Salat al-Tawaf

Pilgrims pray behind Maqam Ibrahim.

Ṣalāt al-Ṭawāf (Arabic: صلاة الطواف, tawaf prayer) is an obligatory action in hajj and 'umra. This prayer has two rak'as just like the morning prayer, and it should be said after the tawaf behind Maqam Ibrahim. The difference between the tawaf prayer and prayer of tawaf al-nisa' is merely in the intention.

How to Perform

After each tawaf, two rak'as of prayer should be said just like the morning prayer. It is not necessary for men to recite Sura al-Hamd and the following sura loudly.

The intention to say this prayer is relevant to tawaf; after the tawaf, one should intend to say prayers of tawaf al-ziyarah, and after tawaf al-nisa', one should intend to say prayers of tawaf al-nisa'; and the same is true for recommended tawafs. There should not be a long interval between the tawaf and its prayers.

Location

The prayer of obligatory tawafs should be said near and behind Maqam Ibrahim (that is to place such that Maqam Ibrahim is between the person and Ka'ba), without intruding on tawafs of other pilgrims. So if it is not possible to say the prayer near Maqam Ibrahim, the pilgrim can recede into where it is possible to say the prayers, but the prayer should still be behind Maqam Ibrahim.

There are different fatwas with respect to people who perform tawaf on the second floor (due to an excuse), but can nonetheless say their prayer in the courtyard of Masjid al-Haram behind Maqam Ibrahim.

The mustahab (or recommended) tawaf prayer can be said anywhere in al-Masjid al-Haram.