65/53.6. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4861 — Safa and Marwa as Symbols of Allah
"And Manat (another idol of the pagan Arabs) the other third." (V.53:20)
Hadith About Sa'i: Safa and Marwa Are Symbols of Allah
Sahih Bukhari : 4861
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4861
حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا الزُّهْرِيُّ، سَمِعْتُ عُرْوَةَ، قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّمَا كَانَ مَنْ أَهَلَّ بِمَنَاةَ الطَّاغِيَةِ الَّتِي بِالْمُشَلَّلِ لاَ يَطُوفُونَ بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ} فَطَافَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ. قَالَ سُفْيَانُ مَنَاةُ بِالْمُشَلَّلِ مِنْ قُدَيْدٍ. وَقَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ خَالِدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ عُرْوَةُ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ نَزَلَتْ فِي الأَنْصَارِ كَانُوا هُمْ وَغَسَّانُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسْلِمُوا يُهِلُّونَ لِمَنَاةَ. مِثْلَهُ. وَقَالَ مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ مِمَّنْ كَانَ يُهِلُّ لِمَنَاةَ ـ وَمَنَاةُ صَنَمٌ بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ ـ قَالُوا يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ كُنَّا لاَ نَطُوفُ بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ تَعْظِيمًا لِمَنَاةَ. نَحْوَهُ.
`Urwa Narrated from:
I asked `Aisha (regarding the Sai between As Safa and Al-Marwa). She said, "Out of reverence to the idol Manat which was placed in Al-Mushailal, those who used to assume Ihram in its name, used not to perform Sai between As-Safa and Al-Marwa, so Allah revealed:'Verily! The As-Safa and Al-Marwa (two mountains at Mecca) are among the symbols of Allah.' (2.158). Thereupon, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and the Muslims used to perform Sai (between them)." Sufyan said: The (idol) Manat was at Al-Mushailal in Qudaid. `Aisha added, "The Verse was revealed in connection with the Ansar. They and (the tribe of) Ghassan used to assume Ihram in the name of Manat before they embraced Islam." `Aisha added, "There were men from the Ansar who used to assume Ihram in the name of Manat which was an idol between Mecca and Medina. They said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We used not to perform the Tawaf (Sai) between As-Safa and Al-Marwa out of reverence to Manat."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4861In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 382USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 384
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4861
This hadith about Sa'i explains why some people had avoided walking between As-Safa and Al-Marwa. Aisha رضي الله عنها said that those who used to assume Ihram in the name of Manat did not perform Sa'i between the two hills out of reverence for that idol. Then Allah revealed that As-Safa and Al-Marwa are among the symbols of Allah. After that, Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Muslims performed Sa'i between them. The narration keeps the point clear. A practice that some avoided because of an old idol-linked habit was restored through revelation. The focus is not on adding extra details, but on following what Allah revealed and leaving reverence for false objects behind.
What we learn from this hadith
- Acts of worship should be guided by revelation, not old customs.
- As-Safa and Al-Marwa are named in the hadith as symbols of Allah.
- Past idol-linked habits were left after Islam became clear to them.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Muslims performed Sa'i after the verse was revealed.
