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The Obligations of Sa?y

The Obligations of Sa?y

369. The following are mandatory in sa?y
1. niyyah
2. starting the sa?y from Safa,
3. finishing the sa?y at Marwah
4. the number of rounds
5. the normal accepted route
6. facing the destination during each lap
7. legality of the animal used
8. the order of the sa?y


1. Niyyah

370. [To declare] the niyyah for sa?y is mandatory, and it must be [declared] at the start of the sa?y with the intention of seeking nearness to Allah Almighty. It is preferable to verbally utter the niyyah as follows: ?I perform the sa?y between the Safa and the Marwah seven rounds for the Tamattu? Umrah seeking nearness to Allah Almighty?.

2. Starting the sa?y from the Safa

371. It is mandatory to start the sa?y from the Safa, and for this it is not mandatory to step on the rocks of the mount.

3. Finishing the sa?y at the Marwah

372. It is mandatory to finish the sa?y at Marwah, and for this it is not mandatory to touch one?s toes to the rocks of the mount of Marwah.
373. If he contradicted this and began [the sa?y] at Marwah, even by oversight, his sa?y is invalidated and as a precaution he should perform a new sa?y.

4. The number of rounds

374. It is obligatory to cover the distance between the mounts of Safa and Marwah seven times with nothing more or less. Thus there will be four journeys from Safa to Marwah and three journeys from Marwah to Safa, all together seven rounds.

5. The normally accepted route

375. It is mandatory to go through the route that is normally accepted, thus if he deviated from the route by entering the Mosque and leaving it to re-enter the route of the sa?y again, or if he left the route of the sa?y to go to the shops and come back to the route of the sa?y again, that [excursion] would not be accepted [as part of the sa?y].  However, it is permissible to drink water from the designated areas en route.
376. There is no objection to performing the sa?y on the first floor or the roof ? the second floor ? if one opted to do so.

6. Facing the destination

377. In the course of performing the sa?y, it is mandatory to be facing the destination, and therefore if he was heading for the mount of Marwah he should be facing Marwah, and if he departed Marwah, heading for Safa, he should be facing Safa.  It is not permitted to walk backwards or sideways.  There is no objection, however, to turn the head to the left or right, or even to the back, so long as the body is in the direction of the journey of the sa?y.  While standing, there is no objection to turning the whole body even if that constitute turning one?s back to the destination direction, similarly there is no objection if one deviated to the right when coming down from the Safa.

7. Animals or other things used must be legal

378. It is not permitted to perform the sa?y on an animal that is usurped and such like. In fact this is applicable to clothing or slippers [worn by the person].  Furthermore, as a precaution, it is also not permitted to even carry anything that is usurped.

8. Order

379. The sa?y must be performed after the tawaaf and its prayer. It is not permitted to wilfully bring forward the sa?y before the tawaaf, neither in the Hajj nor in the Umrah.  If one deliberately performed the sa?y before the tawaaf for no reason, he must repeat it.  However, if this was for a compelling concern, that should be sufficient. This is also applicable if this was done due to an oversight, although it is recommended to repeat it.  The same applies to one who is not conversant with ruling of the case.
380. Continuity is not a requirement for the rounds of sa?y, in fact it is permitted for him to engage in prayers, or even eating and drinking for example, or stopping for a rest on either mountain, or in between, and then resuming the sa?y.
381.  If one started his sa?y, and during the sa?y he realized that his tawaaf was incomplete, if the incompleteness concerned the second half of the tawaaf, he should abort the sa?y and go back to complete the tawaaf, and then return to complete the sa?y from the point he stopped, if he had finished four laps [of the sa?y].  The same applies if he had not finished four rounds of the sa?y, although it is recommended to renew the sa?y altogether.  On the other hand, if the incompleteness of his tawaaf was more than half, he should also complete the tawaaf and then the sa?y, even though it is recommended, as a mostahab precaution, to renew the tawaaf from the beginning and then renew the sa?y too.  In the case of repeating the tawaaf and the sa?y without completing them, he may do so with the intention of discharging his duty; whether by completing the remaining ones, or repeating them altogether.
382.  If after finishing the sa?y he had a doubt about the number of sa?y laps [he had done] or its requirements, he should ignore his doubt.
383. If one doubted the number of laps he had done in the course of the sa?y, then if he was at Safa and was sure that he had done an even number of rounds but not sure as to whether he had done say four or six rounds, or if he was at Marwah and was sure that he had done an odd number of rounds but not sure as to whether he had done say three or five rounds, he should assume the minimum [number of rounds], and [go on to] complete his sa?y, and it is valid.
384.  If one doubted the number of rounds he had done in the course of the sa?y, but contrary to the case above, in that he was at Safa and was sure that he had done an odd number of rounds, but not sure whether they were three or five, or he was at Marwah and was sure he had done an even number of rounds, but not sure whether they were four or six, his sa?y is invalid and he must renew his sa?y.
385.  If he had a doubt either in Safa or Marwah as to whether he had done an odd or even number of rounds, or if in the middle of sa?y route could not tell which direction he should go to ? like when stopped for a rest for a while and he wanted to resume his sa?y he forgot the direction of his journey ? his sa?y is invalidated and he must restart the sa?y anew. 
386.  If after completing the sa?y he was sure that he had missed one or more laps, it is sufficient for him to perform the lacking ones, and if he could not do so he should assign someone to do it for him by proxy.

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