He circumambulates seven times. The pilgrim coming from outside Mecca performs ramal during the first three circuits of this circumambulation, then walks for four; and he touches the Black Stone and the Yemeni Corner in every circuit. ..........
His statement, “He circumambulates seven times,” means that he goes around the Kaaba, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did. They must be complete and not fewer than seven. If he omitted even a single step at the beginning or end, it would not be valid, just as a four-, three-, or two-unit prayer is invalid if any part of it is omitted.
His statement, “The pilgrim coming from outside Mecca performs ramal during the first three circuits of this circumambulation, then walks for four”: the scholars have said that this refers to one who assumes ihram from a place far from Mecca. It is not a condition that the distance between him and Mecca be the distance permitting shortened prayer. Thus, anyone who is not one of the inhabitants of Mecca performs ramal in the first three circuits.
For example, one who assumes ihram from Qarn al-Manazil, Yalamlam, Dhat Irq, al-Juhfah, or Dhu al-Hulayfah performs ramal.
Likewise, one who assumes ihram from somewhere nearer than those places but still far from Mecca performs ramal. Even if he is from the people of Mecca, if he enters Mecca and assumes ihram from a distant place, he performs ramal for three circuits in the arrival circumambulation, then walks for four.
This is because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did so. The reason for this practice was that, when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, came to Mecca for the Compensatory Umrah in the seventh year after the Hijrah, Quraysh said: “People are coming to you whom the fever of Yathrib has weakened.” That is, it had made them weak. Yathrib is Medina, and fever is a well-known illness. Fever in Medina was severe, to the point that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed to his Lord, glorified and exalted is He, to transfer its fever to al-Juhfah, and He did so.
But Quraysh were enemies, and an enemy delights in his enemy’s misfortune. They said: “Sit and watch these people who have come to you, whom the fever has weakened.”