.

Third:
we start the tawaf counterclockwise.

Sixth:
when we reach the same point from which we started, aligning with the Black Stone, we will have completed a circuit, so we repeat the alignment, raising the hand and saying (Allahu Akbar) to start a new circuit.

Sunnahs of Tawaf (for males)

Idhiba’a:
Wearing the upper garment (Rida’a) without covering the right shoulder, following the example of the Prophet Peace be upon him.

Supplication during Tawaf:
Supplication is a Sunnah in Tawaf. With it, the pilgrim draws closer to his Lord and raises his needs to him.

Ramal:
Accelerating the pace as the pace converges in the first three runs.
If perform Ramal, we have to be keen on the safety of the other pilgrims.

Supplication during the rest of Tawaf:
It is prescriberor the person performing Tawaf to supplicate and pray to Allah for things that matter to him and preoccupy his heart.

Supplication between the Yemeni (southern) Corner and the Black Stone:
"O Allah, our Lord! Give us that which is good in this life, that which is good in the Hereafter and save us from the torment of the Fire", in

Tawaf in the upper floors:

What do I do if I find the ground floor crowded?
There is an upper Tawaf area in King Fahd Extension, Gate No. (64).

Photography and speaking during Tawaf:

Tawaf is an act of worship, and it is advisable to engage in supplication during it.

Talk less and don’t raise your voice when praying, so as to maintain the tranquility and serenity of others.
Photography causes congestion and crowding; if necessary please find a remote place far from crowds.

The two Rak’ahs of Tawaf:

After performing the seven rounds of tawaf, the pilgrim should cover his exposed shoulder (if the pilgrim is male), and head towards or along the Maqam of Ibrahim, peace be upon him, to pray two short Rak’ahs behind it, as follows:

• Description: two short Rak’ahs.
• Repetition: once.
• Quran recited: Surat Al-Kafirun in the first Rak’ah, and Surat Al-Ikhlas in the second Rak’ah.
• Location: Behind Maqam Ibrahim, or any place in the Grand Mosque to avoid crowding.

In the case of Tawaf in the upper floors, the two Rak’ahs are performed from anywhere in front of the Kaaba. There are finely furnished dedicated prayer areas.

Sa’i between As-Safa and Al-Marwa:

When you finish Tawaf, you will find guiding panels inside that direct you toward the Masa’a (the place where you start Sa’i), and point to As-Safa, where the start of the Sa’i begins.

Before starting Sa’i:

Drinking Zamzam water:
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said about Zamzam water: "It is blessed by Allah and is a cure for all illnesses". And he, peace be upon him, drank from Zamzam after finishing his Tawaf, and it is Sunnah to follow him in that. Zamzam water is available today on your way to Mas’a and within Mas’a, where Zamzam water coolers can also be found throughout the Grand Mosque.

Sa’i steps:

Begin from the Safa mountain; the mountain no longer exists, but there are rock remains in the ground floor. There are boards in the upper floors showing the location of As-Safa.

Walk in the direction Before Marwah, when males reach the area with the two green flags visible in the ceiling of Mas’a, they start running, and stop at the end of the green lights.

Continue until you complete three and a half laps, ending in Marwa; males jog every time they pass the Green green lights area.

Thus completing seven rounds.

When you reach Marwah, you will have completed a round, then you will turn back to Safa where you started.

Supplication during Sa’i:

The pilgrim should fill the entire time of their Sa’i mentioning Allah, supplicating or reading the Qur’an.

• Supplication at the beginning of Safa or Marwah:
  At Safa after Tawaf, a pilgrim recites Allah the recites the following Ayah: "Safa and Marwah are among the rituals of Allah." [Al-Baqarah: 158], and he says: 'I begin with what Allah began with.'
• Supplication on top of Safa or Marwah:
  We turn towards the Kaa’ba and say: "Allah is great, Allah is great, Allah is great, there is no god but Allah alone who has no partner, to Him belongs the sovereignty, to Him belongs all praise, and He is all powerful, there is no god but Allah alone, He fulfilled His promise, helped His servant, and alone defeated those who ascribed partners with Him". Then we pray for what we want, we repeat it, and we pray for what we want, and so on; finally we continue our Sa’i.

Choosing Sa’i area:

In addition to the basement Mas’a, there are other floors used for Sa’i to help reduce crowding; these include:

1. Basement Mas’a
2. The ground floor Mas’a
3. The mezzanine floor Mas’a, for electric scooters
4. First floor Mas’a
5. Second floor Mas’a

Sa’i Practical Information

To get to the upper floors of Mas’a:

• Use escalators
• Ask the staff and security men for guidance

Sa’i area in numbers:

• Length: 394 meters
• Total length of the seven rounds: 2,761 metres
• Average time to complete Sa’i: 45-55 minutes

Tawaf and Sa’i by wheelchairs:

What if you or those with you cannot perform Tawaf or make Sa’i on foot?
Wheelchairs are available.
Electric scooters are also available for Tawaf and Sa’i.

How do I get to wheelchairs and electric scooters inside the Grand Mosque?

1. Ask one of our staff inside the Grand Mosque
2. Go to direct booking desks:
   • Eastern Square = At the public transport entrance
   • South Square = King Abdulaziz Endowment
   • Western Square = Entrance to Shubaikah

Completion of Umrah:

After completing Tawaf and Saf between Safa and Marwah, an Umrah pilgrim shaves his head or cuts it, thus completing Umrah and is now allowed to do what was forbidden during Ihram.

How to shave or cut your hair?

For females:

• Shaving or shortening the entire head
• Cutting 1-2 cm from the ends of the hair

Where to cut or shave your hair?

Having your hair cut or shaved shouldn’t necessarily be done in Mas’a. There are licensed barbershops available around the Grand Mosque. Individuals working in licensed barbershops abide by:

• Using new blades and Sterilizing scissors
• Using licensed powder and liquids
• Washing hands before each haircut

An Unnah pilgrim may postpone their haircut until they return to their residence, and they may cut it themselves or have those around them cut their hair. But prohibitions of Ihram remain until they shave or cut their hair.

Arabic phrases you may need while performing Unnah: