HAJJ: Merits and Precepts - The First Thing Tawaf

One who enters Mecca from outside, with any intention whatsoever, since it is obligatory for him not to cross the Miqat without Ihram, therefore, one who comes here will have to enter the state of Ihram either for any of the kinds of Hajj or for Umra and then he will reach Mecca. In any case, the first thing for him, after getting himself relieved of the arrangement of his luggage, is so enter Masjid-e-Haram and perform Tawaf. But the nature of Tawaf will, of course, differ in each case. It will be the Tawaf of Umra for one who performs Hajj-e-Tamattu; for Mufrid it will be Tawaf-e-Qudom, which is Sunnst and not Wajib. One who enters the Ihram of Qiran, he will first perform Tawaf of Umra and Sa'i. Then he will perform Tawaf-e-Qudom for Hajj.