Sa’y

Sa’y refers to the ritual of walking back and forth between the two hills of Safa and Marwa after the tawaf performed for hajj or umrah. As it is stated in the Holy Quran, the Safa and Marwa are the “shaa'ir Allah/the symbols of Allah” (Baqarah, 2/158), in other words they are considered as the blessed symbols of Islam religion. 

Starting from the Safa located on the eastern side of Masjid al-Haram, sa'y is performed by shuttling between the Safa and Marwa hills. Adding up to seven, each one of these rounds are called a "shawt."

The person to perform sa'y climbs the Safa Hill. One turns towards the Ka’bah and makes a niyyah (intention), and starts sa’y with takbir, tahleel, and du'a. And he takes each one of his steps with the awareness that it is not a walk but a worship. He performs sa'y with the dhikr of Allah (swt) in his tongue and love of Him in his heart.

As a matter of fact, performing sa'y is the commemoration of Hajar (ra). It is the reenaction of the event of Hajar's (ra), who once was brought to this land with her son, shuttling between the Safa and Marwa hills to find water for her son, Ismael. Today, pilgrims pass through the area between two green lights on the double as Hajar (ra) did on that day. Based on the practice of Prophet Muhammad (saw), men perform this ritual and women are exempted from it. This sunnah is called "harwala."

Hajar's (ra) sa'y was to keep her little son alive. Her great effort exhilarated the divine mercy and ended up with the treat of zamzam water. When believer performs sa'y he should walk with the same faith, love and sincerity and look for a water that will give life to both his/her child and himself/herself. He should not leave sa'y at Safa and Marwa but carry it to his entire life with the awareness that it takes endless efforts to reach divine mercy and the purpose. Because sa'y is a divine quest! Sa'y is a dedication to a purpose. Sa'y is an effort to exhilarate the divine mercy. Sa’y is getting away from nafs (self,psyche) and taking refuge in Allah (swt).

Believers must strive for the survival of Islam and peace, brotherhood and salvation of Muslims with the unity of faith and purpose as they strive between the two hills.

The men and women who intended to tamattu hajj get out of ihram by following rituals; men shave or shorten their hair and ladies cut off some amount of hair. The prohibitions imposed with ihram also end with this. The people who perform Hajj al-Tamattu make niyyah and get into a state of ihram again before climbing Arafat. Those who intend to make Hajj al-Qiran complete their umrah, and those who intend to perform Hajj al-Ifrad complete their tawaf qudum. After this, they keep being in the ihram and climb Arafat with this ihram.