Safa and Marwa

Safa and Marwa
Safa and Marwa
	Left: A sign guides pilgrims toward Safa; Right: Path of movement between Safa and Marwa, illustrated alongside the Tawaf or circumambulation of theKa'bah
Highest point
Parent peak	Safa:Abu Qubais; Marwa:Qaiqan
Coordinates	21°25′25″N39°49′38″E/ 21.42361°N 39.82722°E
Naming
Native name	Aṣ-Ṣafā wal-Marwah(Arabic); ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلْمَرْوَة(Arabic);
Geography
	Safa and Marwa Location in Saudi Arabia Safa and Marwa Safa and Marwa (Middle East) Safa and Marwa Safa and Marwa (West and Central Asia)
Country	Saudi Arabia
Region	Hejaz
Province	Mecca
City	Mecca
Parent range	Hijaz Mountains

Safa and Marwa(Arabic:ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلْمَرْوَة‎,romanized:Aṣ-Ṣafā wal-Marwah) are two small hills, connected to the larger Abu Qubais and Qaiqan mountains, respectively,^[1]inMecca,Saudi Arabia,now made part ofAl-Masjid al-Haram.Muslimstravel back and forth between them seven times in what is known assaʿī(Arabic:سَعِي,lit. 'seeking/searching or walking')^[2]ritual pilgrimages ofḤajjandUmrah.

Muslims run between the two mountains, which they believe was made a ritual as a tribute toHajar's search of water for her child dying of thirst until she found a water source in theZamzam Well.The space between the two mountains in which the pilgrims run is calledal-Mas'aa.^[1]^[3]

Geography

Safa is a small mountain located at the bottom of the Abu Qubais Mountain, about 130 m (430 ft) southeast of theKa'bah,which is the beginning of the Sa'ee. As for Marwa, it is also a small mountain of white stone, located 300 m (980 ft) to the northeast of the Ka'bah and it is connected to Qaiqan Mountain, marking the end of the Sa'ee. Safa, Marwah and the Masa'a (space between the two mountains) were located outside theMasjid al-Haramand were separate until the year 1955/56 (1375 AH), when the project to annex the two sites into the Masjid al-Haram was undertaken for the first time, and they were subsequently annexed.^[1]The distance between Safa and Marwa is approximately 450 m (1,480 ft), therefore, seven trips back and forth amount to roughly 3.6 km (2.2 mi).

History

Geological perspective

The individual geological history of the two mountains is relatively unknown. Marwa has been described as smoother and lighter in color than Safa, with some even calling it white, such as Majd ad-Din Ferozabadi, az-Zubaidi, al-Fayoumi. al-Alusi further went on to say that Safa's color was comparable to a tint of red. Safa and Marwa are a part of theHejaz mountain range,which run parallel to most of the Saudi coast on theRed Sea.The Hejaz themselves are part of the largerSarawatrange, which is characterized by young and jagged mountains.^[4]

Islamic narrative

InIslamictradition, the civilization of Mecca started afterIbrāhīm(Abraham) left his sonIsmāʿīl(Ishmael) and wifeHājar(Hagar) in the valley,^[5]^[6]which Muslims believe was a command by God. When their provisions were exhausted, Hajar eventually ran out of food and water and could no longer breastfeed Ismail.^[3]She thus ran back and forth seven times between Safa and Marwa hoping to find water.^[3]To make her search easier and faster, she went alone, leaving the infant on the ground. She first climbed the nearest hill, Safa, to look over the surrounding area. When she saw nothing, she then went to the other hill, Marwah, to look around. While Hagar was on either hillside, she was able to see Ishmael and know he was safe. However, when she was in the valley between the hills she was unable to see her son, and would thus run whilst in the valley and walk at a normal pace when on the hillsides. Hagar traveled back and forth between the hills seven times in the scorching heat before returning to her son. Allah then sent AngelJibril(Gabriel) to their aid and a spring of water appeared from the ground. The well was namedZamzamand the journey back and forth Safa and Marwa was made a ritual during Hajj and Umrah.^[3]The two mountains are mentioned by name in theQuran 2:158.

