-peace and blessings be upon him-: He used to recite in the two rak'ahs {Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One"} and {Say, "O disbelievers"} (4). Wherever he performs them and whatever he recites in them, it is permissible; for 'Umar performed them at Dhi Tuwa. It is reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Umm Salamah: "When the morning prayer is called, perform tawaf on your camel while the people are praying" (5). She did that and did not pray until she had left. There is no harm in him praying them without a sutrah (barrier), and people—men and women—passing in front of him, for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed them while the people performing tawaf were in front of him, with nothing between them (6). Ibn al-Zubayr used to pray while those performing tawaf were in front of him; a woman would pass in front of him, and he would wait for her until she lifted her foot, then he would prostrate (7). Likewise for all other prayers in Mecca, a sutrah is not required for them. We have already mentioned that.
Section: The two rak'ahs of tawaf are a confirmed Sunnah, not obligatory. This is the opinion of Malik. There are two narrations from al-Shafi'i; one of them is that they are obligatory, because they are secondary to tawaf, so they are obligatory, like sa'y (the ritual walking). Our argument is the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "Five prayers which Allah has prescribed for the servant; whoever maintains them, it is a covenant from Allah that He will admit him to Paradise" (8). And these are not among them. When the Bedouin asked the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, about the obligatory duties, he mentioned the five prayers; he said: "Is there anything else upon me?" He replied: "No, unless you offer voluntary [prayers]" (9). Furthermore, it is a prayer for which no congregational performance has been legislated, so it is not obligatory, like other supererogatory prayers; and sa'y is not obligatory due to it being secondary, nor is it legislated with
(4) Its documentation (takhrij) was provided previously on page 156. (5) Narrated by al-Bukhari, in: Chapter on one who prays the two rak'ahs of tawaf outside..., from the Book of Hajj. Sahih al-Bukhari 2/189. (6) Its documentation was provided previously in 3/89. (7) Narrated by 'Abd al-Razzaq, in: Chapter on nothing cutting off prayer in Mecca, from the Book of Prayer. al-Musannaf 2/35. (8) Narrated by al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter on maintaining the five prayers, from the Book of Prayer. al-Mujtaba 1/186. And Imam Malik, in: Chapter on the command for Witr, from the Book of Night Prayer. al-Muwatta 1/123. (9) Its documentation was provided previously in 2/7.
