Fatawaa

Subject : Islamic Ruling on Eating or Drinking during the Circumambulation (Tawaf)
Fatwa Number : 4445
Date : 14-04-2026
Classified : "Pilgrimage and Omrah "Minor Pilgrimage
Fatwa Type : Summarized Fatawaa

Question :

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on eating or drinking during the circumambulation?



The Answer :

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

It is disliked (makrūh) to eat or drink during the circumambulation (ṭawāf).

Shaykh al-Islām Imām al-Nawawī states in al-Majmūʿ: "It is disliked to eat or drink during ṭawāf, and the dislikedness of drinking is lighter. Neither of them, nor both together, invalidates the ṭawāf. Al-Shāfiʿī said: 'There is no objection to drinking water during ṭawāf, and I do not consider it sinful; however, I prefer that it be avoided, as refraining from it is more befitting in terms of proper conduct.' Among those who explicitly stated the dislikedness of eating and drinking, and that drinking is the lesser of the two, is the author of al-Ḥāwī."

If, however, a person is in genuine need of drinking, then there is no dislikedness in doing so. In any case, the ṭawāf itself remains valid. And Allah the Almighty knows best.






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