sufficing with what he had already mentioned among the nullifiers of ablution, where he said: “It is forbidden for a person in a state of ritual impurity to touch the mushaf, pray, or perform tawaf.” Accordingly, purity from both minor and major ritual impurity is a condition for tawaf. This is the view of the majority of scholars, who cite the following evidence:

First: Allah Most High says: “Purify My House for those who circumambulate it, those who devote themselves to worship there, and those who bow and prostrate.” [al-Baqarah 2:125]

Second: the hadith of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both: “Circumambulation of the House is prayer, except that Allah has permitted speech during it.” (1)

Third: the Prophet’s words to Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her: “Do what the pilgrims do, except that you must not circumambulate the House until you become pure.” (2)

Fourth: when the Prophet ﷺ intended to depart and was told that Safiyyah had begun menstruating, he said: “Will she detain us?” They replied, “She has already performed the ifadah tawaf.” He then said, “Then depart.” (3)

Shaykh al-Islam, may Allah have mercy on him, held that ablution is not a condition for tawaf. He replied to these proofs by stating that the words, “Circumambulation of the House is prayer, except that Allah has permitted speech during it,” are not authentically traced back to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, because their general import is untenable, since its wording is: “Circumambulation