Practices of Hajj in Mecca
The five obligatory rites in the holy city of Mecca, performed after the rites of Eid al-Adha, are as follows:
- Ṭawāf of ḥajj (termed as ṭawāf al-zīyāra [visiting]);
- Prayer of ṭawāf;
- Saʿy between Safā and Marwa;
- Ṭawāf al-nisāʾ; and
- Prayer of this ṭawāf.
It is mustaḥabb to leave for the Holy city of Mecca from Minā, after fulfillment of the deeds of Eid al-Adha and perform the remaining rites of hajj: the two ṭawāfs, their prayers and saʿy. It is permissible to delay them until the last day of tashrīq or even to the end of the month of Dhu l-Hijja.
The method of the ṭawāfs, associated prayers and saʿy are the same as ṭawāf, prayer and saʿy for ʿumra; the only difference is in the intention.
It is not permissible to perform the above mentioned rites before the wuqūf at ʿArafāt and al-Mashʿar and the practices of Minā. However, this is permitted for the following three groups:
- Women who fear that they may menstruate or face pureperium (nifās) lest they might not wait for purification after returning to the Holy city of Mecca to perform ṭawāf and its prayer.
- Men and women who are unable to perform the ṭawāf after returning to Mecca due to crowd or unable to return to the holy city of Mecca at all.
- The sick who are unable to perform the ṭawāf after returning to the holy city of Mecca due to crowd or feel fear of it.
If the above mentioned groups perform two ṭawāfs, associated prayers and saʿy and when their excuse is removed, repetition of rites is not obligatory for them, although it is better that they perform these rites again. Whoever performs deeds in the Holy city of Mecca in advance due to a genuine reason (such as the above mentioned groups), their spouse and using perfume would not be ḥalāl for them, but it is only after ḥalq or taqsīr that all the forbidden things will become ḥalāl.
It is not permissible to perform saʿy before ṭawāf of hajj or its prayer by choice. It is also impermissible to perform ṭawāf al-nisāʾ before the ṭawāf of hajj, its prayer and saʿy. So if a person does not follow the right sequence of deeds, he/she should repeat these deeds.
If a person inattentively/deliberately neglects ṭawāf al-nisāʾ and returns back to his country, if it is possible without any difficulty, he should return to Mecca and perform it. Otherwise, he should hire a representative. For such a person, his/her spouse would not become permissible unless ṭawāf and its prayer are performed by them or by their representative.