Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Umar Radiyallahu Anhuma reported that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Whoever circles the Ka’bah seven times and prays two Rakaats thereafter, will be rewarded as if he had freed a slave. A person does not raise his foot, nor bring it back down, except that ten good deeds will be written for him, ten bad deeds will be erased, and he will be raised by ten degrees.” (Musnad Ahmad)
Question:
What is the ruling regarding a person who begins a Nafl Tawaaf but does not complete it? What should they do in such a case, and is there a penalty to be paid?
(Question published as received)
Answer:
Once a Nafl Tawaaf has been initiated, it becomes necessary to complete it. Therefore, if a person begins the Tawaaf but does not complete it, they are required to return and finish the remaining circuits. If they do not do so, the following rulings apply:
If the person performed three rounds or fewer and then left Makkah, they are required to offer a Damm (penalty) within the precincts of the Haram. This refers to the sacrifice of a small animal, such as a sheep or goat.
If the person performed four or more rounds, they must give Sadaqatul Fitr equivalent for each missed round. This charity must be distributed to the poor within the boundaries of the Haram. The Sadaqatul Fitr amount for Makkah will be considered. [Ghunyatun Naasik p. 275, Hajj Aur Umrah ke Masaa’il Ka Encyclopedia 4/271-272]
And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Muhammed Hamza Farooqui
Mufti Taahir Hansa
Fatwa Department
Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)
(The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.)