Muslim

714. Commentary:
The main purpose of performing tawaf (circumambulation) on a camel was to teach the people the rites of Hajj, so that they could learn the method of Hajj by seeing it with their own eyes. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed the entire Hajj on a camel. This refers to the Tawaf al-Ziyarah (on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah). A secondary purpose was also to protect the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam from enemies. Some have considered this to be a specific characteristic (khasiyyah) of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, but there is no evidence for this specificity. In fact, on one occasion, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also permitted Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha to perform tawaf while riding a camel. See: [صحیح البخاري ، الحج ، باب من صلی رکعتي الطواف ، حدیث : 1626]
Therefore, the claim of specificity is undermined. It has also been said that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed tawaf on a she-camel due to illness or crowding, but this too is merely an interpretation and has no basis. The real matter is that necessity should be considered. If at any time there is a need for it, then it is permissible according to the Shari‘ah. Although in this era, performing tawaf on a camel or any other lawful animal may seem logically impossible, the issue is one of rule and principle, because if such a situation has not arisen today, it may arise at any time in the future. Those who do not accept the permissibility of tawaf on camels or other lawful animals, in reality, do so because they consider their urine and dung to be impure and filthy, whereas this is absolutely not the case. In the light of ahadith, the correct view is that their urine and dung are not impure or filthy. Yes, it is a separate matter that a person, due to his natural sense of cleanliness, may feel repulsion from it; otherwise, in this way, he would also feel disgust from saliva and phlegm, etc. Does their contact make clothes impure, or does their falling on the ground make the earth impure? In the heading of the chapter, the inclination of Imam al-Nasa’i rahimahullah also seems to be that, in case of necessity, camels and the like can be brought into the mosque. And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
There are four methods established from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) regarding touching the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad):
➊ To kiss the Black Stone, as has been mentioned earlier.
➋ To touch the Black Stone with the hand and then kiss the hand.
➌ If one is at a distance, to touch it with a staff and then kiss the staff.
➍ To gesture towards it from afar with the hand or a staff.
In this case, the hand or staff should not be kissed.

(2)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) writes that if someone is performing tawaf while riding, he should gesture from a distance, lest coming close causes harm to someone.
However, if there is no fear of causing harm to anyone, then it is permissible to come close and perform istilam of the Black Stone.
(Fath al-Bari: 3/601)

Hadith Commentary:
That is, they would gesture with a staff.

Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah and our Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah have both stated that at the beginning of tawaf, when kissing the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad), one should say:

Bismillah, Allahu Akbar, Allahumma imanan bika wa tasdiqan bikitabika, wa wafa’an bi ‘ahdika wa ittiba‘an li sunnati nabiyyika sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah has narrated from Abu Najih that the Companions radi Allahu anhum asked the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: “What should we say when kissing the Black Stone?” He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam replied: Say thus:

Bismillah, Allahu Akbar, Allahumma imanan bika wa tasdiqan li-ijabati Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

(Wahidi)

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In another narration, it is clarified that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had a staff with him, with which he would touch or gesture towards the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad).
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Hajj, Hadith: 1607)
In the aforementioned hadith, there is the additional detail that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would say "Allahu Akbar" when approaching the Black Stone, whereas this addition is not found in other narrations.

(2)
In the narration of Ibrahim ibn Tahman as well, the saying of "Allahu Akbar" is mentioned, which Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) himself has narrated with a connected chain.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Divorce, Hadith: 5293)

(3)
It is Sunnah to say "Allahu Akbar" at the beginning of the circumambulation (tawaf), and this dhikr is Sunnah at the start of each circuit.
(Fath al-Bari: 3/601)

(4)
It should be noted that the use of a mount while performing tawaf of the House of Allah is not Sunnah; rather, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used it due to illness or to show the rites of Hajj to the people.
We will explain this in detail later.

Hadith Commentary:

The majority of scholars hold the opinion that the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) should be kissed by placing the mouth directly upon it.
If this is not possible, then one should touch it with the hand and then kiss the hand. If even this is not possible, then one should touch it with a stick and then kiss the stick.
If this too is not possible, then when reaching in front of the Black Stone, one should point towards it with the hand and then kiss the hand.
When pointing from a distance with the hand or a stick, such that it does not touch the Black Stone, then it should not be kissed.
(Rashid)

