The Rare Ahadith about Tawaf

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the first instance of justice that will be practiced after the reappearance of al-Qa’im (a.s.), is that an announcer will announce this, ‘Those who perform optional al-Hajj must give a chance to those performing obligatory al-Hajj to reach the Black Stone.”’

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man if he can consider counting the number of his Tawaf by his companion as sufficient. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about reading from al-Quran or speaking of Allah, most Blessed, most High, and that which one is more virtuous when I perform Tawaf. He (the Imam) said, ‘Reading is more virtuous.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if one comes across a passage for which Sajdah (prostration) is obligatory.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He must make a gesture with his head toward al-Ka‘bah.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not perform Tawaf wearing burtulah (a certain kind of cap).”’

“Aban once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Is there any kind of Tawaf known as Tawaf of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The Messenger of Allah would, during one night and day, perform ten Tawafs; three in the beginning of the night, three toward the end of the night, two at dawn and two at noontime, and the remaining time in between was for his rest.’”

“I saw ‘Umm Farwah perform Tawaf around the Ka‘bah wearing a colorless gown. She touched the Black Stone with her left hand and a man said, ‘O female servant of Allah, you made a mistake in following the noble tradition (of the Holy Prophet).’ ‘We are not in need of your knowledge,’ she responded.”

“Once abu al-Hassan (a.s.), asked me, ‘Why is the name al-Ta’if?’ I (the narrator) replied, ‘No, I do not know.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When Ibrahim (a.s.), prayed to his Lord to provide his family with sustenance, Allah cut a piece of land from ’ Adan (a mountain in al-Sham). It came and performed Tawaf around the House seven times then Allah set it in its place and it is called al-Ta’if because of its performing Tawaf around the House.’”

“I once said to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, when I am in Masjid al-Haram (the Sacred Masjid) and see people perform Tawaf around the House and I am sitting, I feel sad.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘O Ziyad, do not be disappointed. When a believing person comes out of his home with the intention to perform al-Hajj, he is considered performing Tawaf and Sa‘y all the time until he is back home.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man whose female companion is not able to stand up on her legs so he places her in a carriage and walks with her to perform an obligatory Tawaf around the House and between al-Safa’ and al-Marwah; if it is sufficient for his Tawaf also. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, by Allah it is sufficient.’” (Hadith 9 of this Chapter is best explained by Fatwa)

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that you should stop performing more Tawaf while you still desire to perform more Tawaf.”

“This is about a woman who had made a vow to perform Tawaf on all-fours; legs and arms. Abu ‘Abd Allah has narrated from his ancestors, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, who have said that Ali, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said, ‘She must perform Tawaf (walking around the House) seven times for her legs and seven times for her hands.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the case of three people who commence Tawaf, and one of them says, ‘You must keep proper counts of the number of Tawaf.’ When they thought they had completed, one of them said, ‘With me it is six Tawaf.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If all of them doubt they must perform Tawaf again. If they do not have doubts and everyone knows the number of Tawaf with him they follow accordingly.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a woman who performs Tawaf with a child and Sa‘y between al-Safa’ and al-Marwah; if this is sufficient for her Tawaf also. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is sufficient.’” (Ahadith 11-13 are best explained in the form of fatwa).

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that it is preferable to perform three hundred sixty Tawaf (each consisting of seven times walking around the Ka‘bah) equal to the number of days in a year. If you cannot do this, then you should walk three hundred sixty times around the Ka‘bah; and if you cannot do this much also, then do whatever you can.”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if we can drink when performing Tawaf. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, you can do so.”’

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, once performed Tawaf on al-Ghadba’ camel touching the corners with his staff and then kissed the staff.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Performing a Tawaf on tenth of Dhu al-Hajjah is more virtuous than seventy Tawaf during al-Hajj.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), about a woman who had made a vow to perform Tawaf on all-fours; legs and arms, said, ‘She must perform Tawaf once for her legs and once for her arms.’”