During the standard hajj rites, tawaf requires seven circuits around the Kaaba.
Pilgrims perform tawaf by moving counterclockwise around the Kaaba in Mecca. The seven circuits together form one complete tawaf, and the ritual begins and ends at the Black Stone area, traditionally marked by the Black Stone set into the Kaaba’s eastern corner. The Kaaba is the direction toward which Muslims face during salah.
Tawaf al-qudum is an arrival circumambulation associated with certain pilgrims, while tawaf al-ifadah is a major circumambulation performed during hajj. Tawaf is also performed during umrah, which can take place outside the annual hajj season.
Tawaf should not be confused with sa'i, the seven passages between Safa and Marwa. Both involve seven repetitions, but they are different rites performed in different locations within the sacred complex.