It is narrated from Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) that Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said about the verse "there is no sin upon him to go between them": "Whoever leaves it (the sa'i between Safa and Marwah), there is no harm upon him." When this reached the Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: "It is not as he said. Had it been as he said, the verse would have read: 'there is no sin upon him not to go between them.'" Then she said: "In the Jahiliyyah there were two idols on Safa and Marwah, and the people used to go round between them. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) demolished them, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) demolished the other idols, the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) (may Allah be pleased with them) felt uneasy about going between Safa and Marwah, and they said: 'We used to go round for the sake of the two idols, and now Allah has demolished them.' Then Allah Almighty revealed: 'Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah', that is, they are among the rites of Hajj, so do not feel uneasy about going between them."
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الأوسط / باب العين / 4638
Hadith Takhrij«أخرجه البخاري فى «صحيحه» برقم: 1643، 1790، 4495، 4861، ومسلم فى «صحيحه» برقم: 1277، ومالك فى «الموطأ» برقم: 1381 / 386، وابن خزيمة فى «صحيحه» برقم: 2767، 2769، 2766، (4/406) [دون رقم في الترقيم المختار]، وابن حبان فى «صحيحه» برقم: 3839، 3840، والحاكم فى «المستدرك» برقم: 3087، والنسائي فى «المجتبى» برقم: 2968 / 2، 2967 / 1، والنسائي فى «السنن الكبرى» برقم: 3946، 3947، 10942، 11484، وأبو داود فى «سننه» برقم: 1901، والترمذي فى «جامعه» برقم: 2965، وابن ماجه فى «سننه» برقم: 2986، والبيهقي فى «السنن الكبرى» برقم: 9453، 9452، 9454، 9455، وأحمد فى «مسنده» برقم: 25752، 25935، 26545، والحميدي فى «مسنده» برقم: 221، وأبو يعلى فى «مسنده» برقم: 4730، والبزار فى «مسنده» برقم: 128 / 105، والطحاوي فى «شرح مشكل الآثار» برقم: 3935، 3936، 3938، 3937، والطبراني فى «الأوسط» برقم: 5052»