Sa’i of Safa and Marwah

Prepare for Sa’ī between Ṣafā and Marwaĥ. However, if you are tired or occupied, you may take some rest before performing Sa’ī. It should be noted that it is not a Sunnaĥ to perform Iḍṭibā’ in Sa’ī.

Now, perform Istilām of Ḥajar-ul-Aswad as usual by raising both hands up to ears and then recite the following Du’ā:

If it is not possible to perform Istilām, then face Ḥajar-ul-Aswad and recitewith Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī and come at Bāb-uṣ-Ṣafā immediately. The mount Ṣafā is outside Masjid-ul-Ḥarām. Since it is a Sunnaĥ to place out left foot first whilst exiting a Masjid, do the same here while exiting Masjid-ul-Ḥarām and recite the following Du’ā with Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī:

Translation: O Allah! I beg You for Your mercy and grace.

While reciting Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī, now go uphill at Ṣafā such that you may see the Holy Ka’baĥ from there. This can be achieved by walking uphill just slightly. Therefore, avoid climbing the mount too high like other people. Then recite the following Du’ā:

Translation: I begin with that which Allahhas begun with (this Holy Statement of His): Without doubt, Ṣafā and Marwaĥ are from amongst the signs from Allah, whosoever performs Hajj or ‘Umraĥ of this house, there is no sin on him for taking rounds of these two. And whoever performs a good deed at his own will, undoubtedly Allahis the most Rewarding and all Knowing.

Wrong way

Out of ignorance, many people are seen waving their palms towards the Ka’baĥ. Likewise, some people signal with their hands and some raise hands up to their ears three times and then drop them; all these are incorrect manners. What you should do is to raise your hands up to your shoulders as in Du’ā, whilst facing the Ka’baĥ. Make Du’ā for as long as it takes to recite 25 verses of Sūraĥ al-Baqaraĥ. Make Du’ā humbly whilst pleading and sobbing as this is a place where Du’ā is accepted. Pray for the betterment of yourself and all other Muslims including Muslim jinns. It will be a great favour if you make Du’ā of forgiveness for me, a sinner (Sag-e-Madīnaĥ). Reciting Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī make the following Du’ā.1

Du’ā of mount Ṣafā

1 As intention is not a condition for the Ramī of Jamarāt and Wuqūf in ‘Arafāt etc. it is not a condition for Sa’ī as well. If the Sa’ī is performed even without an intention, it will still be valid. However, it is Mustaḥab to make intention. One will not get the reward if there is no intention.

Translation: Allahis the Greatest, Allahis the Greatest, Allahis the Greatest. Only Heis worthy of all glorification. AllahWho has guided us on the right path deserves all glorification. And AllahWho has blessed us with bounty deserves glorification. Only Allahis worthy of glorification Who has guided us to the path of virtues. All glorifications are for Allahonly Who has blessed us with righteousness and if Hehad not blessed us with righteousness, we could not get it (by our own). Allahis alone deserving of worship, no one is His partner. For Him is sovereignty. Heis worthy of all sort of admiration. Life and death are under His omnipotence. Heis alive such that Hecannot die. Goodness and virtues are under His authority. Heis Omnipotent. No one is worthy of worship except AllahWho is One and His promise is true and Hehelped His servant and honoured his forces with victory and Hedefeated alone all the battalions of evil doers. Nobody is worthy of worship except Allah. We purely worship Him only even though the unbelievers get annoyed. O Allah! It is Your saying and Your saying is truth: ‘Make Du’ā to Me, I will accept.’ And You don’t go against Your promise. So O Allah! You have blessed me with the wealth of Islam. Now I beg You not to withdraw this wealth from me. Keep me a Muslim till I die. Allahis free from all shortcomings and only Heis worthy of all glorifications. Nobody is worthy of worship except Him and Allahis the Greatest. There is no strength except that bestowed by Allah. O Allah! Shower blessings and salutations on our sovereign Sayyidunā Muhammadand on his kinfolk and his companions and his pious wives and his dynasty and his followers till the Day of Judgement. Yā Allah! Forgive me, my parents, and all Muslim men and women and send Salām on all Prophets. And all glorifications are for Allah Who is the Rab of all the worlds.

Completing the Du’ā, recite Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī, lower your hands and make the intention of Sa’ī in your heart. However, it is better to make verbal intention provided you understand its meaning. Make the following intention:

Intention of Sa’ī

Translation: O Allah! I intend to perform the seven rounds of Sa’ī between Ṣafā and Marwaĥ for Your pleasure. Make it easy for me and accept it from me.

Du’ā when descending from Ṣafā/Marwaĥ

O Allah! Make me one who acts upon the Sunnaĥ of Your Beloved Prophet, let me die in his religion, and save me from evils of heresy with Your mercy, O the Most Merciful!

Whilst busy with Żikr and Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī, walk from Ṣafā towards Marwaĥ at a medium pace. (Nowadays this passage has marble flooring and air coolers. There was a time when Sayyidatunā Ĥājiraĥhad performed Sa’ī. Just for a moment think of that heart-breaking situation when this area was barren with no sign of water and vegetation. Sayyidunā Ismā’īlwas an infant crying desperately out of extreme thirst and Sayyidatunā Ĥājiraĥwas restlessly searching for water in the scorching heat of this rocky land).

On reaching the first green mark, Islamic brothers should begin to run (but in a dignified way, not uncontrollably) and those on wheel-chairs should step up their speed. If there is a crowd, wait for a moment when there is hope of the crowd being decreased. Whilst running, take care that neither you nor any body else gets hurt as running here is a Sunnaĥ but causing pain to a Muslim is Ḥarām. Islamic sisters should not run. Now, Islamic brothers whilst running and Islamic sisters whilst walking should recite the following Du’ā.

