By: Imran Ayoob Lahori
When a pilgrim completes all rites of Hajj, he must perform the Farewell Tawaf (Tawaf al-Wada‘) before leaving Makkah.
Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:
“People were leaving from every direction, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لا ينفرن أحد حتى يكون آخر عهده بالبيت
‘No one should depart until his last act is to perform Tawaf of the Ka‘bah.’”
References: [Muslim: 1327, Kitab al-Hajj: Bab Wujub Tawaf al-Wada‘ wa Suqutuhu ‘an al-Ha’id; Abu Dawood: 2002; Ibn Majah: 3070; Darimi: 2/72; Musnad al-Shafi‘i: 1/363; Humaydi: 502; Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar: 2/223; Abu Ya‘la: 4/291; Ahmad: 1/222; Tabarani al-Kabir: 11/43; Bayhaqi: 5/161; Sharh al-Sunnah: 4/138]
Correct view (Rājih): The hadith indicates obligation.
Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded the people that their last act should be Tawaf of the Ka‘bah,
إلا أنه خفف عن الحائض
“except that a menstruating woman was excused.”
References: [Bukhari: 1755, Kitab al-Hajj: Bab Tawaf al-Wada‘; Muslim: 1328; Darimi: 2/72; Musnad al-Shafi‘i: 1/364]
Hazrat ‘A’ishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated:
When Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها) menstruated after Tawaf al-Ifadah, the Prophet ﷺ said:
فاخرجي
“Then depart (without performing Tawaf al-Wada‘).”
References: [Bukhari: 338, Kitab al-Hayd: Bab al-Mar’ah Tahid ba‘d al-Ifadah; Muslim: 1329; Nasai: 1/394; Abu Dawood: 2003; Ahmad: 6/177; Bayhaqi: 5/163]
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لـهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، آئِبُونَ تَائِبُونَ عَابِدُونَ سَاجِدُونَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ، صَدَقَ وَعْدَهُ، وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ، وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ
References: [Bukhari with Fath: 1/188; Muslim with Sharh al-Nawawi: 9/112; Abu Dawood: 2770; Tirmidhi with Tuhfah: 4/21; Al-Rawdah al-Nadiyyah: 1/643]
Farewell Tawaf After Completing Hajj
When a pilgrim completes all rites of Hajj, he must perform the Farewell Tawaf (Tawaf al-Wada‘) before leaving Makkah.
Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:
“People were leaving from every direction, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لا ينفرن أحد حتى يكون آخر عهده بالبيت
‘No one should depart until his last act is to perform Tawaf of the Ka‘bah.’”
References: [Muslim: 1327, Kitab al-Hajj: Bab Wujub Tawaf al-Wada‘ wa Suqutuhu ‘an al-Ha’id; Abu Dawood: 2002; Ibn Majah: 3070; Darimi: 2/72; Musnad al-Shafi‘i: 1/363; Humaydi: 502; Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar: 2/223; Abu Ya‘la: 4/291; Ahmad: 1/222; Tabarani al-Kabir: 11/43; Bayhaqi: 5/161; Sharh al-Sunnah: 4/138]
Scholarly Opinions
- Majority (Jumhoor), Ibn Qudamah: Tawaf al-Wada‘ is obligatory (wajib).
- Malik, Dawud al-Zahiri: It is Sunnah.
References: [Al-Mughni: 5/337; Nayl al-Awtar: 3/447]
Correct view (Rājih): The hadith indicates obligation.
Exemption for Menstruating Women
Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded the people that their last act should be Tawaf of the Ka‘bah,
إلا أنه خفف عن الحائض
“except that a menstruating woman was excused.”
References: [Bukhari: 1755, Kitab al-Hajj: Bab Tawaf al-Wada‘; Muslim: 1328; Darimi: 2/72; Musnad al-Shafi‘i: 1/364]
Hazrat ‘A’ishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated:
When Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها) menstruated after Tawaf al-Ifadah, the Prophet ﷺ said:
فاخرجي
“Then depart (without performing Tawaf al-Wada‘).”
References: [Bukhari: 338, Kitab al-Hayd: Bab al-Mar’ah Tahid ba‘d al-Ifadah; Muslim: 1329; Nasai: 1/394; Abu Dawood: 2003; Ahmad: 6/177; Bayhaqi: 5/163]
Prophet’s Departure from Makkah
- The Prophet ﷺ did not perform raml in Tawaf al-Wada‘.
- In Fajr prayer, he recited Surah al-Tur.
- Upon reaching Dhu’l-Hulaifah, he stayed the night.
- When Madinah came into sight, he said three Takbirs and proclaimed:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لـهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، آئِبُونَ تَائِبُونَ عَابِدُونَ سَاجِدُونَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ، صَدَقَ وَعْدَهُ، وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ، وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ
- He entered Madinah during the day.
References: [Bukhari with Fath: 1/188; Muslim with Sharh al-Nawawi: 9/112; Abu Dawood: 2770; Tirmidhi with Tuhfah: 4/21; Al-Rawdah al-Nadiyyah: 1/643]
