The Station of Abraham: rulings on the two rak'as

The station (maqam) is, in the lexicon, a place where one stands. Jurists and exegetes differ on which place is meant: the stone known today beside the Ka'ba where circling pilgrims pray, or the stone on which Abraham stood while building the House, among other views. ¹

After circumambulation the pilgrim prays two rak'as at the station. If the crowd prevents this, he prays at the nearest place in the mosque, and outside the mosque too is allowed. The two rak'as are obligatory, and the prescribed prayer does not replace them. He recites al-Kafirun in the first and al-Ikhlas in the second, and may supplicate after. ^{1 2}

The two rak'as are obligatory whether the circumambulation is obligatory or voluntary; one view makes them obligatory only in an obligatory circumambulation and a sunna otherwise. It is recommended to pray them behind the station. If a pilgrim omits them he repeats the circumambulation, though the Mudawwana has him pray them without repeating it. ²

Praying the two rak'as after circumambulation is a sunna, which the obligatory or customary prayer may satisfy. The best place is behind the station, then the Hijr, then the Sacred Mosque, then anywhere in the Sacred Precinct. They are recited aloud at night. One view holds them obligatory, and they lapse only at death. ^{2 3}

The pilgrim prays two rak'as when he finishes circumambulation, best behind the station, and may pray them in the mosque or elsewhere. Umar prayed them at Dhi Tuwa. They are an emphasised sunna, with al-Kafirun and al-Ikhlas recited. Kissing or touching the station is not prescribed, since no report establishes it. ³