Sa'i Between Safa and Marwah

What Is Sa'i?

Sa'i is the ritual of walking seven times between the two hills of Safa and Marwah, located near the Kaaba in the Masjid al-Haram. It is a required rite of both Hajj and Umrah, tracing its origins to the actions of Hajar (Hagar, AS) — the mother of Isma'il (AS) — who ran between these hills seeking water for her infant son. Allah (SWT) honored this act and made it a permanent rite of pilgrimage, saying: "Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. So whoever makes Hajj to the House or performs Umrah — there is no blame upon him for walking between them" (2:158).

The Story of Hajar

The Prophet (PBUH) said: "When Ibrahim left Hajar and her infant Isma'il in the valley of Makkah, Hajar asked him: 'Did Allah command you to do this?' He said yes. She said: 'Then He will not forsake us.' She then ran between Safa and Marwah looking for water or for someone to pass by, until the angel struck the earth and the well of Zamzam appeared" (Bukhari). This narration connects the sa'i directly to Hajar's act of striving in trust of Allah — a foundational model of tawakkul (reliance on God) within human effort.

Legal Status

There is a scholarly disagreement on whether sa'i is a pillar (rukn) or an obligation (wajib) of Hajj and Umrah. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools hold that sa'i is a rukn — an essential pillar — and that Hajj or Umrah is invalid without it, regardless of offering a compensatory sacrifice. The Hanafi school holds that sa'i is wajib — obligatory — and that omitting it intentionally incurs a dam (sacrifice of a sheep) but does not invalidate Hajj. The Maliki school holds the majority view that sa'i is also a rukn for Hajj and Umrah. In practical terms, all pilgrims perform sa'i and the theoretical difference rarely applies.

Method: Seven Circuits

The sa'i begins at Safa and ends at Marwah. Each one-way trip counts as one circuit: Safa to Marwah is one, Marwah to Safa is two, and so on, ending at Marwah on the seventh. Before beginning, the pilgrim mounts Safa (or approaches it), faces the Kaaba, and recites the verse: "Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah" (2:158), then makes takbir and supplication. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Begin with what Allah began with" (Nasa'i) — meaning Safa — when he was about to commence the sa'i.

Running Between the Green Markers

Men are encouraged to jog between the two green markers (al-milayn al-akhdarayn) located in the middle of the sa'i path. The Prophet (PBUH) ran briskly in this section, following the path of Hajar when she was hurrying in search of water. Women are not required to run; they walk the entire distance at a modest pace. This running is Sunnah, not obligatory — its omission does not invalidate the sa'i but diminishes the complete fulfillment of the Sunnah.

Supplication During Sa'i

There is no specific compulsory supplication for each lap of the sa'i. The pilgrim may make any du'a in any language, recite Quran, or engage in dhikr. At Safa, facing the Kaaba, the recommended practice is to say the takbir (Allahu Akbar) three times, make salah on the Prophet (PBUH), and make personal du'a — repeating this three times before descending. The Prophet (PBUH) consistently made du'a at the hilltops of Safa and Marwah, facing the qiblah, with hands raised.

Conditions and Sequencing

The sa'i must be performed after a valid tawaf. If the tawaf is invalidated, the sa'i following it is also invalidated. Ritual purity (taharah) is recommended but not a condition for validity according to the majority of scholars, unlike tawaf — meaning a person who loses wudu during sa'i may continue without repeating the circuits. The sa'i must be performed in its prescribed order (starting at Safa), and the seven circuits must all be completed for the sa'i to be valid.