and Hajj—whereas entering ihrām, going between al-Safā and al-Marwah, and shaving the head are prescribed only as part of Hajj or ‘umrah, while the remaining rites, such as standing at ‘Arafah and Muzdalifah and stoning the pillars, are prescribed only as part of Hajj—this indicates that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has made circumambulation easy for people. He has enabled them to draw near to Him through it both outside and within the state of ihrām, during the two pilgrimages and apart from them. Thus, He has not imposed upon it the requirements He imposed upon prayer, nor prohibited during it what He prohibited during prayer.

It is therefore clear that prayer is of greater consequence, and circumambulation must not be treated as equivalent to it.

Those scholars who say that circumambulation is better than prayer in the mosque for visitors from distant lands say so only because they can pray in other cities, whereas circumambulation is possible only in Mecca. An otherwise less excellent deed takes precedence over a more excellent one at its appropriate place and time, not because its category is superior. Thus, supplication at the end of prayer takes precedence over remembrance and recitation, and remembrance while bowing and prostrating takes precedence over recitation, for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“I have been forbidden to recite the Quran while bowing or prostrating.”

Likewise, recitation, remembrance, and supplication take precedence at times when prayer is prohibited. Responding to the muezzin takes precedence over prayer and recitation, because the opportunity for the former will pass, whereas that for the latter will not. Similarly, when the eclipse prayer coincides with another prayer, whichever is liable to be missed takes precedence.

Circumambulation therefore takes precedence because a visitor from distant lands will lose the opportunity to perform it once he leaves. It is given precedence for this reason, not because circumambulation as a category is superior to prayer, or even equal to it, for this is not