Tawaf - circling the Ka'bah seven times in an anti-clockwise direction - is one of the pillars of both Hajj and Umrah. Whether you are performing Tawaf al-Qudum (Arrival Tawaf), Tawaf al-Ifadah (the obligatory Hajj Tawaf), or Tawaf al-Wada' (Farewell Tawaf), the basic procedure is the same. Here is how to perform it correctly at Hajj 2026.

Before You Begin

Ensure you are in a state of wudu (ablution). Tawaf requires ritual purity - if your wudu breaks during Tawaf, you must renew it and resume from where you stopped. Women who are menstruating cannot perform Tawaf until they are clean and have done ghusl.

If you are a man performing Tawaf al-Qudum (the first Tawaf upon arriving in Makkah), you should do two things that are specific to this Tawaf only:

  • Idtiba: Place the middle of your rida (upper Ihram cloth) under your right armpit and drape both ends over your left shoulder, exposing your right shoulder. This is done ONLY during Tawaf al-Qudum, not during Tawaf al-Ifadah or Tawaf al-Wada'.
  • Raml: Walk with short, quick steps and move your shoulders briskly during the first three circuits only. Walk normally for the remaining four. This too is specific to Tawaf al-Qudum for men.

Women do neither Idtiba nor Raml. They walk at their normal, dignified pace throughout all seven circuits.

Starting at the Black Stone

The Tawaf begins and ends at the Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad), which is set into the eastern corner of the Ka'bah. A green light on the wall of the Grand Mosque marks the line of the Black Stone to help you identify the starting point, especially from the upper floors.

At the start of each circuit, face the Black Stone and perform Istilam (greeting the stone):

  • If you can reach it: Touch it with your right hand and kiss it. This is the Sunnah.
  • If you can touch but not kiss it: Touch it with your right hand and kiss your hand.
  • If you cannot reach it (the most common situation in Hajj crowds): Face it from wherever you are, raise your right hand toward it, and say "Allahu Akbar." This is fully valid and carries the same spiritual significance.

Do not push, shove, or risk injury trying to reach the Black Stone. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): "O Umar, you are a strong man, do not crowd others at the Stone, for you will harm the weak" (Musnad Ahmad).

The Seven Circuits

Walk anti-clockwise, keeping the Ka'bah to your left. Each complete circuit starts and ends at the Black Stone. Key points to remember:

  • Stay outside the Hateem (Hijr Ismail). The semi-circular wall on the north side of the Ka'bah is called the Hateem. You must walk around the outside of it, not through it. Walking through the Hateem means your circuit does not count, as this area is considered part of the Ka'bah itself.
  • There are no mandatory duas for each circuit. Despite what some printed dua booklets suggest, there is no specific dua prescribed for each of the seven circuits. You may make any dua you wish, recite Quran, or simply engage in dhikr. The only specific Sunnah dua during Tawaf is between the Yemeni Corner (ar-Rukn al-Yamani) and the Black Stone: "Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina 'adhab an-nar" (Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire - Quran 2:201).
  • At the Yemeni Corner: If you can reach it, touch it with your right hand (do not kiss it). If you cannot reach it, continue walking - do not point toward it or say "Allahu Akbar" as you do for the Black Stone.

After Completing Seven Circuits

Once you have completed all seven circuits (ending at the Black Stone line), cover your right shoulder again (end the Idtiba if applicable) and proceed to pray two rak'ahs.

Pray two rak'ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim. If the area behind the Maqam is too crowded - which it almost certainly will be during Hajj - you may pray these two rak'ahs anywhere in the Grand Mosque. The Sunnah is to recite Surah al-Kafirun (Chapter 109) in the first rak'ah and Surah al-Ikhlas (Chapter 112) in the second.

After the prayer, drink Zamzam water. The dispensers near the Maqam area and throughout the mosque are available for this purpose.

The Multazam

The Multazam is the section of the Ka'bah wall between the Black Stone and the door of the Ka'bah. It is a place where supplications are considered especially likely to be accepted. The Companion Abdullah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) was seen pressing his chest, face, and hands against the Multazam and making dua (Abu Dawud).

If you can reach the Multazam - and during Hajj this is extremely difficult due to crowds - press yourself against the wall and pour out your heart to Allah. If you cannot reach it physically, face toward it from wherever you are and make your dua. Late night hours after Isha offer the best opportunity to reach the Multazam with less crowding.

Practical Tips for Tawaf During Hajj 2026

  • Check crowd density on the Nusuk app before heading to the Haram. The app shows real-time colour-coded indicators for the Mataf area. Green means light crowds; red means heavy congestion.
  • Use the upper floors or roof. The circuits are wider and significantly less crowded. Your Tawaf is equally valid on any level of the mosque.
  • Best times: Late night (after Isha, especially after midnight) and very early morning (before Fajr) are consistently the least crowded periods. If you have the stamina, these are the times to do your Tawaf.
  • Stay hydrated. Zamzam water dispensers are available on every floor. Drink before, during breaks, and after Tawaf.
  • Keep count. It is easy to lose track of which circuit you are on, especially in dense crowds. Use a counter app on your phone, a tasbeeh, or simply fold a finger down after each circuit. If genuinely uncertain, take the lower number (e.g., if unsure whether you have done 5 or 6, count it as 5 and do another).
  • Do not stop in the flow of traffic. If you need to rest, move to the outer edge of the Mataf or step off the circuit entirely. Stopping in the middle of a busy circuit is dangerous and disrupts the flow for thousands behind you.