It is established from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that, after completing tawaf, he would proceed towards Maqam Ibrahim and recite the following part of the verse:
وَاتَّخِذُواْ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى
[Wattakhidhu mim maqami Ibrahima musalla]
Take Maqam Ibrahim as a place of prayer.
Then, placing Maqam Ibrahim between himself and the Ka‘bah, he would offer two rak‘ahs of salah. In the first rak‘ah, after Surah al-Fatihah, he would recite Surah al-Kafirun, and in the second rak‘ah, after Surah al-Fatihah, he would recite Surah al-Ikhlas.[1]
A mistake some people make in this regard is their misconception that these two rak‘ahs of salah must be offered close to Maqam Ibrahim. As a result, they create a large crowd there, especially during the crowded seasons of Hajj and Ramadan, causing hardship to those performing tawaf and greatly obstructing their path. This belief of theirs is incorrect, because it is sufficient to offer this salah anywhere in Masjid al-Haram. It is also possible to offer the salah at a distance from Maqam Ibrahim while keeping it between oneself and the Ka‘bah. In this way, one can avoid causing hardship to oneself or anyone else and can perform the salah with humility and tranquillity. It would therefore be very good if those responsible for Masjid al-Haram prevented people who offer salah close behind Maqam Ibrahim and thereby cause hardship to those performing tawaf, and informed them that being close to Maqam Ibrahim is not a condition for the two rak‘ahs of salah after tawaf.
Another mistake made in this regard is that some people unnecessarily offer many prayers behind Maqam Ibrahim, even though those who have completed tawaf need that space to offer their salah.
Another mistake made here is that, after the two rak‘ahs of salah, the leader of some people begins making a collective du‘a with them in a loud voice. This disturbs the prayers of those offering salah there and wrongs them. Yet Allah Almighty says:
ادْعُواْ رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعاً وَخُفْيَةً إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ
Call upon your Lord humbly and secretly. Indeed, He does not love the transgressors.[2]
Ascending Safa and Marwah, making du‘a upon them, running between the two green lights, and the mistakes some people make in this regard
It is established from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that when he approached Mount Safa, he would recite this verse:
إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ اللّهِ
[Innas-Safa wal-Marwata min sha‘a’irillah]
Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.[3]
He would then ascend Mount Safa until he could see the Ka‘bah. He would then face the qiblah, raise both hands, praise Allah, and make whatever du‘a he wished. At that time, he would proclaim Allah’s oneness and greatness with the following declaration of tawhid:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ
[La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir. La ilaha illallahu wahdahu, anjaza wa‘dahu, wa nasara ‘abdahu, wa hazamal ahzaba wahdahu]
There is no true deity except Allah, who is One and has no partner. To Him belongs all sovereignty, and to Him belongs all praise, and He has power over all things. There is no true deity except Allah. He fulfilled His promise, helped His servant, and alone defeated all the confederates of falsehood.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) would recite the above declaration three times and make du‘a in between. After making du‘a, he would descend on foot and run in the area between the two green lights. After passing that area, he would walk until he reached Marwah, and on Marwah he would do the same as he had done on Safa.[4]
A mistake some people performing sa‘i make here is that when they ascend Safa and Marwah, they face the qiblah, say the takbir (Allahu Akbar) three times, and gesture by raising both hands as they do in salah. They then descend and begin walking. However, this is contrary to the Sunnah narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him). They should follow the Sunnah if possible; otherwise, they should leave it. But they must not perform any innovated act that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not perform.
Another mistake some people performing sa‘i make is that they run from beginning to end between Safa and Marwah. This is contrary to the Sunnah, because running during sa‘i is Sunnah only in the area between the two green lights. In the remaining area, sa‘i should be performed by walking normally. Such mistakes are generally made out of ignorance or in an attempt to complete the sa‘i hastily. (May Allah Almighty guide them to what is right.)
Another mistake is that some women run between the two green lights just as men do. However, running is not Sunnah for women; rather, they should walk normally. The evidence for this is the hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: There is no ramal around the House of Allah for women, nor is there any running for them between Safa and Marwah.
Another mistake is that some people performing sa‘i recite this statement of Allah Almighty:
إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ اللّهِ
[Innas-Safa wal-Marwata min sha‘a’irillah]
every time they ascend Safa and Marwah. However, the Sunnah is to recite it only upon reaching Safa for the first time. Another mistake is that some people performing sa‘i recite a fixed, prescribed du‘a in each circuit, for which there is no basis. Therefore, this is an innovation.
[1]. Sahih: Muslim 1218, Sunan al-Darimi 1892, al-Nasa’i 2953.
[2]. Surah al-A‘raf: 55
[3]. Surah al-Baqarah 2:158
[4]. Sahih Muslim 1218.
Hajj, Umrah and Visiting Madinah in the Light of the Qur’an and Hadith — Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him)