Before Muhammad

The earlyAnsariMuslims gave up the custom ofSa'eeseeing it as idol worship andshirkand a sign of the pre-Islamic period of ignorance (jahiliyyah). It is in this context that Verse 158 of Surah 2 was revealed (Sahih Bukhari,Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 22/23).^[7]In another narration byAbdullah Yusuf Aliin his commentary on Verse 2:158, he argues that the verse had been revealed because the pagans ofQurayshhad placed two idols atop the two hills and the Muslims felt hesitant to walk between the hills, seeing it as idol worship or as an act ofshirk.^[8]Anas ibn Malikalso said that he felt hatred in walking between the two hills as he saw it as a pre-Islamic custom from thejahiliyyahuntil Allah had revealed Verse 2:158 (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2).Aishaconfirmed the verse had been revealed with regards to the Ansar, who said it was sinful to walk between the hills as they used to visit the idolManatat Qudaid (nearMecca) in the state ofIhrambefore going about with the rituals of their pilgrimage in pre-Islamic times. Several similar reasons have been given by multiple scholars of Islam, includingal-Suyutiin his Asbab an-Nuzul^[9]andGeorge Salein his Preliminary Discourse to the Quran.^[10]

Revisionist and source critical views

Tom HollandandPatricia Crone,bothrevisionist scholars of early Islamic history,suggest that Islam might not have originated in Mecca, but rather someplace to the north, possibly in the Levant. Building on this suggestion, but taking it a step further, Paul Ellis suggests that Islam originated in or nearJerusalem.One of the main pieces of evidence for this theory is his claim that the hills referred to as Safa and Marwa in the Qur'an are actually hills in Jerusalem. According to Ellis, Marwa is MountMoriahand Safa isMount Scopus.Ellis notes thatJosephusreferred to Mount Scopus asSapha,which is phonetically identical toSafa.^[11]

Significance in the Hajj and Umrah

Performing theSa'eeserves to commemorate Hajar's search for water for her son and God's mercy in answering prayers. Two walkways guide pilgrims from Safa to Marwa, and from Marwa to Safa, with two narrower walkways in the center to serve elderly anddisabledpilgrims. The walkways between the two mountains are collectively called theMas'aa(Arabic:المسعى,romanized:al-Mas'aa,lit. 'way, place of walking') and are air-conditioned. Water pumped from the Zamzam Well is also available on the way.Sa'eeis an integral part andruknof Hajj and Umrah.

The first walkway of theMas'aaleading from Safa to Marwa
Central section reserved for the elderly and disabled
The second walkway returning from Safa to Marwa

References

^^a ^b ^cHamw, Mahmoud M.; Isa, Abdul Ghani (2019).Makkah Al-Mukarramah: History and Milestones.
^Mohamed, Mamdouh N. (1996).Hajj to Umrah: From A to Z.Amana Publications.ISBN 0-915957-54-X.
^^a ^b ^c ^d"IN PICTURES: The story of a Muslim ritual with roots dating back 5,000 years".Al Arabiya English.2018-01-06.Retrieved2020-07-06.
^Farmer, G. Thomas. (2013).Climate change science. Volume 1, The physical climate: a modern synthesis.Cook, John (Climatologist). Dordrecht: Springer.ISBN 978-94-007-5757-8.OCLC 826009050.
^Lings, Martin(1983).Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources.Islamic Texts Society.ISBN 978-0-946621-33-0.
^Glassé, Cyril (1991)."Kaaba".The Concise Encyclopedia of Islam.HarperSanFrancisco.ISBN 0-0606-3126-0.
^Bukhārī, Muḥammad ibn Ismāʻīl (1996).The English translation of Ṣaḥīḥ al Bukhārī with the Arabic text.Khan, Muhammad Muhsin. Alexandria, Va.: Al-Saadawi Publications.ISBN 1-881963-59-4.OCLC 35673415.
^The Holy Qur'an.Translated by Ali, Abdullah Yusuf. Ware.ISBN 978-1-84870-568-5.OCLC 870650664.
^as-Suyuti, Imam Jalaludin 'Abdul Rahman bin Abi Bakr (2008).Reasons and Occasions of Revelation of Quran: Asbab Nuzul.Beirut:Dar al-Kotob al-Ilmiyah (DKI). p. 27.ISBN 9782745184108.
^Wherry, Elwood Morris (2019).A Comprehensive Commentary on the Qurán: Comprising Sale's Translation and Preliminary Discourse.p. 22.ISBN 9783337821944.
^d &#39, Paul D.; Ellis, A."Jerusalem, City of Islam by Paul D d'A Ellis".{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links

[:0-1] Hamw, Mahmoud M.; Isa, Abdul Ghani (2019).Makkah Al-Mukarramah: History and Milestones.

