What Is Tawaf ?
Going round Al-Kaaba seven times in a defined manner ending with prayer is called Tawaf. The first Tawaf one does on arrival at Masjid Al Haram is called Tawaf Qudum. The first round of Tawaf starts at Hajrul Aswath in the corner near the golden door of Kaaba. The green light glows straight to it as an indicator.
How to do Tawaf?
Stand before the indicator line and do not cross it and the Tawaf is always done in the clockwise direction. So you have to stand with your right side facing Kaaba. Stop saying Talbiya or Labbaik. Remove the seamless cloth covering the right shoulder and bring it under your armpit to put over your left shoulder. That is the right shoulder should be opened only when you are in Ihram. This position is called Izhthifa. Keep your intention to do Tawaf and this intention is a must. It is like this: “O! Lord, I am doing my Tawaf of seven rounds around Baithullah. Please make it easier for me and accept my Tawaf”.
Turn towards Hajrul Aswath and caress it with both your hands and kiss your hands without making sound. If you cannot touch it, then make sign from a distance as through you are touching it and then kiss your hands. This is called Isthilam. You have to do Isthilam in every round when you cross Hajrul Aswath.
Start your first round. When you are crossing the area between the door of Kaaba and Makame Ibrahim, you have to jog instead of walking. This jogging only at that place only for men is called Ramal. Ramal is to be done only for the first three rounds and not for the last four rounds. After completing the last round make Isthilam once again which will be the 8th time. Please note that Ramal is to be done only when doing Tawaf as a part of Umrah and no Ramal to be done when performing Nafil Tawaf or doing Tawaf separately.
If you can get near, you can kiss the fourth corner of Kaaba called Ruknul Yamani. But if you cannot get near you must not make any signal of kissing. It is not allowed and you simply have to pass. After completing all the seven rounds, cover your right shoulder and go near Makame Ibrahim and pray 2 rak-at salat to complete the Tawaf.
Then go to Zam Zam water outlet and drink as much water as you can and come back near the Hajrul Aswath and do Isthilam one more time if you are continuing for Sayee.
Do’s and Don’t’s of Tawaf
1. Keep your body and clothes clean.
2. When you go round Kaaba, go round Hatheem also. Hatheem is the horseshoe shaped projection of Kaaba in one side.
3. Be in Ozhu or keeping your hands, face and legs clean before you start Tawaf.
4. Do not lift your face towards Kaaba when going round and keep reciting Kalima and Dua.
5. Do not talk with others or take rest in the middle or run on the way unnecessarily.
6. Turn your body towards Kaaba only when doing Isthilam.
7. Do Isthilam with your hands at Ruknul Yamani only if you can touch it or do no signal and just pass.
8. Do not get near Ruknul Yamani when you are in Ihram as there are lots of perfumes sprayed and smelling perfumes prohibited when in Ihram.
9. Start your Tawaf with Hajrul Aswath and end with Hajrul Aswath.
The first Tawaf performed as soon as we enter Masjid Al Haram for the first time is known as Tawaf Qudum. The Tawaf done as a part of Hajj is known as Tawaf Ziyarat and the Tawaf done also as a part of Hajj but at the end before leaving from Makkah is known as Tawaf Vidha.
Source By : www.whatishaj.com