On reaching Makkah
Stop reciting the Talbeeyah on reaching the Haram.
When you enter the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, do so with your right foot. [Hadeeth Hasan: ‘As- Saheehah’] and do not forget to say:
بِسْمِ اللهِ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ. اللَّـهُـمَّ افْـتَـحْ لِـي أبْـوَابَ رَحْـمَـتِكَ
Bismillaahi wassaalatu wassalaamu ala rasoolillaah. Allaahummaf-tah lee abwaaba rahmatika.
(I begin with the name of Allah. May Allah render Rasoolullaah صلى الله عليه وسلم safe from all evil. O Allah! Open for me the gates of Your Mercy.) [Saheeh ul- Kaleema at-Tayyeebah.]
Make Tawaaf around the Ka’bah.
To perform Tawaaf you must have Wudoo and should also be clean and free from all kinds of dirt. During the Tawaaf you should remember Allah (do Dhikr). You can also recite the Noble Qur’aan. There are no supplications (Du’aas) recorded in the authentic traditions other than the recitals that we have mentioned previously.
The starting point of the Tawaaf is the Black stone as shown in the above diagram. It is fixed to the South-Eastern corner of the Ka’bah. The pilgrim first touches it with the right hand kisses it, saying:
بِسْمِ اللهِ اللهُ أَكْبَرُ
Bismillaah Allaahu Akbar
(I begin with the name of Allaah, Allaah is the Greatest).
Do not hurt other pilgrims while attempting to kiss the Black Stone. If you are unable to kiss it due to the crowd, then you should touch it and kiss your hand. If you cannot do this as well, then you should only point your right hand to the Black Stone saying:
اللهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allaahu Akbar
(Allaah is the Greatest.) When doing this do not kiss your hand. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree vol.2, p.397, no.682]
When passing the Yemeni corner (shown above), touch it if possible, but do not kiss it. Between the Yemeni corner and the Black stone recite:
رَبَّـنَا آتِـنَا فِـي الدُّنْـيَا حَـسَـنَـةً وَفِـي الْآخِـرَةِ حَـسَـنَـةً وَقِـنَا عَـذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbana aatina fid-dunyaa hasanatan wa fil-aakhirati hasanatan wa qinaa adhaaban-naar
(Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!) [Sunan Abu Dawood vol.2, p.498, no.1887]
The male pilgrim covers the first three rounds of Tawaaf at a brisk pace, up to the Yemeni Corner. This is called ‘Raml’. The stretch from the Yemeni Corner to the Black Stone must be done at normal pace. The rest of the rounds and the seven rounds of female pilgrims are also done at the usual pace. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree vol.2, p.393, no. 672] The male pilgrim should wear the Ihraam with the middle of the rida’ (the top portion of the Ihraam) under the right shoulder leaving the shoulder bare. The ends of the rida’ meet on the left shoulder. This is called ‘Idtiba’ [Sunan Abu Dawood vol.2, p.495, no. 1879] If your Tawaaf is interrupted due to congregational prayers, resume from the Black Stone disregarding the incomplete round.
After completing your Tawaaf, proceed to Maqaame Ibraaheem (the station of lbraahim) reciting:
وَاتَّـخِـذُوا مِـن مَّـقَامِ إبْـرَاهِـيـمَ مُـصَـلًى
Wattakhidhoo min maqaame Ibraaheema musallaa
(And take the Station of Ibraaheem as a place of prayer.) [Al-Qur’aan 2: 125]
Then pray two rak’aah behind Maqaame Ibraaheem, reciting Soorah al-Kaafiroon in the first rak’aah and Soorah al-Ikhlaas in the second. If the area behind the Maqaam is crowded the prayer may be offered elsewhere in Masjid al-Haram. [Sunan Abu Dawood vol.2, p.502, no. 1900]
Proceed to the Zamzam well, drink of its water and pour some on the head. Make du’ aa while drinking. Go back to the Black Stone, say:
اللهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allaahu Akbar
(Allaah is the Greatest) and if possible touch it with your right hand.