Sahih al-Bukhari 1585 (Book 25, Hadith 125)
Narrated `Urwa: I asked `Aisha : “How do you interpret the statement of Allah,. : Verily! (the mountains) As-Safa and
Al-Marwa are among the symbols of Allah, and whoever performs the Hajj to the Ka`ba or performs
`Umra, it is not harmful for him to perform Tawaf between them (Safa and Marwa.) (2.158). By
Allah! (it is evident from this revelation) there is no harm if one does not perform Tawaf between Safa
and Marwa.” `Aisha said, “O, my nephew! Your interpretation is not true. Had this interpretation of
yours been correct, the statement of Allah should have been, ‘It is not harmful for him if he does not
perform Tawaf between them.’ But in fact, this divine inspiration was revealed concerning the Ansar
who used to assume lhram for worship ping an idol called “Manat” which they used to worship at a
place called Al-Mushallal before they embraced Islam, and whoever assumed Ihram (for the idol),
would consider it not right to perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa.
When they embraced Islam, they asked Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) regarding it, saying, “O Allah’s
Apostle! We used to refrain from Tawaf between Safa and Marwa.” So Allah revealed: ‘Verily; (the
mountains) As-Safa and Al-Marwa are among the symbols of Allah.’ ” Aisha added, “Surely, Allah’s
Apostle set the tradition of Tawaf between Safa and Marwa, so nobody is allowed to omit the Tawaf
between them.” Later on I (`Urwa) told Abu Bakr bin `Abdur-Rahman (of `Aisha’s narration) and he
said, ‘I have not heard of such information, but I heard learned men saying that all the people, except
those whom `Aisha mentioned and who used to assume lhram for the sake of Manat, used to perform
Tawaf between Safa and Marwa.
When Allah referred to the Tawaf of the Ka`ba and did not mention Safa and Marwa in the Qur’an, the
people asked, ‘O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! We used to perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa and Allah has
revealed (the verses concerning) Tawaf of the Ka`ba and has not mentioned Safa and Marwa. Is there
any harm if we perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa?’ So Allah revealed: “Verily As-Safa and Al-
Marwa are among the symbols of Allah.” Abu Bakr said, “It seems that this verse was revealed
concerning the two groups, those who used to refrain from Tawaf between Safa and Marwa in the Pre-
Islamic Period of ignorance and those who used to perform the Tawaf then, and after embracing Islam
they refrained from the Tawaf between them as Allah had enjoined Tawaf of the Ka`ba and did not
mention Tawaf (of Safa and Marwa) till later after mentioning the Tawaf of the Ka`ba.’
Al-Marwa are among the symbols of Allah, and whoever performs the Hajj to the Ka`ba or performs
`Umra, it is not harmful for him to perform Tawaf between them (Safa and Marwa.) (2.158). By
Allah! (it is evident from this revelation) there is no harm if one does not perform Tawaf between Safa
and Marwa.” `Aisha said, “O, my nephew! Your interpretation is not true. Had this interpretation of
yours been correct, the statement of Allah should have been, ‘It is not harmful for him if he does not
perform Tawaf between them.’ But in fact, this divine inspiration was revealed concerning the Ansar
who used to assume lhram for worship ping an idol called “Manat” which they used to worship at a
place called Al-Mushallal before they embraced Islam, and whoever assumed Ihram (for the idol),
would consider it not right to perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa.
When they embraced Islam, they asked Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) regarding it, saying, “O Allah’s
Apostle! We used to refrain from Tawaf between Safa and Marwa.” So Allah revealed: ‘Verily; (the
mountains) As-Safa and Al-Marwa are among the symbols of Allah.’ ” Aisha added, “Surely, Allah’s
Apostle set the tradition of Tawaf between Safa and Marwa, so nobody is allowed to omit the Tawaf
between them.” Later on I (`Urwa) told Abu Bakr bin `Abdur-Rahman (of `Aisha’s narration) and he
said, ‘I have not heard of such information, but I heard learned men saying that all the people, except
those whom `Aisha mentioned and who used to assume lhram for the sake of Manat, used to perform
Tawaf between Safa and Marwa.
