Short answer
Yes. In the Hanafi school wudu is wajib for tawaf: a tawaf without it still counts but owes a penalty unless you repeat it. In the Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali schools wudu is a condition, so tawaf without it is invalid. If your wudu breaks during tawaf, renew it and continue from where you stopped.
Purity from minor and major impurity is wajib in tawaf, not a condition of its validity. Tawaf of umrah or the fard tawaf of Hajj done without wudu requires a dam, and done in a state of janabah or menstruation, the fard tawaf requires a badanah (a camel or cow). Repeating the tawaf in purity removes the penalty.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Wudu is a condition. A tawaf without it is invalid. Touching a non-mahram woman's skin breaks wudu, which makes crowded tawaf difficult.
- Maliki
- Wudu is a condition of tawaf; without it tawaf is invalid and must be repeated.
- Hanbali
- Wudu is a condition of tawaf; without it tawaf is invalid and must be repeated.
Explanation
The Prophet ﷺ said tawaf around the House is like prayer, except that talking is allowed in it. All four schools take this to mean that tawaf needs purity. The Hanafis add that the Quran orders tawaf without naming purity as a pillar, so they make wudu a wajib of tawaf: leaving it is a sin with a penalty, but the tawaf itself is counted.
If your wudu breaks during tawaf: stop, leave the mataf, make wudu and come back. In the Hanafi school you may continue from the round you stopped at; you do not need to start again. Breaks for wudu or a congregational prayer do not cancel the rounds already done.
- Tawaf of umrah without wudu: a dam, unless repeated.
- Tawaf al-ziyarah (the fard tawaf of Hajj) without wudu: a dam; with janabah or in menses, a badanah. Repeating it in purity removes the penalty.
- Farewell or voluntary tawaf without wudu: sadaqah.
- Touching a stranger in the crowd: does not break wudu in the Hanafi school.
Doing sa'i does not need wudu (see wudu for sa'i). For how to make wudu properly before you go, see our wudu guide.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Hajj 22:29
ثُمَّ لْيَقْضُوا۟ تَفَثَهُمْ وَلْيُوفُوا۟ نُذُورَهُمْ وَلْيَطَّوَّفُوا۟ بِٱلْبَيْتِ ٱلْعَتِيقِ ﴿٢٩﴾
Then let them end their untidiness and fulfill their vows and perform Tawaf around the ancient House."
The order to perform tawaf, which the Hanafis note does not name purity as a pillar.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:125
وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا ٱلْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةًۭ لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًۭا وَٱتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ مُصَلًّۭى ۖ وَعَهِدْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلْعَٰكِفِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ ﴿١٢٥﴾
And [mention] when We made the House a place of return for the people and [a place of] security. And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer. And We charged Abraham and Ishmael, [saying], "Purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and those who are staying [there] for worship and those who bow and prostrate [in prayer]."
Links tawaf with purity.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 960
Graded sahih... الطواف حول البيت مثل الصلاة إلا أنكم تتكلمون ...
"Tawaf around the House is like prayer, except that you may speak in it."
Tawaf needs purity like prayer.
Sahih al-Bukhari 305
Sahih... افعلي ما يفعل الحاج غير أن لا تطوفي بالبيت حتى تطهري ...
"Do everything a pilgrim does, except do not perform tawaf of the House until you are pure."
A woman in her period does every rite except tawaf.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Hajj, bab al-jinayat, on tawaf without purity. Dam for tawaf without wudu, badanah for the fard tawaf in janabah.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hajj, wajibs of tawaf. Purity is wajib in tawaf, and leaving the tawaf for wudu does not cancel it.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Kitab al-Hajj, conditions of tawaf. The Shafi'i condition of purity.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.