15/43. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1277b — A'isha Corrects Sa'i Misunderstanding
Clarifying that Sa'i between As-safa and Al-Marwah is a pillar of Hajj, without which Hajj is not valid
Sa'i Between Safa and Marwa: Understanding the Verse
Sahih Muslim : 1277b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1277b
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ، أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي قَالَ، قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ مَا أَرَى عَلَىَّ جُنَاحًا أَنْ لاَ أَتَطَوَّفَ بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ . قَالَتْ لِمَ قُلْتُ لأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ { إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ} الآيَةَ . فَقَالَتْ لَوْ كَانَ كَمَا تَقُولُ لَكَانَ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ لاَ يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا . إِنَّمَا أُنْزِلَ هَذَا فِي أُنَاسٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ كَانُوا إِذَا أَهَلُّوا أَهَلُّوا لِمَنَاةَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَلاَ يَحِلُّ لَهُمْ أَنْ يَطَّوَّفُوا بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ فَلَمَّا قَدِمُوا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِلْحَجِّ ذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى هَذِهِ الآيَةَ فَلَعَمْرِي مَا أَتَمَّ اللَّهُ حَجَّ مَنْ لَمْ يَطُفْ بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ .
Hisham b. 'Urwa Narrated from:
I said to 'A'isha: I do not see any harm to me if I do not circumambulate between al-Safa' and al-Marwa. She said: On what ground do you say so? (I said: ) Since Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says:" Verily al-Safa' and al-Marwa are among the Signs of Allah." It (your assertion) were (correct), it would have been said like this:" There is no harm for him, that he should not circumambulate between them."It (this verse) has been revealed about the people of Ansar. Whenever they pronounced the Talbiya, they pronounced it in the name of al-Manat during the Days of Ignorance; so they (thought) that it was not permissible for them (for the Muslims) to circumambulate between and al-Marwa.When they (the Muslims) came with Allah's Apostle (may peace he upon him) for Hajj, they mentioned it to him. So Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, revealed this verse. By my life, Allah will not complete the Hajj of one who has not circumambulated between al-Safa and al-Marwa.
[1] Al-Baqarah 2:158.Reference : Sahih Muslim 1277bIn-book reference : Book 15, Hadith 286USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 7, Hadith 2924
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1277b
This Sa'i between Safa and Marwa hadith gives A'isha’s careful response to a misunderstanding of the verse. When it was suggested that there was no harm in not going between al-Safa and al-Marwa, she asked for the reason. The verse was mentioned, but A'isha explained that if the meaning were as claimed, the wording would have said there was no harm in not going between them. She then said the verse was revealed about people of the Ansar who had earlier pronounced Talbiya for Manat and felt that going between Safa and Marwa was not allowed. The report ends with her strong statement that Hajj is not completed for one who leaves it.
What we learn from this hadith
- A'isha corrected a reading of the verse that would allow leaving Sa'i.
- She explained that the wording does not mean what was claimed.
- The report connects the verse to people who had pre-Islamic links to Manat.
- She stated that Hajj is not complete without Sa'i.
