Islam Guidance

Chapter four:Sa‘y

Chapter four: Sa‘y

It is the fourth obligation of ‘umrah.
Issue 297. After tawāf prayer it is obligatory to do sa‘y between Safā and Marwah i.e. walking from one to the other on the condition that one must start from Safā and terminate the first course at Marwah, then walk the second course form it to Safā and so on till one terminates the seventh course at Marwah. It is not correct to start from Marwah and terminate at Safā.

Issue 298. Intention is a condition in sa‘y, in addition nearness, sincerity and determination also should be regarded in it just as in the intention for ihÌ£rām.
Issue 299. In sa‘y it is not a condition for one to be pure from hÌ£adath and khabath.
Issue 300. Sa‘y should be performed after the tawāf and its prayer. It is incorrect to perform it before them.
Issue 301. It is not permissible for someone, under normal conditions, to delay their sa‘y until the next day after the tawāf and its prayer. However, there is no objection to delaying it until the night.
Issue 302. The full distance between Safā and Marwah should be covered in each course. However, mounting them is not obligatory.
Issue 303. It is obligatory during the sa‘y towards Marwah to face it and so is the case with Safā. If one walks backward towards them, his / her sa‘y is incorrect. However, turning the face towards both sides or to the back would not harm the sa‘y.
Issue 304. The sa‘y should be performed on the conventional path prepared for it.
Issue 305. Performing sa‘y in the upper stairs is incorrect unless one is certain that it is located in a level between the two mountains and not above them. For whoever cannot do sa`y but in the second floor. It is invalid to do so. Rather, one should have a na'ib to perform sa`y in the conventional path.
Issue 306. It is permissible, during sa‘y, to sit or sleep on Safā and Marwah or between them to take a rest, even without an excuse.
Issue 307. It is a condition that one should perform sa‘y themselves if possible and they are allowed to do it by walking or riding, although walking is better. If that is not possible, they must get help from others to do that or do it by being carried. If all theses are impossible, they should find a na'ib to perform it on their behalf.

Miscellaneous issues about sa‘y
Issue 308. The sa‘y, like tawāf, is a rukn and the ruling for neglecting it, whether purposely or inattentively, is just like that of the tawāf which has been mentioned.
Issue 309. One who inattentively neglected the sa‘y and becomes free of the ihÌ£rām of ‘umrah, if he made an intercourse with his wife, he is obliged to do kaffārah with a cow, according to obligatory caution, in addition to performing the sa‘y.
Issue 310. If a course or more are added to the sa‘y, inattentively, the sa‘y would be correct and nothing else is to be done by the pilgrim. One who does so ignorantly is just like the one who forgets.
Issue 311. One who adds seven courses to the sa‘y with the intention that it is part of sa‘y, i.e. thinking that every to and fro is equal to one course, is not obliged to repeat it and his / her sa‘y is correct. The ruling is the same if one notices this during the sa‘y when one must discontinue the added part from the point he / she becomes aware of it.
Issue 312. One whose sa‘y is inattentively made deficient, is obliged to complete it whenever he / she becomes aware. If one remembers this after had returned to one's country, he / she must go back to complete it unless there is difficulty, in which case he / she must have a na'ib to do it on his / her behalf.