9/39. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 864 — Walking and Sa'i at Safa Marwah
What Has Been Related About Sa'i between As-Safa and Al-Marwah
Safa Marwah Sa'i Hadith: Walking and Running
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 864
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 864
حَدَّثَنَا يُوسُفُ بْنُ عِيسَى، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ، عَنْ كَثِيرِ بْنِ جُمْهَانَ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ يَمْشِي فِي السَّعْىِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَتَمْشِي فِي السَّعْىِ بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ قَالَ لَئِنْ سَعَيْتُ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْعَى وَلَئِنْ مَشَيْتُ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَمْشِي وَأَنَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَرُوِيَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ نَحْوُهُ .
Kathir bin Jumhan Narrated from:
I Saw Ibn Umar Walking At The Place Of Sa'I So I Said To Him: 'Do You Walk At The Place Of Sa'I Between As-Safa And Al-Marwah?' He Said: 'If I Performed Sa'I, Then It Is Because I Saw The Messenger Of Allah Performing Sa'I There, And If I Walked, Then It Is Because I Have Seen The Messenger Of Allah Walking. And I Am An Old Man.'
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 864In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 57English translation : Vol. 2, Book 4, Hadith 864
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 864
This Safa Marwah Sa'i hadith gives a balanced picture through Ibn Umar’s answer. Kathir bin Jumhan saw Ibn Umar walking in the place of Sa'i and asked him about it. Ibn Umar replied that if he performed Sa'i, it was because he saw the Messenger of Allah perform Sa'i there. If he walked, it was also because he saw the Messenger of Allah walking. He then mentioned that he was an old man. The Hadith is useful because it does not present the rite in a harsh or one-sided way. It shows that Ibn Umar cared about following the Prophet and also spoke honestly about his own condition. The main lesson is to hold to prophetic practice while recognizing what the report itself says about walking and Sa'i.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ibn Umar linked both Sa'i and walking to what he saw from the Prophet.
- The report shows care in copying the Prophet’s practice.
- Ibn Umar mentioned his old age when explaining why he walked.
- The Hadith gives a simple view of movement between Safa and Marwah.
