❀ Ruling on Iḍṭibāʿ During Ṭawāf and Its Sharʿī Status ❀
🖋 Written by: Shaykh Mubashshir Ahmad Rabbānī ḥafiẓahullāh
Question:
What is Iḍṭibāʿ? Is it required in every Ṭawāf? If not, in how many circuits is it necessary at minimum?
Answer:
➤ Definition of Iḍṭibāʿ:
Iḍṭibāʿ refers to the act of:
Passing the upper cloth of the iḥrām under the right armpit and placing it over the left shoulder, keeping the right shoulder exposed.
Practice of the Prophet ﷺ:
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ and his companions entered into iḥrām from Jiʿrānah for ʿUmrah and performed Ṭawāf of the Kaʿbah with ‘raml’ (brisk walking) and with iḍṭibāʿ — by passing their upper cloth under the right arm and placing it over the left shoulder.”
[Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Manāsik: Bāb al-Iḍṭibāʿ fī Ṭawāf ḥadīth 1884]
Yaʿlā ibn Umayyah رضي الله عنه narrated:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed Ṭawāf of the Kaʿbah in the state of Iḍṭibāʿ while wearing a green cloak.”
[Sunan Abī Dāwūd ḥadīth 1883]
Scholarly Clarification:
Al-ʿAllāmah ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān al-Mubārakpūrī, quoting Mullā ʿAlī al-Qārī, wrote in commentary:
“Iḍṭibāʿ and Raml are Sunnah in every Ṭawāf that is followed by Saʿī.
Iḍṭibāʿ is Sunnah for all seven circuits of that Ṭawāf, unlike Raml, which is only in the first three circuits.
Moreover, maintaining Iḍṭibāʿ throughout the state of iḥrām — as done by many common people — has no basis in Sharīʿah and is even disliked during prayer.”
[Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī 2/2, Mirʿāt al-Mafātīḥ 9/123]
Summary:
◉ Iḍṭibāʿ is a Sunnah act specifically for the Ṭawāf that precedes Saʿī, such as:
- Ṭawāf al-ʿUmrah
- Ṭawāf al-Qudūm (for Qārin and Mufrid)
◉ It should be maintained for all seven rounds of that Ṭawāf.
◉ It is not Sunnah in other types of Ṭawāf (e.g., Ṭawāf al-Ifāḍah, Ṭawāf al-Wadāʿ) if no Saʿī follows.
◉ Keeping the shoulder uncovered throughout the duration of iḥrām, especially during Ṣalāh, is impermissible and disliked.