[AtoZ-2] Mohamed, Mamdouh N. (1996).Hajj to Umrah: From A to Z.Amana Publications.ISBN 0-915957-54-X.

[:1-3] "IN PICTURES: The story of a Muslim ritual with roots dating back 5,000 years".Al Arabiya English.2018-01-06.Retrieved2020-07-06.

[4] Farmer, G. Thomas. (2013).Climate change science. Volume 1, The physical climate: a modern synthesis.Cook, John (Climatologist). Dordrecht: Springer.ISBN 978-94-007-5757-8.OCLC 826009050.

[Lings1983-5] Lings, Martin(1983).Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources.Islamic Texts Society.ISBN 978-0-946621-33-0.

[Glasse1991-6] Glassé, Cyril (1991)."Kaaba".The Concise Encyclopedia of Islam.HarperSanFrancisco.ISBN 0-0606-3126-0.

[7] Bukhārī, Muḥammad ibn Ismāʻīl (1996).The English translation of Ṣaḥīḥ al Bukhārī with the Arabic text.Khan, Muhammad Muhsin. Alexandria, Va.: Al-Saadawi Publications.ISBN 1-881963-59-4.OCLC 35673415.

[8] The Holy Qur'an.Translated by Ali, Abdullah Yusuf. Ware.ISBN 978-1-84870-568-5.OCLC 870650664.

[9] s-Suyuti, Imam Jalaludin 'Abdul Rahman bin Abi Bakr (2008).Reasons and Occasions of Revelation of Quran: Asbab Nuzul.Beirut:Dar al-Kotob al-Ilmiyah (DKI). p. 27.ISBN 9782745184108.

[10] Wherry, Elwood Morris (2019).A Comprehensive Commentary on the Qurán: Comprising Sale's Translation and Preliminary Discourse.p. 22.ISBN 9783337821944.

[11] &#39, Paul D.; Ellis, A."Jerusalem, City of Islam by Paul D d'A Ellis".{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[12] Shared with the UAE

[13] Also regarded as being of the Western Hajar

[14] Also regarded as being of the Western Hajar

[15] Shared with the UAE

[16] Shared with the UAE

[17] Sensu lato,shared with Yemen

[18] Shared with Yemen

[19] Sensu lato

[20] Sensu lato

[21] Shared with Oman

[22] Shared with Oman

[23] Highest mountain in the UAE, but the peak is in Oman

[24] Due to the peak of Jebel Jais being in Oman, this mountain has the highest confirmed peak in the UAE

[25] Shared with Oman

[26] Shared with Oman

[27] Shared with Saudi Arabia

[28] Highest confirmed peak in the Arabian Peninsula

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v t e Hajj
Every year, from the eighth to the twelfth day ofDhu al-Hijjah.
Preparation	Ihram Miqat Al-Juhfah Dhu'l-Hulayfah Masjid 'A'ishah,At-Tan'im Qarnul-Manazil,As-Sayl Yalamlam
Sequence	Tawaf Zamzam Well Safa and Marwa Mina Mount Arafat Muzdalifah Rami al-Jamarat Eid al-Adha Tawaf al-Ifadah Tawaf al-Wida
Mosques	Great Mosque of Mecca Prophet's Mosque Miqat Dhu al-Hulayfah Rabigh
Related	Mahmal Road to Makkah
History

v t e Articles aboutMecca
History	Timeline Quraysh Muhammad and Muslim state Rashidun Caliphate Umayyad Empire Abbasid Empire Mamluk Sultanate Ottoman Empire First Saudi State Saudi Arabia
Landmarks and places	Al-Masjid Al-Ḥarām Maqām Ibrāhīm Kaaba Black Stone Safa and Marwah Zamzam Well Abraj Al Bait Towers Jabal al-Nur Cave of Hira Jabal Thawr Mina Jamarat Bridge Muzdalifah Mount Arafat Jannat al-Mu'alla Bawabat Makkah
Education	Umm al-Qura University
Sports	Al-Wehda FC
Transport	Haramain High Speed Rail Project Mecca Metro Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro
Pilgrimage	Ḥajj ‘Umrah Sa‘ī
Category Commons News Quotes Voyage

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