Al-Lu'lu Wal-Marjan 803 — The Book of Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makka)

`Urwa Narrated from:

I asked 'Âisha رضي الله عنها : "How do you interpret the Statement of Allâh: 'Verily! As-Safâ and Al-Marwa (two mountains at Makka) are of the Symbols of Allâh. So it is not a sin on him who performs the Hajj or ' Umra (pilgrimage) of the House (the Ka'ba at Makka), to perform the going ( Tawâf ) between them (As-Safâ and Al-Marwa)...' (V.2:158). By Allâh! (it is evident from this revelation) that there is no harm if one does not perform the Tawâf (going) between As-Safâ and Al-Marwa."'Âisha رضي الله عنها said, "O, my nephew! Your interpretation is not true. Had this interpretation of yours been correct, the Statement of Allâh ﷻ should have been, 'It is not a sin on him if he does not perform Tawâf (going) between them.' But in fact, this Divine Inspiration was revealed concerning the Ansâr who used to assume Ihrâm for worshipping an idol called Manât, which they used to worship at a place called Al-Mushallal before they embraced Islâm, and whoever assumed Ihrâm (for the idol), would consider it not right to perform Tawâf between As-Safâ and Al-Marwa.When they embraced Islâm, they asked Allâh's Messenger ﷺ regarding it, saying, 'O Allâh's Messenger! We used to refrain from the Tawâf (going) between As-Safâ and Al-Marwa.' So Allâh ﷻ revealed: 'Verily; As-Safâ and Al-Marwa (two mountains at Makka) are of the Symbols of Allâh.' " 'Âisha رضى الله عنها added, "Surely, Allâh's Messenger ﷺ set the Sunna (legal way) of Tawâf (going) between As-Safâ and Al-Marwa, so nobody is allowed to omit the Tawâf (going) between them."Later on I ('Urwa) told Abû Bakr bin 'Abdur-Rahmân (of 'Âisha's narration) and he said, "I have not heard of such information, but I heard learned men saying that all the people (except those whom 'Âisha mentioned and who used to assume Ihrâm for the sake of Manât, used to perform Tawâf ) between As-Safâ and Al-Marwa.When Allâh ﷻ referred to the Tawâf of the Ka'ba and did not mention As-Safâ and Al-Marwa in the Qur'ân, the people asked, 'O Allâh's Messenger! We used to perform Tawâf between As-Safâ and Al-Marwa and Allâh ﷻ has revealed (the Verses concerning) the Tawâf of the Ka'ba and has not mentioned As-Safâ and Al-Marwa. Is there any harm if we perform the Tawâf between As-Safâ and Al-Marwa?' So Allâh ﷻ revealed: 'Verily! As-Safâ and Al-Marwa (two mountains at Makka) are of the Symbols of Allâh."Abû Bakr رضى الله عنه said, "It seems that this Verse was revealed concerning the two groups, those who used to refrain from Tawâf between As-Safâ and Al-Marwa in the Pre-Islâmîc Period of Ignorance and those who used to perform the Tawâf then, and after embracing Islâm they refrained from the Tawâf between them as Allâh ﷻ had enjoined the Tawâf of the Ka'ba and did not mention the Tawâf (of As-Safâ and Al-Marwa) till later He (ﷻ عزوجل) did mention it after mentioning the Tawâf of the Ka'ba."( Sahîh Al-Bukhâri, Hadîth No. 706, Vol. 2 )