الطواف al-Qudum, also known as الطواف al-Tahiyyah (greeting الطواف), is the first الطواف a الحاج performs upon arriving in مكة. The majority of scholars — Hanafi, Shafi'i, and Hanbali — consider it a السنة mu'akkadah (emphasized مستحب act), meaning it is highly مستحب but not واجب, and no penalty is due for omitting it. The Maliki school, however, considers it واجب (واجب) and holds that a dam (sacrificing a sheep) is required for deliberately skipping it without a valid excuse.
الشيخ ابن باز explained that الطواف al-Qudum applies specifically to الحجاج performing الحج al-Ifrad (الحج alone) or الحج al-Qiran (combined الحج and العمرة). Pilgrims performing الحج al-Tamattu do not need a separate الطواف al-Qudum because their العمرة الطواف upon arrival serves this purpose. Additionally, those who arrive in مكة after the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah (after عرفة) are exempt from الطواف al-Qudum عند all scholars, as the time for it has passed.
الشيخ ابن عثيمين noted that menstruating women who arrive in مكة for الحج and cannot perform الطواف before going to عرفة are excused from الطواف al-Qudum without any penalty, even عند those who consider it واجب. He emphasized that الطواف al-Qudum, whether السنة or واجب, is waived for anyone with a valid excuse, and the obligation of الطواف al-Ifadah (the essential الحج الطواف) remains unaffected.