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Sa'i السعي

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The ritual of walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah during Hajj or Umrah.

Overview

Sa'i (السَّعْي) is the ritual of walking seven times between the small hills of Safa (الصَّفَا) and Marwa (الْمَرْوَة) inside Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. It is an obligatory rite of both Hajj and Umrah, commemorating the desperate search of Hajar for water for her infant son Ibrahim's child Isma'il.

Etymology

The word sa'i derives from the Arabic root س-ع-ي, meaning "to strive," "to run," or "to exert effort." The same root appears in the Quran with the broader sense of striving toward Allah, lending the rite a powerful symbolic meaning of human effort answered by divine mercy.

Quranic references

Surah Al-Baqarah 2:158 — 'Indeed, Safa and Marwa 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.'

إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ

Surah Ibrahim 14:37 — 'Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House.' Surah Al-Hajj 22:32 — 'And whoever honors the symbols of Allah — indeed, it is from the piety of hearts.' Surah Al-Imran 3:97 — 'And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House.'

Hadith and tradition

Ibn Abbas reported the Prophet ﷺ as saying about Hajar: "That is the sa'i of people between them." — Sahih al-Bukhari 3364

Habibah bint Abi Tijrah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said while performing sa'i: "Strive, for Allah has prescribed striving upon you" (Sunan Ibn Majah 2987, graded Hasan by al-Albani). Aishah said: "Allah does not complete the Hajj or Umrah of anyone who does not walk between Safa and Marwa" (Sahih Muslim 1277).

Significance

Sa'i memorializes Hajar's desperate run seven times between the two hills, searching the horizon for water or a passing caravan, until Jibril struck the ground and the well of Zamzam sprang forth. By retracing her steps, every pilgrim re-enacts the trust (tawakkul) of a single mother in Allah, and is reminded that effort and dependence on Allah are not contradictions but companions. The rite is performed after tawaf and remains one of the most visible symbols of the sunnah of the patriarchs.

See also

References

  1. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim, commentary on Surah Al-Baqarah 2:158.
  2. al-Qurtubi, al-Jami li-Ahkam al-Quran, on the rites of pilgrimage.
  3. al-Nawawi, al-Minhaj Sharh Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Hajj.
  4. Ibn al-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma'ad, chapter on the Prophet's ﷺ Hajj and Umrah.