When Allah referred to the Tawaf of the Ka`ba and did not mention Safa and Marwa in the Qur’an, the
people asked, ‘O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! We used to perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa and Allah has
revealed (the verses concerning) Tawaf of the Ka`ba and has not mentioned Safa and Marwa. Is there
any harm if we perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa?’ So Allah revealed: “Verily As-Safa and Al-
Marwa are among the symbols of Allah.” Abu Bakr said, “It seems that this verse was revealed
concerning the two groups, those who used to refrain from Tawaf between Safa and Marwa in the Pre-
Islamic Period of ignorance and those who used to perform the Tawaf then, and after embracing Islam
they refrained from the Tawaf between them as Allah had enjoined Tawaf of the Ka`ba and did not
mention Tawaf (of Safa and Marwa) till later after mentioning the Tawaf of the Ka`ba.’
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ عُرْوَةُ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا أَرَأَيْتِ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى {إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ فَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا} فَوَاللَّهِ مَا عَلَى أَحَدٍ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ لاَ يَطُوفَ بِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ. قَالَتْ بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتَ يَا ابْنَ أُخْتِي إِنَّ هَذِهِ لَوْ كَانَتْ كَمَا أَوَّلْتَهَا عَلَيْهِ كَانَتْ لاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ لاَ يَتَطَوَّفَ بِهِمَا، وَلَكِنَّهَا أُنْزِلَتْ فِي الأَنْصَارِ، كَانُوا قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسْلِمُوا يُهِلُّونَ لِمَنَاةَ الطَّاغِيَةِ الَّتِي كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَهَا عِنْدَ الْمُشَلَّلِ، فَكَانَ مَنْ أَهَلَّ يَتَحَرَّجُ أَنْ يَطُوفَ بِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ، فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمُوا سَأَلُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ ذَلِكَ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنَّا كُنَّا نَتَحَرَّجُ أَنْ نَطُوفَ بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ} الآيَةَ. قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ وَقَدْ سَنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الطَّوَافَ بَيْنَهُمَا، فَلَيْسَ لأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَتْرُكَ الطَّوَافَ بَيْنَهُمَا. ثُمَّ أَخْبَرْتُ أَبَا بَكْرِ بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا لَعِلْمٌ مَا كُنْتُ سَمِعْتُهُ، وَلَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ رِجَالاً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ، يَذْكُرُونَ أَنَّ النَّاسَ إِلاَّ مَنْ ذَكَرَتْ عَائِشَةُ مِمَّنْ كَانَ يُهِلُّ بِمَنَاةَ، كَانُوا يَطُوفُونَ كُلُّهُمْ بِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ، فَلَمَّا ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى الطَّوَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ، وَلَمْ يَذْكُرِ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كُنَّا نَطُوفُ بِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَنْزَلَ الطَّوَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ، فَلَمْ يَذْكُرِ الصَّفَا فَهَلْ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ حَرَجٍ أَنْ نَطَّوَّفَ بِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ} الآيَةَ. قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَأَسْمَعُ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ نَزَلَتْ فِي الْفَرِيقَيْنِ كِلَيْهِمَا فِي الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَتَحَرَّجُونَ أَنْ يَطُوفُوا بِالْجَاهِلِيَّةِ بِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ، وَالَّذِينَ يَطُوفُونَ ثُمَّ تَحَرَّجُوا أَنْ يَطُوفُوا بِهِمَا فِي الإِسْلاَمِ مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى أَمَرَ بِالطَّوَافِ بِالْبَيْتِ، وَلَمْ يَذْكُرِ الصَّفَا حَتَّى ذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ بَعْدَ مَا ذَكَرَ الطَّوَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1585 (Book 25, Hadith 125)
The above hadith is from the Sahih al-Buhari collection of hadiths. Sahih al-Bukhari is more than just a book; it is a meticulously curated archive of the Prophet’s Sunnah. Compiled by Imam al-Bukhārī over sixteen years, its completion around 847 CE was a landmark event in Islamic history. Its inclusion in the Kutub al-Sittah solidifies its canonical importance alongside five other major collections. The text’s enduring influence stems from its author’s unparalleled effort to verify each narration, resulting in a trusted compilation of 7,563 hadiths organized into 97 chapters that serve as a definitive guide for millions of believers.
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For more Hadith in Book 25: Hajj (Pilgrimage)