Tawaf al-Wida

What Does Tawaf al-Wida Mean in Detail?

Tawaf al-Wida serves as the pilgrim's farewell to the House of Allah — the last spiritual embrace before departing the holiest city in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) commanded: 'Let none of you depart until the last thing they do is tawaf of the House' (Muslim). This hadith forms the basis for the obligation. The pilgrim performs seven circuits of the Kaaba in the standard manner, prays two rak'ah behind Maqam Ibrahim, and then departs Makkah without lingering for shopping, socializing, or other non-essential activities — the tawaf should genuinely be the final act. The legal status of Tawaf al-Wida varies among the schools. The Hanafi, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools classify it as wajib (obligatory), meaning that omitting it without a valid excuse requires a dam (compensatory sacrifice of a sheep). The Maliki school uniquely considers it a recommended Sunnah (mustahabb) rather than wajib, meaning no penalty for omitting it. All schools agree, however, that it is not a rukn (pillar) — omitting it does not invalidate the Hajj. Important exemptions exist for Tawaf al-Wida. Women who are menstruating or experiencing postnatal bleeding at the time of departure are excused from performing it, based on the hadith of Ibn Abbas: 'The people were commanded that the last thing they do should be tawaf of the House, except that menstruating women were given a concession' (Bukhari and Muslim). Additionally, Tawaf al-Wida is specific to Hajj — it is not required after Umrah, according to the majority of scholars, though some consider it recommended. Residents of Makkah are also exempt, as they are not 'departing' the city.