Can you take a break during Tawaf?
As we know, Hajj and Umrah are long and laborious journeys. Many physically weak pilgrims become exhausted and compelled to take a break while performing these sacred pilgrimages. In this case, numerous pilgrims ask different scholars, “Can you take a break during Tawaf?”
One of the main pilgrimage rituals is called Tawaf, which refers to circumambulating the Kaaba or moving in circles around it counterclockwise. One Tawaf is made up of seven full rounds, each beginning and ending at the Hajar Aswad.
It is permissible to sit and relax during Tawaf. But you shouldn’t stay there for too long lest you break the sequence, as is commonly believed. In that case, the Tawaf is invalid and needs to be performed again.
Taking a break during Tawaf
A pilgrim must repeat the Tawaf and start over if the break lasted a lot longer, an hour or two. However, nothing is wrong with that if the break was only short. This is due to the requirement that the actions in Tawaf and Sa’i be sequential, which means that the rounds must occur one after the other.
The first rounds are therefore deemed invalid if there is a long break, and he must restart Tawaf. However, there is nothing wrong with that if the break was short, such as if he sat down for two or three minutes before finishing.
If a pilgrim circumambulates the Holy Kaaba with his pregnant wife and takes a short break, there is nothing wrong with taking a break in between rounds. Because little breaks do not invalidate these rituals, even if there is no good reason for them.
Note: Mostly, people don’t know about Tawaf when they are going to perform Umrah. First you have to know about tawaf and other rules and regulations of Umrah then book your Umrah Packages.
Breaking Wudu during Tawaf
According to many scholars, if a pilgrim breaks his Wudu during Tawaf, he should make ablution and restart his Tawaf.
A person’s Tawaf is invalid if they become slightly impure while performing it, just like when performing prayer. Therefore, he needs to go get pure before restarting Tawaf. This is the correct perspective.
There is disagreement among scholars on this issue, but this is the right view with regard to both Tawaf and prayer. Because the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“If one of you breaks wind whilst praying, let him go and do wudu and repeat his prayer.” (Abu Dawud)
Source link: https://aboutislam.net/counseling/ask-the-scholar/hajj/breaking-wudu-during-tawaf-what-to-do/
Requirements for performing the Tawaf properly
There are many requirements for doing the Tawaf correctly. These are as follows:
- Purification
- Covering the awrah
- Seven full rounds
- Performing Tawaf from outside the Kaaba
- Keeping calmness
Purification
In a religious sense, purity is the first requirement. Therefore, before doing the Tawaf, a person must ensure that all impurities have been eliminated from him or his clothing. He must also complete the ablution (wudu). The majority of scholars hold that the Tawaf is invalid without wudu.
Covering the awrah
According to Sharia, Tawaf is a form of worship and also prayer. The body parts must be covered during prayer must likewise be covered during the Tawaf. A man must cover himself from the waist down to his lower legs. While, all of a woman’s body is covered, except her hands and face.
Seven full rounds
Another requirement is that there must be seven complete rounds or circles in the Tawaf. It is invalid if one step is skipped. If a person is unclear of how many times he encircled the Kaaba. He should act in accordance with the lower number to ensure that he completed seven times.
Performing Tawaf from outside the Kaaba
It is necessary to do Tawaf from outside the Kaaba. Hateem, a semicircular area, is considered as a portion of the Kaaba. Therefore, if someone passes through it during circumambulation, then his Tawaf is not correct.
Keeping calmness
It is important to maintain your calm during Tawaf. There is always the chance that tension would rise due to the large number of people performing the Tawaf during the holy journey to Makkah. However, everyone must keep in mind that he is not permitted to argue with another person while performing an act of worship. He should not strike back if he gets shoved or someone trips over his foot. Forgiving is always preferable. When performing a form of worship, it is even more so.
Conclusion
Tawaf is one of the most important rituals of Hajj and Umrah. It is done in an anti-clockwise direction, making a full round each time the pilgrim is back at the Hajar Aswad.
Hajj and Umrah are tough and lengthy trips. While making these holy pilgrimages, numerous physically weak pilgrims become fatigued and are compelled to stop.
During Tawaf, it is acceptable to take a break and rest. However, you should not stay there too long to avoid breaking the sequence, contrary to popular belief. The Tawaf is invalid in that case, and it must be repeated. You must know all rules and regulation before booking your Umrah Package.
