A sick pilgrim who could not perform the circumambulation of ifada

A question from a sick pilgrim who stood at Arafat, stayed at Mina, stoned and shaved, then went home without the circumambulation of ifada or the running, in which Jordan's General Iftaa Department answered that he remains partly in the state of ihram and is not 'prevented' (muhsar), and must complete the rites himself, appointing a proxy only if he becomes permanently unable. ¹

The questioner said he stood at Arafat, stayed overnight at Mina, stoned the pillars and shaved, but was ill and could not perform the circumambulation of ifada, the running between Safa and Marwa or the farewell circumambulation; he had stipulated on entering ihram that he would leave it wherever he was held back, returned home, and cannot travel; he asked whether he counts as prevented. ¹

The Department answered that the circumambulation of ifada is a pillar without which the pilgrim does not leave hajj, and its time never runs out, quoting al-Nawawi and al-Khatib al-Shirbini's Mughni al-Muhtaj that whoever still owes it remains in ihram. ¹ It said the questioner has made the first release, which lifts every restriction of ihram except those relating to women; if able, he must return to Makkah, owing nothing for passing the miqat since he is still in ihram, perform the circumambulation and the running if his hajj was tamattu', and so make the second release. ¹ If he is unable and has become permanently incapable (ma'dub), he may appoint someone to perform the circumambulation and running for him, quoting al-Shihab al-Ramli's fatwas that this is allowed and indeed required, since if a proxy suffices for the whole rite, it suffices all the more for part of it. ¹ On the farewell circumambulation, it noted that scholars differ on whether it is obligatory or recommended and took the recommended view for ease, so no sacrifice is due; and it said he is not prevented, because illness is not a cause of prevention and he had already stood at Arafat and continued his hajj. ¹

Jordan's General Iftaa Department published this fatwa on aliftaa.jo as no. 3826, dated 7 November 2023. ¹ The museum records this text as a historical document attributed to the body or scholar that issued it; it issues no ruling of its own.