“He commanded the people that the last of their rites should be at the House, but he granted a concession to menstruating women.” (1) His words, “but he granted a concession to menstruating women,” indicate that it is obligatory for others. Had it not been obligatory for them, it would have been waived for all people, since a person is not bound by that which is not obligatory and may leave it undone. Thus, the correct view is that the Farewell Tawaf is obligatory.

Some imams—may Allah have mercy on them—held the reverse, saying that the Farewell Tawaf is sunnah and the Arrival Tawaf is obligatory, even though the sunnah indicates the opposite. The evidence is the hadith of Urwah ibn Mudarris—may Allah be pleased with him—where the Prophet ﷺ did not say, “Have you performed the Arrival Tawaf?” (2)

The apparent meaning of the author’s words is that, whenever one intends to leave Mecca for any destination, he must not depart until he has performed the Farewell Tawaf.

Some of the scholars of the school explicitly stated that if he intends to leave Mecca for his hometown, he must not depart until he has performed the Farewell Tawaf.

The reason for qualifying it as departure to one’s hometown is that, if he intends to leave for another city, he is still traveling and has not yet returned home.

For example, if, after completing Hajj, someone in Mecca leaves for Jeddah, though he is not from Jeddah, or leaves for Ta’if, though he is not from Ta’if, then according to this qualification he does not perform the Farewell Tawaf, because he did not intend to depart for his hometown and remains under the ruling of a traveler. This is a sound qualification.