Conditions for a valid Sa'i (Shurut sihhat al-Sa'i)
Shurūṭ Ṣiḥḥat al-Saʿy bayna al-Ṣafā wa al-Marwah
Overview
These are the conditions for a valid sa'i — among them performing it after a valid tawaf, completing all seven traverses, and beginning at Safa and ending at Marwah. Only seven traverses are prescribed; extra ones are not a sunnah.
Qur'an
إِنَّ ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنْ حَجَّ ٱلْبَيْتَ أَوِ ٱعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا'Indeed, al-Safa and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. So whoever makes Hajj to the House or performs 'Umrah — there is no blame upon him for walking between them (an yattawwafa bihima).'
إِنَّ ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنْ حَجَّ ٱلْبَيْتَ أَوِ ٱعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَاReference · Qur'an 2:158
Hadith
- •أَبْدَأُ بِمَا بَدَأَ اللَّهُ بِهِ...فَبَدَأَ بِالصَّفَا...حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ آخِرُ طَوَافِهِ عَلَى الْمَرْوَةِ'I begin with that which Allah began with' — then he began at al-Safa ... until his last traverse ended at al-Marwah. (Part of the same hadith in which he said 'Take your rites of pilgrimage from me.')Reference · Sahih Muslim 1218aGrade · Sahih (Sahih Muslim; Jabir's (RA) Farewell-Hajj narration)
- •ابْدَؤُوا بِمَا بَدَأَ اللَّهُ بِهِBegin with that which Allah began with — i.e. begin the sa'i at al-Safa, as Allah mentioned it first in Q 2:158.Reference · Sunan an-Nasa'i 2962Grade · Sahih (Jabir's (RA) 'begin with what Allah began with' report; also in Sahih Muslim)
- •اسْعَوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ عَلَيْكُمُ السَّعْيَShe saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) performing sa'i between al-Safa and al-Marwah, saying: 'Perform sa'i, for Allah has prescribed sa'i upon you.'Reference · Musnad Ahmad 6/421Grade · Graded sahih by al-Albani (Irwa' al-Ghalil 1072); the chain is weakened by some but strengthened via corroborating routes (the Habibah bint Abi Tijrah (RA) hadith)
For Umrah
Unchanged for 'Umrah, with one clause doing the work: the sa'i must be preceded by a valid tawaf, which in 'Umrah means tawaf al-'Umrah specifically. Purity is not a condition of sa'i on the majority view, so a woman whose menses begin after she has completed her tawaf still performs her sa'i and completes her 'Umrah.
Applies to
All three Hajj types (Tamattu', Qiran, Ifrad) and 'Umrah. Count difference: a Mutamatti' performs sa'i twice — once after tawaf al-'umrah and again after tawaf al-ifadah for Hajj — because there are two separate ihrams. A Qarin or Mufrid performs sa'i once, either after tawaf al-qudum (then not repeated after tawaf al-ifadah) or after tawaf al-ifadah.
If missed
If a mechanical condition is missing — fewer than seven traverses, starting at Marwah instead of Safa, not covering the full distance between the two hills, or performing sa'i before a valid tawaf — the sa'i is invalid and must be repeated. Because sa'i is a pillar for the majority (Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali), the Hajj/'Umrah is not complete and the pilgrim remains in ihram until a valid sa'i is performed; it cannot be compensated by a dam. Per the Hanafi school (sa'i = wajib) an invalid or omitted sa'i does not void the Hajj but obligates a dam (or sadaqah for a minor deficiency of three or fewer traverses).
Timing & place
Not clock-bound. Sa'i is valid only after a preceding valid tawaf, and once performed it does not expire. For 'Umrah it follows tawaf al-'umrah; for the Hajj sa'i it follows tawaf al-ifadah, or may be brought forward to after tawaf al-qudum for those doing Qiran or Ifrad. There is no fixed time of day.
The mas'a — the enclosed gallery between the two hills of al-Safa and al-Marwah, now incorporated within al-Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. Odd-numbered traverses begin at al-Safa; even-numbered ones begin at al-Marwah.
Common mistakes
- •Miscounting by treating a full round-trip (Safa to Marwah and back) as a single traverse, which makes the seventh end at al-Safa instead of al-Marwah
- •Beginning the sa'i at al-Marwah rather than al-Safa
- •Not covering the full distance to the base of each hill
- •Performing sa'i before a valid tawaf (invalid)
- •Believing wudu/purity is a condition and needlessly delaying or repeating sa'i
- •Women performing the men-only brisk jog between the green lights
Across the madhabs
Point of divergence: The four schools agree on the core mechanical conditions (seven traverses, begin at Safa/end at Marwah, cover the full distance, performed after a valid tawaf). They diverge chiefly over (a) whether continuity between the traverses (muwalat) is a condition of validity, and (b) whether performing it on foot is a condition, wajib, or neither. All four agree ritual purity is not a condition. Genuine divergence: muwalat is a condition of validity for Maliki and Hanbali but only a sunnah for Hanafi and Shafi'i; walking is wajib for Maliki (dam if omitted without excuse) but merely sunnah for the others. Unlike the conditions of tawaf, there is near-consensus across all four schools that taharah (wudu/ghusl) and covering the 'awrah are not conditions of sa'i's validity.
- •Hanafi: Sa'i is wajib (not a rukn). Its conditions: preceded by a (even partial/most-of-a) valid tawaf, seven traverses beginning at Safa. Muwalat (continuity) and walking for the able are sunnah, not conditions; omitting most of the sa'i obligates a dam, omitting a minority of traverses obligates sadaqah. Purity is not required.
- •Maliki: Sa'i is a rukn. Muwalat (continuity) between the traverses is a condition of validity, as is its being immediately preceded by a valid tawaf (tartib). Walking for one who is able is wajib (dam if omitted without excuse). A niyyah is required. Purity is recommended but not a condition.
- •Shafi'i: Sa'i is a rukn. Conditions: preceded by a valid tawaf, seven complete traverses, begin at Safa and end at Marwah, cover the whole distance. Muwalat is sunnah, not a condition (a sa'i may be resumed after interruption). Walking is sunnah. Purity is sunnah, not a condition.
- •Hanbali: Sa'i is a rukn (relied-upon view). Muwalat/tartib (continuity and doing it after a valid tawaf) is required; seven traverses beginning at Safa. Walking for the able is sunnah/preferred. Purity is recommended, not a condition.
Notes
Adding an eighth traverse or extra rounds is not prescribed; only seven are done. Ascending al-Safa and al-Marwah, facing the Ka'bah, raising the hands, reciting 'Inna al-Safa wa al-Marwah min sha'a'ir Allah — abda'u bima bada'a Allahu bihi' on the first ascent, and du'a/dhikr on the hills, are recommended (sunan/adab), not conditions of validity. The Hajj sa'i is often paired with the tahallul sequence indirectly: it is part of a valid tawaf al-ifadah + sa'i that completes Hajj. See linked items 'sai', 'shurut-tawaf', 'tawaf-ifadah', 'tawaf-qudum', and 'tahallul-first'/'tahallul-second'.