Lesson — Learn Arabic & Islamic Studies

Lesson Content

إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ"Indeed, as-Safa and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah."al-Baqarah 2:158

Sa'y step by step

Approach SafaRecite 2:158 and say "Abda'u bima bada'allahu bih": I begin with what Allah began with

Climb SafaUntil you see the Ka'bah; face it and raise your hands

Dhikr and du'aThe words below, three times, with du'a in between

Walk to MarwahMen run between the green markers

On MarwahFace the qiblah and repeat what you said on Safa

لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ، أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ، وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ، وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ"There is no god but Allah alone, without partner; His is the dominion and His the praise, and He is able to do all things. There is no god but Allah alone; He fulfilled His promise, gave victory to His servant, and defeated the allied forces alone."The Prophet ﷺ on Safa; Ibn 'Uthaymeen

Counting the laps

Lap 1Safa to Marwah

Walk, run between the green markers (men), walk.

Lap 2Marwah to Safa

The return is a separate lap.

Laps 3-6Back and forth

Du'a on each hill.

Lap 7Ends on Marwah

Seven laps: Safa to Marwah is one, Marwah to Safa is another.

During Sa'y, make any du'a, dhikr or recitation.

The conditions of Sa'y

OrderAfter a Tawaf (Maliki)

ContinuityA short pause does no harm; a long stop breaks it

SevenNot even part of a lap may be missed

Risalah

A man told the Prophet ﷺ he did Sa'y before Tawaf, and he said: "No harm" (Usamah ibn Sharik, Abu Dawud). On this basis the scholars of hadith allowed Sa'y before Tawaf (Ibn Hajar). Purity from menses is not a condition of Sa'y (Women and Hajj).

Cutting the hair

مُحَلِّقِينَ رُءُوسَكُمْ وَمُقَصِّرِينَ"With your heads shaved or (hair) shortened."al-Fath 48:27

"O Allah, have mercy on those who shave." They said: "And those who shorten, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "O Allah, have mercy on those who shave." They said: "And those who shorten?" He said: "And those who shorten."al-Bukhari, Muslim

Men

Shaving is better; shortening is allowed, taken from all over the head. In Tamattu', if Hajj is near, shortening is better so hair remains to shave in Hajj.

Women

Only shorten: gather the hair and cut the length of a fingertip from the ends. Shaving is not for women, by consensus.

With this the 'Umrah is complete: everything forbidden by ihram becomes allowed again, including clothes, perfume and marital relations.

Key points

Begin at Safa: "I begin with what Allah began with" (2:158).
On Safa and Marwah: face the Ka'bah, dhikr three times with du'a between.
Men run between the green markers; seven laps, ending at Marwah.
Conditions: continuous, seven complete laps, after Tawaf (Maliki; others allow before); purity not a condition.
Men shave (better) or shorten; women cut a fingertip's length. 'Umrah is complete.

Video Lesson

Sa'y and Cutting the Hair