سعی

What Does سعی Mean in Detail?

سعی re-enacts one of the most moving episodes in Islamic sacred history. After Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) left his wife Hajar (Hagar) and their infant son Ismail (Ishmael) in the barren valley of مکہ مکرمہ 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 زمزم gushed forth. This act of maternal devotion, trust in Allah, and refusal to give up became enshrined as a permanent pillar of حج. 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 مسجد الحرام, with multiple levels to accommodate the large numbers of حجاج. 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 دعا during sa'i, and it is مستحب to make دعا upon reaching Safa and Marwa, facing the کعبۃ اللہ. سعی is typically performed immediately after طواف, though the majority of scholars allow a reasonable gap between them.