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The Sunnah regarding the touching (istilam) of the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) is that it should be kissed. If, due to crowding, this is not possible, then it should be touched by hand and the hand should be kissed, as Ata bin Abi Rabah says: I saw Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, Ibn Umar, and Jabir (radi Allahu anhum) touching the Black Stone and then kissing their hands. If even this is not possible, then the Black Stone should be touched with a stick or something similar, and then that object should be kissed, as is mentioned in the narration of Sahih Muslim that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would perform istilam of the Black Stone with a stick and then kiss it. (Sahih Muslim, al-Hajj, Hadith: 3077(1275)) If istilam with a stick or similar object is also not possible, then one should gesture towards it from a distance. In the case of gesturing, there is no need to kiss the hand or anything else. (Fath al-Bari: 3/597)

(2)
When Layth, Usamah bin Zayd, and Zam'ah bin Salih narrated this report from al-Zuhri, they omitted the intermediary between al-Zuhri and Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu). Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) mentioned the corroboration (mutaba'ah) of Darawardi to strengthen the aforementioned narration, which Allamah Isma'ili has mentioned in his Mustakhraj. Although in this corroboration the words "Farewell Pilgrimage" (Hajjat al-Wada') and "riding on a camel" are not present, nevertheless, it can serve as support for the original narration. (Fath al-Bari: 3/596) The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed tawaf while riding on a camel so that people could see his method of Hajj with their own eyes and, in case of not knowing any rulings, could ask him directly. On the occasion of Hajjat al-Wada', if you had not been mounted, due to the crowd, there was a risk that many rulings of Hajj would have remained hidden. With this objective in mind, a mount was used for tawaf. And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:

Although this hadith does not mention that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was ill, and apparently it does not correspond to the chapter heading, Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has alluded to the narration of Abu Dawud, in which it is clearly stated that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was ill.

Some scholars have said that if performing tawaf on a mount is permissible without illness or excuse, then it is even more permissible in the case of illness.

In this way, the purpose of the chapter is fulfilled.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had a staff in his hand. When he would pass by the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) during tawaf, he would point towards it with the staff. This is explicitly mentioned in some narrations.

(2)
From this hadith, it is understood that there is no prohibition in performing tawaf while riding, provided there is a valid excuse.

(3)
Imam Bukhari, through this chapter heading, has alluded to a narration which Imam Abu Dawud has mentioned. When the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) came to Makkah on the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada’), he was unwell. Due to this, he performed tawaf of the House of Allah while riding a camel. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Manasik, Hadith: 1881) From this, it is understood that performing tawaf of the House of Allah while riding is not a Sunnah practice, but rather, it is permissible in case of necessity. It should be noted that this was at a time when the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) did not have four enclosing walls. Nowadays, it is not possible to bring any riding animal inside. However, a person can be carried on shoulders to perform tawaf. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also used a riding animal so that people could learn the rites of Hajj from him, as is mentioned in Sahih Muslim, where Jabir (radi Allahu anhu) narrates that he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed tawaf of the House of Allah while riding so that people could see him and learn the rulings related to tawaf. (Sahih Muslim, Hajj, Hadith: 3074(1273))

1:
You performed the circumambulation (tawaf) on a mount so that people could see you and ask you about the rulings of Hajj, because people were surrounding you from all sides.

2:
You would make this gesture with your staff and then kiss it, as is mentioned in the narration of Abu Tufayl radi Allahu anhu which has come in Sahih Muslim.

1877. English Commentary:
➊ What is meant here is the Tawaf al-Qudum (arrival circumambulation). From the chapter heading of the Imam (rahimahullah), it is indicated that he considers it obligatory, as is the view of Imam Malik rahimahullah and some of the Hanafi scholars (Awn al-Ma’bud).
➋ It is established in an authentic hadith from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that he would touch the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) with his staff and then kiss that staff. (Sahih Muslim, Book of Hajj, Hadith 1275)
➌ The wisdom behind the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performing tawaf while mounted was so that people could clearly observe his actions. The narrations do not specify which tawaf this was; however, most likely it was Tawaf al-Ifadah (major circumambulation) (Badh al-Majhud), because during Tawaf al-Qudum, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed ramal (brisk walking), which is not possible except on foot. This hadith also shows that if someone is made to perform tawaf while seated in a palanquin or on a wheeled chair, their tawaf is valid.
➍ The splashes of urine from animals whose meat is lawful to eat do not render one’s clothes impure.

Urdu footnote:
This same hadith has previously been narrated from Aisha (radi Allahu anha). For details, see: (Hadith: 2931)

In the previous hadith, there is mention of touching with a staff, and in this narration, of making a gesture. That is, sometimes even the staff could not reach, so he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would come in line with the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) and gesture towards it. One should gesture with the hand and also say the takbir along with it. Ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhu) used to say "Bismillah" at the beginning of the takbir, that is, he would say "Bismillah wa Allahu Akbar."