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| Arabic | سعي |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | SAH-ee |
| Etymology | From the Arabic root س-ع-ي (s-a-y), meaning 'to walk briskly, to strive, to endeavor.' The verb sa'a (سعى) conveys purposeful, determined movement — not casual walking but active striving toward a goal. This root appears in القرآن in multiple contexts: 'And that there is nothing for man except what he strives for (sa'a)' (53:39). In the الحج context, it captures both the physical act of walking and the spiritual attitude of earnest effort and reliance on Allah. |
السعي(سعي) السعي is the ritual of walking back and forth seven times between the hills of الصفا and المروة in المسجد الحرام, commemorating Hajar's search for water. It is a required pillar (ركن) of both الحج and العمرة.
سعي
السعي re-enacts one of the most moving episodes in Islamic sacred تاريخ. After Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, صلى الله عليه وسلم) left his wife Hajar (Hagar) and their infant son Ismail (Ishmael) in the barren valley of مكة by divine command, Hajar ran desperately between the two small hills of الصفا and المروة, searching for water or any sign of help. After her seventh traverse, the angel Jibril (Gabriel) struck the ground — or the infant Ismail kicked the earth — and the spring of زمزم gushed forth. This act of maternal devotion, trust in Allah, and refusal to give up became enshrined as a permanent pillar of الحج. The السعي consists of seven one-way trips (ashwat): starting from الصفا to المروة counts as one, returning from المروة to الصفا counts as two, and so on, ending at المروة on the seventh. The total distance is approximately 3.15 kilometers (about 450 meters each way). The entire route is now enclosed within the air-conditioned Mas'a gallery of المسجد الحرام, with multiple levels to accommodate the large numbers of الحجاج. Between two green-lit markers along the route, men are encouraged to jog lightly (raml or harwalah), evoking Hajar's urgency as she descended into the valley between the hills where she could not see her son. Women walk at their normal pace throughout. Pilgrims may recite any دعاء during السعي, and it is مستحب to make دعاء upon reaching الصفا and المروة, facing the الكعبة. السعي is typically performed immediately after الطواف, though the majority of scholars allow a reasonable gap between them.
From the Arabic root س-ع-ي (s-a-y), meaning 'to walk briskly, to strive, to endeavor.' The verb sa'a (سعى) conveys purposeful, determined movement — not casual walking but active striving toward a goal. This root appears in القرآن in multiple contexts: 'And that there is nothing for man except what he strives for (sa'a)' (53:39). In the الحج context, it captures both the physical act of walking and the spiritual attitude of earnest effort and reliance on Allah.