Mufti Saad Abdul Razzaq
Approaching the Black Stone, Rasulullah SAAW touched and kissed it, and some accounts even mention him leaning on it. During the first three rounds of Tawaf, he engaged in Ramal, briskly walking with small steps and shaking his shoulders. Throughout Tawaf, he observed Idhtiba (draping the upper sheet of Ihram over the left shoulder and leaving the right shoulder uncovered). Upon reaching the Black Stone, he pointed to it with a stick and kissed the stick (Istilaam inc. extending one’s hand towards the Hajr ul Aswad and kissing it, when it’s not possible to reach the black stone). Although Istilaam of Rukn Yamani is proven, the actual kissing of the Yemeni Corner by Rasulullah SAAW is not authenticated.
In the midst of a large crowd, many of whom had not seen Rasulullah SAAW before, people would point at a different person, exclaiming, ‘There is Muhammad!’
Eventually, Rasulullah SAAW mounted his horse so that they may identify who he was. Thus, he performed some rounds of Tawaf on foot and others while riding his mount. It is evident that Rasulullah SAAW performed Tawaf on his camel to accommodate to the needs of the people in identifying who he was and also for those who needed to learn the method and procedures of Tawaf. The noble companions of Rasulullah SAAW did not ever perform Tawaf while mounting an animal, hence this also proves that Rasulullah SAAW did it out of necessity.
Imam Muslim and Imam Abu Dawud have reported that Sayyiduna Jabir R.A saying: (Muslim 1273/ 503, Abu Dawud 1880/ 217)
Rasulullah SAAW performed Tawaf of the Baitullah and Sa’ee of Safa and Marwah during the farewell Hajj, so that he was at an elevated position for the masses to see him and be accessible to answer their questions as he was surrounded by people from all sides.
Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas R.A narrates: When Rasulullah SAAW arrived in Makkah, he was not feeling well, hence he performed Tawaf on his mount. When he approached the black stone, he would perform Istilaam by using a stick. Upon completion of Tawaf, he dismounted his camel and performed the two units of prayers for completion of Tawaf.
(Sunan Abu Dawud – Hadith 1881, Pg. 217)
Completing the Tawaf
After he had completed Tawaf, Rasulullah SAAW approached the Maqaam Ibrahim and recited the following verse:
Take the station of Abraham as a permanent place for Prayer.
(Surah Baqarah. Verse 125)
He then performed two Rak’aat in such a way that the Maqaam Ibrahim was between him and the Ka’bah. He recited Surah Kaafiroon in the first Rak’ah and Surah Ikhlaas in the second.
(Sunan Abu Dawud, the Hajj of Nabi s, Hadith no. 1905, Pg. 220)
The Sa’ee of Safa and Marwah
After praying at the Maqaam Ibrahim, Rasulullah SAAW performed Istilaam of the Black stone. Mulla Ali Qari R.A has stated that after completing the two units of prayer, he SAAW drank Zamzam water, sprinkled it upon his blessed head and then performed Istilaam of the Black stone before moving towards Safa. At Safa Rasulullah SAAW recited the following verse:
Indeed, as-Safa and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. (Surah Baqarah, Verse 158)
Then he SAAW said,
We begin with what Allah began with
Thereafter, Rasulullah SAAW ascended Safa, gazed upon the Ka’bah while facing the Qiblah and glorified the greatness of Allah Ta’ala by saying Allahu Akbar and the following words:
None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, he has no partner. To Him belongs all sovereignty and praise and His omnipotence encompasses all things. None is worthy of being worshipped except Allah alone. He fulfilled His promise, aided His slave, and single-handedly defeated the allies.(Sunan Abu Dawud – Hadith 1905, pg. 220)
Rasulullah SAAW also recited many other Duas. Then he started moving towards Marwah at a normal pace, until he reached the bottom of the ravine (which is also known as Meelayn Akhdarayn and have two green lights to distinguish it’s starting and end points) he started running until the end of the ravine; thereafter he resumed a comfortable pace until he reached Marwah.
At Marwah, he repeated the same words he recited at Safa. Thereafter, he completed the rest of Sa’ee while mounting his camel due to the massive crowd so that his loving followers could lay their eyes on his blessed countenance. Finally, he completed the Sa’ee at Marwah.
