Please tell me if at the end of Hajj, Tawaaf-al-Widaa' is necessary for those who are residents of Jeddah? I did not perform my Tawaaf-al-Widaa' when I went to Hajj (my Hajj was Hajj al-Ifraad) because people accompanying me insisted that it is not for Jeddah residents as they are with in the Meeqaat, but later on I sacrificed a goat with in Hodood al-Haraam just to be on the safe side. Please guide me if what I did was correct or not?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

If a pilgrim wants to go out of Makkah, he is obliged to perform the farewell Tawaaf (circumambulation around the Ka'bah) according to the view of the majority of the scholars as the Prophet said: "None should leave Makkah until he performs Tawaaf as the last act of worship." [Muslim]

The Prophet also said: "Pilgrims should perform Tawaaf as the last rite of Hajj before leaving Makkah." [At-Tirmithi] The Maaliki and Shaafi'ee schools are of the view that the people who want to depart from Makkah should perform the farewell Tawaaf even if they are Makkan residents. Nonetheless, the Hanbali school is of the view that it is only the residents of Makkah who are exempted from performing the farewell Tawaaf. Whereas the Hanafi school is of the view that the residents at the boundaries of the Meeqaat and those who live within the boundaries of Meeqaat have the same rulings as Makkan residents, so they are not required to perform the farewell Tawaaf. However, the view of the majority of the scholars is closer to the truth as the Prophet said: "None should leave Makkah until he performs Tawaaf as the last act of worship." Therefore, whoever reside in Jeddah and wants to depart from Makkah after performing Hajj, he is obliged to perform the farewell Tawaaf. If one failed to do so, he is obliged to offer a sacrifice, which is to slaughter a sheep which fulfils the conditions of 'Eed sacrifice, and distribute it on the poor residents of Makkah. If he is unable to do so, he is obliged to fast three days in Makkah and seven days when he returns back to his hometown.

So, if you failed to perform the farewell Tawaaf, but you slaughtered a sheep and distributed it on the poor residents of Makkah, then we hope that you are acquitted from sin.

Allaah Knows best.