This page explains the concept, wisdom, ruling, and conditions for performing sa'i as part of the Hajj and Umrah.
Understanding Sa'i for Hajj and Umrah
Understanding Sa'i for Hajj and Umrah
This act of worship traces the struggle of Hajar, the mother of Ismail, who wept from thirst in the midst of a desolate and scorching desert. This place, with no sign of water, did not dampen Hajar's determination to strive and seek water. Hajar trusted in Allah's Love and Greatness. Her supplication was answered when the Zamzam water sprang forth, allowing them to survive.
The wisdom of this event is that life is a struggle. Problems in life are natural, so we as humans need to strive and put our trust in Allah. Not losing hope in time and space, and living life with patience and sincerity along with an optimistic attitude is the wisdom of this ritual. Because ultimately, it is Allah who determines the result of our efforts. Behind every difficulty comes ease. We must also remember Allah's words.
The journey from Safa to Marwah is counted as one round, and conversely, from Marwah to Safa is also counted as one. The entire back-and-forth journey must total 7 rounds.
The two hills, which are about 1/2 km apart, are now connected by a two-storey building. With a width of 20 metres, the sa'i path is divided into 4 lanes, with 2 lanes for pedestrians and two lanes for the sick who must be pushed in wheelchairs.
The sa'i journey is not too exhausting due to the air-conditioning and fans that continuously blow cold air. If you are not strong, you can rest for a moment at the side of the path while drinking Zamzam water which is available at many places along the sa'i route.
At places marked by green pillars (neon green), male pilgrims are recommended to run lightly, while women walk quickly. Sa'i may be performed while not in a state of ritual purity. Also by women who are menstruating or experiencing post-natal bleeding.
The distance covered in sa'i for one round is 405 metres. Therefore, 7 rounds between the two hills equals 7 x 405 m = 2,835 metres.
Because the sa'i pilgrimage follows in the footsteps of Hajar's suffering, and to make the performance more reverent and focused, pilgrims are advised to visualise the suffering and hardship endured by Hajar when seeking water for her son Ismail (peace be upon him), left by his father the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) who received the command from Allah.
Scholars hold differing opinions regarding the ruling on sa'i:
a. Ibn Umar, Jabir, 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with them), Malik, al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad (according to one of his two opinions) explain that sa'i is a pillar of Hajj. Therefore, according to them, whoever omits it, their Hajj is invalidated and cannot be rectified with a dam (fine) or anything else.
b. Ibn Abbas, Anas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Ibn Sireen, and other narrations state that sa'i is merely a Sunnah.
c. Abu Hanifah, al-Thawri, and Hasan opine that sa'i is an obligation of Hajj, not a pillar. Therefore, if someone omits it, their Hajj or Umrah is not invalidated, but they are required to pay a penalty (dam).
a. Performing the entire sa'i and nothing should be left out. The feet should touch the hills, whether Safa or Marwah, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did it this way.
b. Beginning at Safa and ending at Mount Marwah. If reversed, the sa'i is not valid.
c. Performing sa'i after a valid and proper circumambulation.
d. Performing sa'i 7 times (seven rounds of sa'i).
Sa'i is performed in the masa (running area), which is the path stretching between Safa and Marwah that has been provided for this purpose.
a. Making supplication between Safa and Marwah.
b. Performing it in a state of purity and covering the 'awrah (private parts).
c. Men running lightly between the two green pillars found in the masa.
d. Performing it without crowding. If crowding is unavoidable, efforts should be made not to disturb others.
e. Performing it on foot. If unable to, one can perform it by vehicle or being carried.
f. Performing it consecutively, without interruption, except if a funeral prayer is performed while performing sa'i. In such a case, sa'i may be interrupted to attend the funeral prayer, and once it is finished, sa'i may be resumed by completing only the remaining rounds.
Source: The Book of Hajj and Umrah, by Drs. Ir. Nogarsyah Moede Gayo
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