What is the ruling if one leaves Mecca before performing Tawaf al-Wada’ (the farewell circumambulation) while performing the Umrah?

Answer

Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger.

There are different opinions regarding your question as there is no agreement upon this issue.

Shaikh Ahmad Shubash the Mufti in Dar al-Ifta’ in Nablus (Legal Verdict House in Nablus City) wrote a book in which one can find all rulings related to Hajj and Umrah. Regarding the farewell circumambulation, he says:

Those pilgrims who come from different countries must perform it; however, Meccan people are not required to perform it; this is according to Hanafi and Hanbali schools. Any Meccan citizen is required to perform it if they travel a long distance because of which they are allowed to shorten the prayer. This is according to Malki and Shafi’i schools.

The Hanafi school finds that it is not obligatory upon those who perform Umrah because it is a ritual of Hajj Muslims perform to seal all rituals of Hajj not Umrah. However, the majority of scholars consider it obligatory upon those who perform Umrah as the prophet’s hadith is general. What is overweighed is the Hanafi’s opinion since the prophet was not seen performing the farewell circumambulation while performing Umrah. (Questions and Answers on the Ritual of Hajj: 25)

A menstruating or a puerperal woman is given a permission not to perform it if she leaves Mecca in that case. However, if she becomes pure while they are within Mecca borders, she must perform it depending on the opinion of the majority of the scholars. The Hanafi and Shafi’i schools found that a woman is given an excuse not to perform it if she fears missing the companions; elderly people and sick are excused not to perform it.(Overcrowding and its Impact on Ritual Provisions: 25)

If a pilgrim performs tawaf al-Ifada (it is the tawaf that a pilgrim must perform on the Day of Sacrifice), it will be enough for them, and they are not required to perform the farewell circumambulation. This is a ritual which must be done while performing Hajj. (Al-Mabsoot: 4/43, Al-Hawi: 4/212, Ibn Qudama’s The Great Explanation: 2/9, and The Explanation of Al-Zarkash: 1/552)

Therefore, there is no consensus regarding the farewell circumambulation; it could be more appropriate to say that it is not obligatory upon those who perform Umrah since the prophet was not seen performing it; nevertheless, it could be preferred to perform it.