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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 the Quran in multiple contexts: 'And that there is nothing for man except what he strives for (sa'a)' (53:39). In the pilgrimage context, it captures both the physical act of walking and the spiritual attitude of earnest effort and reliance on Allah. |
Sa'i(سعي) Sa'i is the ritual of walking back and forth seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa in Masjid al-Haram, commemorating Hajar's search for water. It is a required pillar (rukn) of both Hajj and Umrah.
سعي
Sa'i re-enacts one of the most moving episodes in Islamic sacred history. After Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him) left his wife Hajar (Hagar) and their infant son Ismail (Ishmael) in the barren valley of Makkah by divine command, Hajar ran desperately between the two small hills of Safa and Marwa, 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 Zamzam gushed forth. This act of maternal devotion, trust in Allah, and refusal to give up became enshrined as a permanent pillar of pilgrimage. The sa'i consists of seven one-way trips (ashwat): starting from Safa to Marwa counts as one, returning from Marwa to Safa counts as two, and so on, ending at Marwa 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 Masjid al-Haram, with multiple levels to accommodate the large numbers of pilgrims. 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 dua during sa'i, and it is recommended to make dua upon reaching Safa and Marwa, facing the Kaaba. Sa'i is typically performed immediately after tawaf, 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 the Quran in multiple contexts: 'And that there is nothing for man except what he strives for (sa'a)' (53:39). In the pilgrimage context, it captures both the physical act of walking and the spiritual attitude of earnest effort and reliance on Allah.
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