By: Imran Ayoob Lahori
The pilgrim should walk between Safa and Marwah seven times, reciting the Sunnah supplications.
Allah says:
﴿إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللهِ﴾ [Al-Baqarah: 158]
“Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah…”
﴿إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللهِ﴾
Then he said:
“I begin with what Allah began with.”
He climbed Safa, faced the Ka’bah, declared Allah’s Oneness and Greatness, and recited:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ
He repeated this with du‘a three times, then walked to Marwah, running between the two green markers, and did the same on Marwah. He completed seven laps, ending at Marwah.
[Muslim 1218, Ahmad 3/320, An-Nasa’i 5/236, Abu Dawood 1905]
① The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah has not completed the Hajj or ‘Umrah for one who has not performed Sa’i between Safa and Marwah.”
[Muslim 1277]
② Habibah bint Abi Tajrah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said while performing Sa’i:
سعوا فإن الله كتب عليكم السعي
“Perform Sa’i, for indeed Allah has prescribed it for you.”
[Ahmad 6/421, Al-Hakim 4/70, Al-Bayhaqi 5/98 — Sahih per Al-Albani in Irwa’ al-Ghalil 4/268, no. 1072]
Evidence:
Performing Sa’i with Prescribed Supplications
The pilgrim should walk between Safa and Marwah seven times, reciting the Sunnah supplications.
Qur’anic Command
Allah says:
﴿إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللهِ﴾ [Al-Baqarah: 158]
“Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah…”
Practice of the Prophet ﷺ
- From Abu Hurairah (RA):
When the Prophet ﷺ completed Tawaf, he came to Safa, climbed it until he could see the Ka’bah, raised his hands, praised Allah, and made du‘a.
[Muslim 1780, Abu Dawood 1872, Ahmad 2/538, Ibn Khuzaymah 2758] - From Jabir (RA):
When the Prophet ﷺ approached Safa, he recited:
﴿إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللهِ﴾
Then he said:
“I begin with what Allah began with.”
He climbed Safa, faced the Ka’bah, declared Allah’s Oneness and Greatness, and recited:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ
He repeated this with du‘a three times, then walked to Marwah, running between the two green markers, and did the same on Marwah. He completed seven laps, ending at Marwah.
[Muslim 1218, Ahmad 3/320, An-Nasa’i 5/236, Abu Dawood 1905]
Scholarly Ruling on Sa’i
- Majority: Fard (obligatory).
- Imam al-Shafi’i: It is a Rukn (pillar); without it, Hajj is invalid.
- Imam Abu Hanifah: Wajib; omission requires dam (sacrificial animal).
[Al-Umm 2/323, Al-Mughni 5/238, Al-Mabsut 4/50, Al-Kafi p.135, Nayl al-Awtar 3/402]
Evidence for Obligation
① The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah has not completed the Hajj or ‘Umrah for one who has not performed Sa’i between Safa and Marwah.”
[Muslim 1277]
② Habibah bint Abi Tajrah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said while performing Sa’i:
سعوا فإن الله كتب عليكم السعي
“Perform Sa’i, for indeed Allah has prescribed it for you.”
[Ahmad 6/421, Al-Hakim 4/70, Al-Bayhaqi 5/98 — Sahih per Al-Albani in Irwa’ al-Ghalil 4/268, no. 1072]
For Hajj al-Tamattu’
- After Sa’i, the pilgrim removes the ihram until the Day of Tarwiyah (8th Dhul-Hijjah), when he re-enters ihram for Hajj and proceeds to Mina.
Evidence:
- From ‘A’ishah (RA): Those who entered ihram for ‘Umrah became halal after Tawaf and Sa’i.
[Bukhari 1562, Muslim 1211] - From Jabir (RA): The Prophet ﷺ instructed companions who had entered ihram for Hajj alone to change it to ‘Umrah, perform Tawaf and Sa’i, and then exit ihram.
[Bukhari 1568, Muslim 1216]
