The Case of One Who Stands in Need of Something During Tawaf, or Something Affects Him

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who performs one or two Tawaf (walking around the House), then goes out with someone for a certain work. He (the Imam) said, If it is an optional Tawaf, he can resume where he has left; but if it is an obligatory Tawaf he cannot continue from where he has left.”’

“One of the two Imam, (abu Ja’far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said, if during obligatory Tawaf one’s wudu’ becomes invalid when he has performed a certain parts of Tawaf. he must take wudu’, and if he has performed more than half of Tawaf; he can continue from where he has left; but if what is performed is less than half he must perform Tawaf again.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who performs three Tawaf (walking around the House) of obligatory nature; then he finds an opportunity to enter the House and he enters the House and about what he is required to do. He (the Imam) said, ‘He must perform Qada’ (compensatory) of his Tawaf, because he has done against the Sunnah; he must perform Tawaf again.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, Tf one performs a few times Tawaf and then something happens, he must do his Tawaf again - if it is an obligatory Tawaf.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who performs obligatory Tawaf then something happens, because of which he cannot complete. He (the Imam) said, Tf he has performed four times Tawaf (walking around the House) he can appoint someone to complete the other three times Tawaf (walking around the House) for him, and his Tawaf is complete. If he has performed three times Tawaf (walking around the House) and cannot do any more, he then is one whom Allah has overpowered and it is not harmful to delay his Tawaf by one or two days. If his problem goes away, he comes to complete his seven times Tawaf (walking around the House); if his problem prolongs he appoints someone to perform for him seven times Tawaf (walking around the House), two Rak‘at Salat (prayer) and Sa‘y between al-Safa’ and al-Marwah and he then comes out of the state of Ihram. He can follow the same procedure in Sa‘y and throwing pebbles (Ramy al-Jamarat).”’

“I was performing the fifth time’s Tawaf (walking around the House) when abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), passed by and said, ‘Come so we can visit a man there/ I said, ‘This is my fifth time’s Tawaf (walking around the House), allow me to complete my seven times Tawaf (walking around the House).’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Stop and remember where you have stopped until you return to where you left then continue to complete the remaining times of Tawaf (walking around the House).”’

“I was performing Tawaf with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), with his hand in my hand that a man came by who needed me for something. I made a gesture to him with my hand to indicate that he should wait until I complete my Tawaf. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), asked, ‘Who is he?’ I replied, ‘May Allah keep you well, he is a man who needs me for something.’ He (the Imam) then asked, ‘Is he a Muslim?’ I replied, ‘Yes, he is.’ He (the Imam) then told me to go with him to help in his needs. I then said, ‘May Allah keep you well, can I leave my Tawaf for his needs?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, you can do so.’ I then asked, ‘Even if it is obligatory Tawaf?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, even if you are in an obligatory Tawaf.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘Whoever walks for his Muslim brother in faith to help him in his needs, Allah writes for him one million good deeds and deletes one million of his sins and raises for him one million degree.’”