Nasai

It is understood that the two units (rak‘ahs) of prayer after circumambulation (tawaf) should be performed lightly. It is also transmitted and established as Sunnah to recite these same two surahs in the Sunnah prayers of Fajr and Maghrib.

1:
Ramal means to walk with vigor, moving the shoulders, as a soldier marches for battle.
This is a Sunnah in the first three circuits (shawt) of the circumambulation (tawaf) of the Ka'bah.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam instructed the Muslims to do this so that they could demonstrate their strength and vitality before the disbelievers,
because the disbelievers were under the misconception that the fever of Madinah had weakened them.

English Commentary:
1:
From this hadith, it is understood that performing raml (brisk walking) is legislated from the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) to the Black Stone throughout the entire area of circumambulation (mataf).
As for the narration of Ibn Abbas in which it is mentioned to walk normally between the Yemeni Corner (Rukn Yamani) and the Black Stone, that ruling is abrogated.
This is because the narration of Ibn Abbas pertains to the occasion of the ‘Umrah of Compensation (Umrat al-Qada), which took place in 7 AH before the conquest of Makkah, whereas the hadith of Jabir radi Allahu anhu is from the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada‘), which occurred in 10 AH.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ In this wording, there is another recitation with a fatha on the letter "kha", that is, in the past tense form, and the meaning is: "And the people made the Maqam Ibrahim a place of prayer."

➋ Maqam Ibrahim in the House of Allah (Baytullah) is that stone upon which Ibrahim Khalilullah (the Friend of Allah) stood while constructing the House of Allah, and his footprints are imprinted in it.

Benefits and Issues:

➊
By "Hajar" is meant the Hajar al-Aswad (Black Stone), because the circumambulation (tawaf) begins from it.
In Sahih al-Bukhari, there is a narration from Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhu in which he said:
I saw the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, when he arrived in Makkah, he would first of all touch the Black Corner (Hajar al-Aswad) in tawaf, and in three out of the seven circuits of this tawaf, he would walk briskly. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Hajj, Chapter: Touching the Black Stone when arriving in Makkah, Hadith: 1603)

➋
"From Hajar (Aswad) to Hajar (Aswad)" means that the circuit of tawaf starts from the Hajar al-Aswad and ends at the Hajar al-Aswad.
It does not mean that in three circuits they would run around all four sides of the Ka'bah, as is clarified in Hadith 2953.

➌
"Raml" means to walk briskly with small steps.
This is legislated (mashru‘) for men in the first three circuits of the initial tawaf.

Benefits and Issues:
(1)
By "Maqam Ibrahim" is meant the stone upon which Ibrahim (alayhis salam) stood while constructing the noble Ka'bah.

(2)
Walid bin Muslim inquired from Imam Malik regarding the recitation of the verse, because there is another recitation of this verse which is as follows: ﴿وَاتَّخَذُوا مِنْ مَقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ﴾ (with the past tense instead of the imperative form).
In this case, the translation of the verse would be:
And the people (by Allah's command)
made the standing place of Ibrahim a place of prayer.
That is, this command was also present in the previous Shari'ah.

(1) Upon entering the House of Allah (Baytullah), the very first act performed is circumambulation (tawaf), and the tawaf begins from the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad). If one is able to kiss or touch it, that is good; otherwise, one should begin the tawaf by gesturing towards the Black Stone. Each circuit will end at the Black Stone. At the beginning of each circuit, one should kiss or touch the Black Stone, or else, standing in line with it, gesture towards it and begin the new circuit. After completing the final circuit, one should come again to the Black Stone, then perform two units (rak‘ahs) of the prayer of greeting for tawaf (tahiyyat al-tawaf), then come again to the Black Stone, and then, in the case of Hajj or ‘Umrah, perform the sa‘i. In a general tawaf, the sa‘i between Safa and Marwah is not performed. In the tawaf of ‘Umrah or the first tawaf of Hajj, both ramal and idtiba‘ are also performed. Ramal refers to walking briskly with shoulder movements in the first three circuits, and idtiba‘ refers to uncovering the right shoulder. Idtiba‘ is to be done throughout the entire tawaf, but not before or after the tawaf. Other than these two specific tawafs, ramal or idtiba‘ is not performed in any other tawaf.

(2) “He should walk to the right side.” That is, to the right side of the Black Stone, because the right side of the door of the House of Allah is on the side of the Black Stone, or to one’s own right if one’s face is towards the House of Allah. Both meanings are the same.

(1) "From stone to stone" means that one must perform ramal throughout the entire circuit. Although during the ‘Umrat al-Qada, when ramal was first initiated, it was performed on three sides. Since the southern side was concealed from the disbelievers, the Companions would not perform ramal there. Later, when ramal was given a legal (shar‘i) status, it was prescribed for the first three complete circuits of the first tawaf. This should be done in three circuits, but in the entire circuit.

(2) Ramal is a Sunnah, therefore, one should perform ramal as much as possible. However, if the crowd is so dense that ramal is not possible, then one should perform ramal wherever space is available. Where there is no space, it is an excuse. There is neither any make-up (qada) for ramal nor any expiation (fidya). If someone forgets, or is unaware, or is unable to perform it due to crowding, weakness, or illness, then it should not be made up in the last three circuits or in any other tawaf, nor will there be any fidya upon him.

Hadith Authentication:
[وأخرجه مسلم 1263/235 من حديث مالك به]

Jurisprudential Points:
➊ There is consensus that the circumambulation (tawaf) is to be started from the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad), then one proceeds to the right (towards Maqam Ibrahim), keeping the House of Allah (Baytullah) to the left. It is Sunnah to walk briskly (raml) in the first three circuits and to walk normally in the last four circuits.
➋ Kissing the Black Stone, touching it, or, from a distance, gesturing towards it while saying “Bismillah, Allahu Akbar” is Sunnah.
➌ Performing tawaf in the opposite (counter) direction is not permissible.
➍ The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed raml (brisk walking) in the first three circuits of tawaf during the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada’), even though none of the polytheists of Makkah were present at that time. Therefore, raml remains Sunnah until the Day of Judgment.
➎ There is consensus that women are not required to perform raml; rather, they will walk in all seven circuits of tawaf.
➏ If a person does not perform raml, no compensatory sacrifice (dam) is required, and if one is unable to perform raml due to excessive crowding, there is no sin upon him.
➐ Raml is from the Black Stone to the Black Stone; for the weak, raml from the Black Stone to the Yemeni Corner (Rukn Yamani) is sufficient.