Du’ā to be recited between green marks

Translation: O my Rab, forgive me and have mercy on me. Forgive my wrongdoings that are known to You. Without doubt, You are fully aware but we are not. Without doubt, You are Great and Glorified. Keep me on the straight path. O Allah! Accept my ‘Umraĥ, make my Sa’ī fruitful and forgive my sins.

When you arrive at the next green mark, slow down and proceed towards Marwaĥ. Look! You are now at the blessed mount of Marwaĥ. Most people try to go as high as possible but you do not do so; rather abide by the Sunnaĥ, i.e. go uphill a little only. Even by reaching as far as the check-marble floor starts, you will be considered to have climbed Marwaĥ.

Although, nowadays, the Ka’baĥ is not visible from here due to various constructions, you should still face towards the direction of the Ka’baĥ and make Du’ā for the same amount of time spent on Ṣafā (in Du’ā). There is no need to make the intention again, as it has already been made. Now you have completed one round.

Now proceed towards Ṣafā making Du’ā. Perform the same act between the two green lights (Mīlayn-e-Akhḍarayn) as you did during the first round, i.e. Islamic brothers should run while Islamic sisters should just walk in this passage whilst making Du’ā. On reaching Ṣafā, two rounds would be completed. Continue until all seven rounds are completed. The seventh round will finish at Marwaĥ. Your Sa’ī is now complete.

A precaution to be taken during Sa’ī

At times people are offering Ṣalāĥ at Mas’ā [the place where Sa’ī is performed]. For a Ṭawāf-performing person to pass across the front of a Ṣalāĥ-offering person is permissible but for a Sa’ī-performing person to do so is impermissible. Therefore, if you come across such a situation during Sa’ī, wait unless the Ṣalāĥ-offering person has finished his Ṣalāĥ. However, you can pass across the front of the Ṣalāĥ-offering person using an already passing person as Sutraĥ1.

Ṣalāĥ of Sa’ī is Mustaḥab

If it is not a Makrūĥ time for Ṣalāĥ, perform two Rak’āt Ṣalāĥ in Masjid-ul-Ḥarām, as it is Mustaḥab. It is reported that the Holy Prophetoffered two Rak’āt Ṣalāĥ having performed Sa’ī at the border of Maṭāf in the direction of Ḥajar-ul-Aswad. (Musnad Imām Aḥmad, vol. 10, pp. 354, Ḥadīš 27313; Rad-dul-Muḥtār, vol. 3, pp. 589)

1 Sutraĥ: A barrier placed in front of the Ṣalāĥ-offering person so that others may pass across the front of him without committing the sin.

Men should now do either Ḥalq, i.e. get their entire head shaved or Taqṣīr, i.e. get their hair trimmed. It is preferable for them to get Ḥalq done.

Definition of Taqṣīr

Taqṣīr implies cutting the hair of a quarter of the head equal to a finger digit1 in length. As a caution, cut a bit more than this length to ensure that the shorter hair present in the centre of the head also gets cut equal to a finger digit in length. Some people just cut a few strands of hair with a pair of scissors, which is absolutely wrong for the Ḥanafīs, and the restrictions of Iḥrām will not also be terminated in this case.

Taqṣīr for Islamic sisters

It is Ḥarām for Islamic sisters to shave their entire head. They should perform Taqṣīr only. An easy way of it is to cut hair from the end of the plait of hair a little more than the length of a finger digit. It is important that at least the hair of one quarter of the head must be cut.

Congratulations! You have performed ‘Umraĥ.

You have granted me the privilege of ‘Umraĥ

It is a great grace for me, Yā Allah!

1 Each finger has 3 digits and the thumb has 2.

1. 1. Performing Sa’ī with longer intervals in between its rounds.

However, one may leave to relieve oneself or to make Wuḍū if it becomes invalid, although Wuḍū is not a requisite for Sa’ī.

1. 2. Buying
2. 3. Selling
3. 4. Useless talking
4. 5. Looking here and there uselessly is Makrūĥ in Sa’ī and more Makrūĥ in Ṭawāf.
5. 6. Not to climb Ṣafā or
6. 7. Marwaĥ (climb a little, not up to the top).
7. 8. For males not to run between the green marks without a valid reason.
8. 9. Delaying Sa’ī too much after Ṭawāf.
9. 10. Unveiling of Satr-e-‘Awrat. (ibid, pp. 1115)

Four miscellaneous rulings regarding Sa’ī

1. 1. Performing Sa’ī by walking on foot is Wājib. However, performing it by sliding whilst sitting, or riding is permissible in case of compulsion. (Lubāb-ul-Manāsik, pp. 178)
2. 2. Cleanness is not a conditional requirement for Sa’ī. A woman suffering from menses may also perform Sa’ī. (‘Ālamgīrī, vol. 1, pp. 227)
3. 3. It is Mustaḥab to perform Sa’ī in the state of Wuḍū with cleanness of body and clothes. (Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 1110)
4. 4. Whilst starting Sa’ī, first recite Du’ā of Ṣafā and then make the intention of Sa’ī. There are several rituals performed before Sa’ī such as Istilām of Ḥajar-ul-Aswad, climbing Ṣafā and making Du’ā, etc. It is better to make a separate intention before performing each of them. However, if the intention of performing the pre-Sa’ī rituals for earning reward is present in the heart, this is also sufficient.