The Quranic Foundation
“Indeed, al-Safa and al-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. And whoever volunteers good — then indeed, Allah is Appreciative and Knowing.” (2:158)
This verse, revealed in Medina, established the Sa’y as a sanctioned Islamic practice. The verse’s phrasing — “there is no blame” (la junaha) — is significant: during the early Islamic period, some Muslims were uncertain whether to perform the Sa’y because the hills had pre-Islamic associations. The Quran resolved this by affirming the hills as divine symbols (sha’a’ir Allah).
The Prophet (SAW) clarified the verse’s scope: “Allah has legislated the Sa’y between them, so perform it.” — Bukhari, Muslim
And he said: “Indeed, Allah has prescribed Sa’y upon you, so perform it.”
The Story of Hajar
The Sa’y commemorates one of the most moving moments in prophetic history: the abandonment and divine preservation of Hajar and the infant Isma’il.
The abandonment: Ibrahim (AS), acting on divine command, left Hajar and her infant son Isma’il in the barren, unpopulated valley of Mecca — without water or food. Hajar asked: “Did Allah command you to do this?” Ibrahim said yes. She replied: “Then He will not abandon us.” — Ibn Abbas, Bukhari
The search: As Hajar’s milk dried up and baby Isma’il began to cry with thirst, she ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa — seven times — desperately searching for any sign of water, a traveler, or help. Each time she ascended a hill and saw nothing but barren desert.
The word sa’y (سَعي) means “striving, effort, running, endeavor” — and captures exactly this desperate, faithful effort.
The miracle: When Hajar returned to Isma’il, she saw the water of Zamzam gushing from the ground at his feet (in some narrations, from his heels striking the ground; in others, from the angel Jibrail striking the earth). She hastily built a small basin to contain it, saying “Zam! Zam!” — “Stop! Stop!” — which may be the origin of the well’s name.
The Prophet (SAW) said: “May Allah have mercy on the mother of Isma’il. Had she left Zamzam alone (without building the basin), it would have been a flowing stream.” — Bukhari
See also: Zamzam Well, Sayyidna Ibrahim
The Sa’y Ritual
When performed: Sa’y is performed as part of both Hajj and Umrah. It follows the Tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka’ba).
Structure: Seven traversals between al-Safa and al-Marwa:
- Safa to Marwa = 1 traversal
- Marwa to Safa = 2 traversals
- … continuing until Marwa on the 7th traversal
- Each traversal = approximately 450 meters; total = approximately 3.15 km
The starting point: The pilgrim begins at al-Safa, facing the Ka’ba, and recites: “Innas-Safa wal-Marwata min sha’a’irillah” (2:158) Then: “Nabda’u bima bada’Allah bihi” — “We begin with what Allah began with” (starting at Safa, as the Quran named Safa first)
The du’a’ at each hill: At Safa and at Marwa, the pilgrim faces the Ka’ba, raises hands, and makes du’a’. The Prophet (SAW) said “Allahu Akbar” three times and made du’a’ at each hill.
Running between the two green markers: Between two green light markers (marking the depression between the hills where Hajar could not see from one hill to the other), men are encouraged to jog or run — commemorating Hajar’s desperate hurrying.
Requirements: Ritual purity (tahara) is recommended but not required by all schools for the Sa’y (unlike Tawaf, which requires purity). The Ismaili position follows the principle of completing all Hajj rituals in a state of purity.
See also: Tawaf, Hajj Journey, Ihram And Talbiyah, Zamzam Well, Tahara Ritual Purity
Ismaili Ta’wil: The Inner Sa’y
The Sa’y has a profound batin in the Ismaili tradition:
Hajar as the archetypal seeker: Hajar’s desperate search between the hills represents the soul’s search for spiritual nourishment (the “water” of ta’wil) when the ordinary sources have run dry. She could not see from one hill to the other — the seeker cannot see from this world to the next, from the zahir to the batin. But she kept running.
Isma’il as the locus of the miracle: The water erupted at Isma’il’s feet — not through Hajar’s searching but through the infant Imam’s presence. This is the ta’wil: the seeker’s effort is necessary and honored by Allah, but the ultimate source of spiritual water is the Imam (in Ismaili understanding, the spiritual descendant of Isma’il). The water was always there; the Imam was always there; the soul’s effort was to keep moving until it found it.
Seven traversals as the seven cycles: The Sa’y’s seven traversals parallel the seven great cycles of prophetic history (daur) — the soul traverses each cycle, seeking and striving, until the Qa’im brings the ultimate revelation.
See also: Daur Wa Kawr, Imamah, Wali Al Asr, Tawil Esoteric Interpretation
See also: Tawaf, Hajj Journey, Ihram And Talbiyah, Zamzam Well, Mina And Muzdalifah, Sayyidna Ibrahim, Eid Al Adha, Tahara Ritual Purity, Daur Wa Kawr, Imamah, Tawil Esoteric Interpretation