Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah

When the one performing Sa’i faces difficulty due to the crowd of people. And the explanation of the evidence that it is permissible to ride between Safa and Marwah, and that this is neither an emphasized Sunnah nor a Sunnah of virtue, but rather it is for permissibility.

Sayyiduna Abu Tufail (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I asked Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), "Tell me, what is the ruling on performing Sa’i between Safa and Marwah while riding? Because your people think that this is the Sunnah of the Prophet." He replied, "They have spoken the truth (that the Prophet performed Sa’i between Safa and Marwah while riding), and they have also erred in saying that this is Sunnah." (The real incident is that) when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Makkah Mukarramah, he started the Sa’i between Safa and Marwah, so the people of Makkah came out, even the women came to see you. And no one was made to sit by force from your presence, nor did the people leave you alone. So you had your mount brought and rode upon it, and if the people had allowed you to perform Sa’i on foot, you would have preferred to do so. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that the statement of Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that "they have spoken the truth and also erred," means that they have said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed Sa’i between Safa and Marwah while riding, and their statement is wrong that this is an emphasized Sunnah or a Sunnah of virtue. Indeed, this is only for permissibility, neither is it obligatory nor a cause of virtue.