Conditions & Fundamentals of Hajj and Umrah

Making istilaam at the beginning and ending of every tawaaf

Q: Please assist with the following: When a person makes tawaaf in umrah, then he makes istilaam of the Hajr-e-Aswad upon completion of his tawaaf (i.e. his eighth istilaam) as well as before proceeding for Sa'ee (his ninth istilaam). However, when a person is performing nafl tawaaf (not in ihraam), will he still make the eighth istilaam, or can he complete his tawaaf by merely passing the Hajr-e-aswad?

Tawaaf

Q: I heard some people are fond of circumventing the Kaaba 7 times. I want to know if this is in line with sharia, i.e. circumventing the Kaaba in multiple times as a form of additional ibadat.

Leaving one's ill father in law to perform hajj

Q: My father in law is very ill since the past 6 months. We have a joint family system where my mother in law, sister in law, brother in law, his wife and kids all live together. I, along with my husband want to go for Hajj this year. Is it permissible for us to go? Or should we delay our plans of performing this life time obligation keeping in view the condition of my father in law?