Farewell Tawaf for Hajj

18/10/2009| IslamWeb

Question: We performed Hajj this year. On the 12 of Dhul Hijjah, we arrived to Mecca to perform Tawaf Alwada'. Right after the end of the Zuhr prayer, and the people in charge of our group told us that the buses will leave right after the 'Asr prayer. So we performed Tawaf Alwada' first and we were finished with it about an hour before 'Asr, so we waited around and prayed 'Asr and then left on the buses right after.
My question is, Is it OK that we had to wait after performing Tawaf Alwada', since our buses were scheduled to depart right after the 'Asr prayer, and if not, What can we do to fullfil our hajj?

Fatwa: All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Farewell Tawaf is an obligation upon the one who performs Hajj according to the majority of Muslim scholars. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Let none of you leave Makkah before making a Tawaf around the Ka'bah, as the last of Hajj rites" [ Muslim ].

However, staying for a while waiting one's companions or preparing his riding camel, luggage or purchasing provisions that are needed in his journey after the farewell Tawaf is permissible. It does not cause any harm. Imam al-Nawawi said: 'it is better to perform farewell Tawaf after finishing all tasks. And it is better to depart from Makkah right after making the farewell Tawaf. If one delays his departure from Makkah after the Tawaf and the delay was not for any legal reason or not to prepare for journey such as purchasing necessary provisions or paying back a debt, or visiting a friend or a sick person, etc., if the delay was not for such reasons then one should repeat the Tawaf.'

Therefore, your Tawaf was correct because you were a little bit late in departing from Makkah for a legal excuse.

Allah Knows best.