Does Walking Back for Istilam Invalidate My Tawaf?

Answered by Shaykh Muhammad Carr

Question 

I was in the middle of my farewell tawaf, and about a quarter of the way into the fifth circuit, I realized I had not done istilam of the Black Stone.

I walked back, did istilam, and restarted the fifth circuit. Is my tawaf valid?

Answer

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

Your farewell circumambulation (tawaf al-wada’) is valid according to the Shafi’i school. Restarting a circuit does not invalidate the tawaf; it simply replaces the aborted circuit.

The essential condition of tawaf is that the pilgrim covers the full distance around the Kaaba. Thus, regardless of a start-stop approach or the retracing of steps, the tawaf is valid as long as the required distance is covered in an anti-clockwise direction. [Khatib al-Shirbini, Mughni al-Muhtaj]

Although it was not necessary to retrace your steps in order to perform the istilam, doing so does not invalidate your tawaf.

The istilam is a recommended act during tawaf, not a condition of its validity.

Continuity is likewise not a condition, neither within a single circuit nor between circuits. Your tawaf is therefore valid. [Ba Sawdan, ‘Uddat al-Musafir wa ‘Umdat al-Hajj wa al-Za’ir]

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]

Do bear in mind that the farewell tawaf should be the very last act performed before departing for home. May Allah bring you back to His House again and again.

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

What Is the Ruling of Istilam During the Tawaf?
Explains that istilam is an emphasized sunna of tawaf and that missing it does not affect the validity of the tawaf.

Can the Round of Tawaf Be Counted If Istilam Was Done Before or After the Black Stone Line?
Clarifies that exact alignment with the Black Stone line can be difficult and addresses whether a circuit remains valid if istilam is performed slightly before or after it.

What Should I Do If I Cannot Reach the Black Stone During Tawaf?
Explains the proper method of gesturing toward the Black Stone from a distance and emphasizes avoiding harm and crowding.

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.