because this venerable symbol is one of the sites where prayers are most likely to be answered.
25 – Once the remembrance and supplication are finished, he heads for Marwah; the area between Safa and Marwah constitutes the sa‘y course.
26 – Ritual purity is not a prerequisite for sa‘y, though it is recommended, for the Prophet ﷺ did not order purification for it. Since it is not a prayer, covering the ʿawrah is likewise not obligatory for it.
27 – When he reaches the first green marker he jogs until the second marker, for the space between them was the valley floor. This quickened pace is prescribed for men only. After passing the second marker he walks normally until he reaches Marwah. The Shaykh said: If he does not run in the valley but walks at an easy pace all the way between Safa and Marwah, his sa‘y is still valid by consensus of the scholars and nothing further is required of him.
28 – He then climbs Marwah and there says and does exactly what he said and did on Safa: reciting the cited verse, facing the qiblah, offering remembrance of Allah, and making supplication. When the sa‘y is complete he releases himself from his ʿumrah if he is performing tamattuʿ; if he is required to remain in ihram he stays consecrated until he exits from his Hajj.
29 – Al-Nawawi said: This supports the majority view that the outbound leg from Safa to Marwah is only counted after one has returned to Safa a second time. Al-Wazir said: The leading imams are unanimous that the trip out counts as one lap and the trip back counts as another.
30 – He then shortens his hair and comes out of ihram, unless he has brought a sacrificial animal.
This is the position of the scholars of hadith—with their leader Ahmad ibn Hanbal—and of the literalists, on the strength of more than a dozen sound hadiths from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, among them: “Whoever is not bringing a sacrificial animal should come out of his state of consecration.” (Muslim 1213)
Suraqah ibn Malik asked, “Is this concession for us alone?” He replied, “No, it is for all time.” (Muslim 1218)
Ibn al-Qayyim said: Anyone who has circumambulated the House and performed sa‘y, yet has no sacrificial animal with him, is