Short answer
Idtiba is uncovering the right shoulder by passing the upper ihram sheet under the right arm; raml is walking briskly with short steps. Both are sunnah for men in a tawaf followed by sa'i, such as the tawaf of umrah: idtiba for all seven rounds and raml for the first three. Women do neither.
Idtiba and raml are sunnah for men in any tawaf after which sa'i is done. Idtiba lasts for that tawaf only; the shoulder is covered for the two rakats after it. Raml is in the first three rounds only; if missed there, it is not made up in the last four. Leaving either brings no penalty.
Other madhhabs
- Maliki
- Imam Malik did not count idtiba as a sunnah; raml is sunnah in the tawaf of arrival and of umrah.
Explanation
Ibn Abbas said the Prophet ﷺ uncovered his shoulder (idtiba), touched the Black Stone, said the takbir and walked briskly for three rounds. Raml began when the Quraysh claimed the fever of Madinah had weakened the Muslims; the Prophet told them to walk briskly to show strength, and it remained a sunnah after that.
- When: the tawaf of umrah; in Hajj, the arrival tawaf if you will do sa'i after it, otherwise tawaf al-ziyarah.
- Idtiba: put the middle of the upper sheet under your right armpit and throw both ends over your left shoulder. Start just before the tawaf.
- Not the whole ihram: many men keep the shoulder bare from the airport to the end. That is not the Sunnah. Cover it outside tawaf.
- Two rakats: cover both shoulders before praying them, since praying with a bare shoulder is disliked.
- Raml: shoulders moving, short quick steps, not running. Rounds one to three.
- Crowds: Hanafi texts say to pause until there is space to do raml, since it has no substitute. In today's packed mataf, do not stop and block others; walk normally if you cannot.
- Women: neither, as they are asked to stay covered and calm.
For the other parts of tawaf, see why Muslims circle the Kaaba and what to say in tawaf.
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."
Tawaf is the rite these sunnahs belong to.
Sunan Abi Dawud 1889
Grading to be checked... أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم اضطبع فاستلم وكبر ثم رمل ثلاثة أطواف ...
"The Prophet uncovered his right shoulder, touched the Black Stone, said the takbir, then walked briskly for three rounds."
Idtiba and raml are from the Sunnah.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1602
Sahih... فأمرهم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يرملوا الأشواط الثلاثة ...
"The Prophet told them to walk briskly in the first three rounds."
The origin and extent of raml.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Hajj, on tawaf. Idtiba and raml in the first three rounds of a tawaf followed by sa'i.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hajj, sunnahs of tawaf. Idtiba is only during that tawaf; praying with the shoulder bare is disliked.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Hajj, on idtiba. Reports Imam Malik's view on idtiba.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. 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.