There is no doubt that what is meant by that is simply that tawaf resembles the prayer in certain respects; it is not intended that it be treated as a kind of (1) prayer that requires ritual purity. The same applies to his words (2): “When one of you comes to the mosque, let him not interlock (3) his fingers, for he is in prayer” (4); and to his statement: “A servant is in prayer as long as the prayer keeps him waiting—so long (5) as he is expecting the prayer and so long as he is deliberately proceeding (6) to the prayer” (7), and the like.

Accordingly, a menstruating woman may not perform tawaf unless she is in a state of purity when that is possible, by unanimous agreement of the scholars. If a woman arrives while menstruating (8), she (9) does not circle the House; rather, she stands at ʿArafah and carries out all the remaining rites (10) while in her menstrual state—except for tawaf.