Does the Incorrect Assumption (I’tiqad) Impact the Tawaf?

Answered by Shaykh Muhammad Carr

Question

On the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, a pilgrim may have made the intention for his farewell tawaf when it should have been tawaf al-ziyara. Is his hajj valid, and is a penalty due?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

His hajj is valid. The tawaf is also valid and will be regarded as his tawaf al-ziyara. Since this tawaf forms part of the hajj itself, no specific intention is required for it.

Furthermore, his belief that it was the farewell tawaf does not affect its validity. Despite this misconception, it will be counted as tawaf al-ziyara. Doubt does not override certainty. [Ashbah wa al-Naza’ir]

Khatib states: “If a person circumambulates the Ka’ba while in ihram for hajj, believing that he is performing an ’umra when in fact it is a hajj, the tawaf will be counted as part of his hajj.” [Khatib, Mughni al-Muhtaj] Similarly, his tawaf will be counted as tawaf al-ziyara.

Allah says, ‘Then let them eagerly finish cleaning themselves up once again after pilgrim inviolateness, and keep their pledged vows, and circle the Immemorial House’. [Quran, 22:29]

May Allah grant you an accepted Hajj, for which there is no reward save Paradise, and may you return home as free of sin as the day you were born.

I pray this is of benefit, and that Allah guides us all to what is true and pleasing to Him.

[Shaykh] Muhammad Carr
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Related Answers

• Does Doubt Affect the Validity of Tawaf? — Explains that baseless doubts and assumptions do not invalidate a completed tawaf.

Shaykh Muhammad Carr has dedicated his life to studying and transmitting our beautiful deen. His studies have taken him around the globe, where he has benefitted from many luminaries. Under the guidance of his teachers – Shaykh Taha Karan, Shaykh Yaseen Abbas, Shaykh Muadh Ali and many others – Shaykh Muhammad has grown to appreciate the beauty and benefits of diverse scholarship. He completed his memorization of the Qur’an at Dar al-Ulum Zakariyyah in September 1997 and received an Alimiyya Degree in 2006 from DUAI (Darul Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah). He is also affiliated with Masjid Auwal in Bo Kaap, Cape Town (the oldest mosque in South Africa), where he serves as a co-imam, and Dar Al-Safa, where he has taught since 2018. As a teacher, he imparts the wisdom of our heritage and tradition by opening the door for students. As an imam, he has the unique opportunity to serve his community in daily life. 

In addition to his roles as a teacher and imam, Shaykh Muhammad Carr has contributed significantly to the administrative and advisory aspects of Islamic institutions. Since 2023, he has served as the Administrative Director at The Imam Kurani Institute, contributing to the institution’s growth and development. He continues to pursue traditional Islamic Sciences, possessing a keen interest in Islamic Contract Law and Finance. Shaykh Muhammad has been a Shari’ah Board Member for Islamic Asset Management & Insurance Companies since 2001, aligning financial practices with Islamic principles.