Ruling on Continuing Tawaf When Congregational Prayer Starts
Source: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
Question
If a person is performing Tawaf and the congregational (jamāʿah) prayer begins, what should he do? Should he start the Tawaf from the beginning? If not, from where should he resume?
Answer
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
When someone is performing Tawaf — whether for ʿUmrah, Hajj, or as a voluntary Tawaf — and the congregational prayer starts:
❀ He should stop the Tawaf and join the jamāʿah for the obligatory prayer.
❀ Once the prayer is completed, he should return and resume the Tawaf from the point where he stopped.
❀ There is no need to restart the Tawaf from the beginning.
Reason
The portion of Tawaf already performed was done correctly and with Sharʿi permission, so there is no valid reason to declare it void without evidence.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
(This is my opinion, and Allah knows best what is correct.)
