Tawaf (Circumambulation of the Kaaba)
The ritual of walking seven times around the Kaaba counterclockwise as part of Hajj and Umrah.
Tawaf is the ritual of walking seven times around the Kaaba in Masjid al-Haram in Mecca in a counterclockwise direction. It is a pillar (rukn) of both Hajj and Umrah and can also be performed voluntarily as an independent act of worship.
Tawaf begins at the Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad) in the eastern corner of the Kaaba. For each circuit, it is sunnah to point toward or kiss the Black Stone. During tawaf, pilgrims recite du'a and dhikr. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Tawaf around the House is like prayer, except that you speak during it" (Sunan al-Tirmidhi).
There are several types of tawaf: Tawaf al-Qudum (arrival tawaf), Tawaf al-Ifadah (the obligatory tawaf during Hajj), Tawaf al-Wada' (farewell tawaf), and Tawaf al-Nafl (voluntary tawaf). Wudu is a prerequisite for tawaf according to the majority of Sunni scholars. After tawaf, one prays two rak'ah behind Maqam Ibrahim (Abraham's Station).
Related terms
Eid al-Ghadir (The Ghadir Festival)
Shia festival commemorating the Prophet's appointment of Imam Ali as his successor.
Turbah (Prayer Stone)
A small clay tablet upon which Shia Muslims place their forehead during sujud.
Sunnah (Voluntary Prayer)
Voluntary prayers based on the Prophet's practice.
Ghusl (Ritual Full-Body Washing)
The complete ritual washing of the entire body, required in certain situations.
Salat al-Musafir (Traveler's Prayer)
The shortened prayers that travelers perform while traveling.
Du'a al-Faraj (The Supplication of Deliverance)
A short, powerful supplication for Imam al-Mahdi's appearance and deliverance from suffering.