Tawaf al-Ifadah on the Day of Sacrifice – A Pillar of Hajj

By: Imran Ayoob Lahori

Hadith Evidence​

Hazrat Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:


أن رسول الله أفاض يوم النحر ثم رجع فصلى الظهر بمنى
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed Tawaf al-Ifadah on the Day of Sacrifice, then returned and prayed Dhuhr at Mina.”

References: [Muslim: 1308, Kitab al-Hajj: Bab Istihbab Tawaf al-Ifadah Yawm al-Nahr; Abu Dawood: 998; Nasai al-Kubra: 6/155; Ahmad: 2/34; Ibn al-Jarood: 486; Ibn Hibban: 3882; Hakim: 1/475; Bayhaqi: 5/144]

Ruling of Tawaf al-Ifadah​

• Imam al-Nawawi (رحمه الله): Consensus (ijma‘) of scholars that this tawaf is a pillar (rukn) of Hajj; Hajj is not complete without it.
  Reference: [Sharh Muslim: 4/451]
• Ibn Qudamah (رحمه الله): Tawaf al-Ifadah is a pillar of Hajj; we know of no disagreement on this.
  Reference: [Al-Mughni: 5/311]
• Ibn Hazm (رحمه الله): There is consensus on its obligation.
  Reference: [Al-Marātib: p. 49]
• Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله): Affirmed its status as a pillar.
  Reference: [Al-Ta‘liqat al-Radiyyah of Al-Albani: 2/114]
• Siddiq Hasan Khan (رحمه الله): Disagreed, saying it is not even wajib; argues that for a qārin (combining Hajj and ‘Umrah), one tawaf and sa‘i suffice.
  Reference: [Al-Rawdah al-Nadiyyah: 1/642]

Where Did the Prophet ﷺ Pray Dhuhr After Tawaf al-Ifadah?​

• The above hadith mentions Mina.
• Another narration from Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) mentions Makkah.

Reconciling the reports:

1. The Prophet ﷺ prayed in both places — as the Imam in Makkah, then with his companions in Mina as nafl prayer.
2. Or, he prayed first in Makkah, then performed prayer in Mina upon return.

Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله): Preferred the Mina narration as it is in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
References: [Zad al-Ma‘ad: 1/326–327; Al-Ta‘liqat al-Radiyyah: 2/114; Nayl al-Awtar: 5/61]