Is performing Tawaf while riding or being carried permissible?
Chapter on Mentioning Hajj and Entering Makkah
Al-Mughni
Book of Hajj
Primary text
Tawaf while riding or being carried is permissible if there is a valid excuse. Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) performed Tawaf on his camel during the Farewell Pilgrimage, using a hook to touch the corner. Umm Salamah narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) instructed her to perform Tawaf while riding if she was in pain. Jaber also reported that the Prophet (PBUH) performed Tawaf and Sa'i on his mount so that people could see him and ask him questions, as they crowded him. Being carried is treated the same as riding in such circumstances.
Supporting text
One opinion holds that Tawaf while riding or being carried without excuse is invalid, citing the Prophet’s statement that 'Tawaf around the House is a prayer,' and that such an act of worship related to the Kaaba cannot be done while riding without necessity, similar to prayer. A second opinion permits it but requires atonement with a blood sacrifice (Dam), which is the view of Malik and Abu Hanifa (though Abu Hanifa adds conditions for those whose Hajj remains uncompleted). A third opinion holds it is valid with no penalty, preferred by Abu Bakr, Al-Shafi'i, and Ibn Al-Mundhir, citing the Prophet's action and the unconditional command to perform Tawaf in the Quran. Walking (on foot) is superior, as the companions generally walked, and the Prophet's riding was due to excuses such as severe crowding, which itself constitutes a valid excuse.