- The description of Saʿy
As for its manner, the majority of jurists hold that part of the Sunnah of walking between Ṣafā and Marwah is that, once the pilgrim has completed his supplication on Ṣafā, he descends, walking at his normal pace until he reaches the valley floor. There he trots briskly (ramal) until he has crossed to the side nearer Marwah. When the valley ends he resumes his normal walk until he reaches Marwah, ascends it until the House comes into view, and there recites something similar in supplication and takbīr to what he said on Ṣafā.
If he merely stands at the foot of Marwah it is deemed sufficient by all. He then descends, walks naturally until he returns to the valley floor, and, on reaching it, trots until he has crossed to the side nearer Ṣafā.
The pilgrim does this seven times, beginning each circuit at Ṣafā and ending at Marwah. If he should begin at Marwah before Ṣafā, that round is invalid, for the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said:
“We begin with that with which Allah began: we begin with Ṣafā,”
alluding to the Almighty’s words:
“Indeed, Ṣafā and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.” (al-Baqarah 2:158)
ʿAṭāʾ said: If a person, out of ignorance, begins at Marwah, it nonetheless suffices.
They also agree that no specific wording is prescribed during Saʿy, for it is a place of supplication. It is authentically reported from Jābir that
“Whenever the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—stood upon Ṣafā he would pronounce takbīr three times and say: ‘There is no god but Allah alone, without partner. His is the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He has power over all things.’ He would repeat that three times, supplicate, and say the same on Marwah.”
Conditions
With regard to its conditions, they concur that freedom from menstruation is required, just as for tawāf, based on his words—peace be upon him—in the ḥadīth of ʿĀʾishah:
“Do everything the pilgrim does, except that you must not circumambulate the House nor walk between Ṣafā and Marwah.”
This additional wording is recorded only by Yaḥyā from Mālik; none of the other transmitters include it. They are otherwise agreed that ritual ablution (wuḍūʾ) is not a condition, except for al-Ḥasan, who likened Saʿy to tawāf.
Order
As for its order, the majority of scholars maintain that Saʿy must follow tawāf, and that whoever performs Saʿy before circumambulating the House must return and perform tawāf, even if he has already left Mecca. Should he, out of ignorance, have had marital relations after such a Saʿy during ʿUmrah or Ḥajj, he is obliged to perform a compensatory Ḥajj with a sacrificial animal, or another ʿUmrah.
Al-Thawrī said: If he acted thus, nothing is due from him. Abū Ḥanīfah said: If he has left Mecca he need not return, but a blood-sacrifice is incumbent upon him.
Such, then, is the discussion of the ruling of Saʿy, its manner, its well-known conditions, and its order.