Sahl ibn Yūsuf, who said: ‘Shuʿba informed us, reporting from Hammād and Mansūr: “I asked them both about a man circumambulating the House without ablution, and neither saw any harm in it.”’”

ʿAbd Allāh said: “I asked my father about this, and he replied: ‘I prefer that he not circumambulate the House without ablution, because circumambulation of the House is prayer.’” Reports from Ahmad differ over whether ritual purity is a condition of validity or an obligation, the latter also being one of the two views within Abū Hanīfa’s school. However, Abū Hanīfa’s school consistently holds that it is not a condition of validity.

Anyone who circumambulates wearing socks or the like to avoid stepping on impurities such as pigeon droppings, or covers his hands to avoid touching a woman, or takes similar measures, has acted contrary to the Sunnah. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—his Companions, and their successors continually circumambulated the House, and pigeons have always been present in Mecca. Taking precautions is good, however, provided it does not conflict with the established Sunnah. When it leads to such a conflict, it is mistaken.

Know that an action involving a departure from the Sunnah is mistaken. An example is removing one’s sandals for an obligatory prayer or a funeral prayer out of fear that they might contain some impurity. This is a mistake contrary to the Sunnah, for the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—used to pray in his sandals and said:

“The Jews do not pray in their sandals, so differ from them.”

He also said:

“When one of you comes to the mosque, let him examine his sandals. If there is any filth on them, let him rub them against the earth, for the earth purifies them.”

Just as it is permissible to pray in one’s sandals, it is likewise permissible to circumambulate in them.