Is طواف valid if performed with najasah (impurity) on one's clothing or body?

The ruling on performing طواف with najasah (physical impurity) on clothing or the body is a matter of scholarly discussion that relates to the broader question of how closely طواف mirrors the requirements of salah (نماز). The majority of scholars hold that while purity from hadath (ritual impurity requiring وضو) is required or strongly مستحب for طواف, purity from najasah (physical impurities like blood, urine, etc.) follows similar principles as for نماز — it is required when one is aware of it and able to remove it.

Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen explained that if a حاجی discovers najasah on their clothing during طواف, they should remove it if possible — for example, by removing the affected garment or washing the spot — and continue their طواف without restarting. If they cannot remove it, they should complete their طواف, and it is valid based on the principle of necessity and hardship. If they only discover the najasah after completing طواف, the طواف is valid without question, as one is not accountable for what they did not know.

The Permanent Committee ruled that purity from both hadath and najasah is required for طواف in principle, but they distinguished between knowing and unknowing states. A حاجی who unknowingly carries najasah has a valid طواف. This is analogous to the ruling on نماز — if a person prays with najasah without knowing, their نماز is valid according to the stronger opinion. Given the extreme crowding during حج, maintaining complete purity from najasah is exceptionally difficult, and scholars recognize this practical reality.