۞ إِنَّ ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنْ حَجَّ ٱلْبَيْتَ أَوِ ٱعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا ۚ وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ 158
Translations
Indeed, aṣ-Ṣafā and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allāh. So whoever makes ḥajj [pilgrimage] to the House or performs ʿumrah - there is no blame upon him for walking between them. And whoever volunteers good - then indeed, Allāh is Appreciative and Knowing.
Transliteration
Inna al-safa wa-al-marwata min shaʿāʾiri Allāh, faman hajja al-bayta awi iʿtamara falā junāha ʿalayhi an yattawwafa bihimā, wa-man tatawwaʿa khayran fa-inna Allāha shākir ʿalīm.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that Safa and Marwa are among the sacred rites (shaʿāʾir) of Allah, and declares that there is no sin upon the pilgrim who performs Tawaf (circumambulation) between these two hills during Hajj or ʿUmrah. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this ayah addresses a pre-Islamic custom where some believers hesitated to perform this rite due to its association with pagan rituals, clarifying its legitimacy in Islamic worship. The concluding phrase emphasizes Allah's gratitude and knowledge of sincere voluntary deeds, encouraging believers to go beyond obligatory acts with excellence (ihsān).
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed during the Medinan period to address specific concerns among early Muslims about the Tawaf between Safa and Marwa. Historically, pagan Arabs had placed idols on these hills during the Jāhiliyyah, causing some Muslim converts to feel uncomfortable performing this rite. The ayah clarifies that the rite itself is from Allah's ordinances and legitimate in Islam despite its pre-Islamic associations.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim (1218): ʿĀʾishah reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed Tawaf between Safa and Marwa during his ʿUmrah. Sahih Bukhari (1643): The Prophet clarified that performing Tawaf between Safa and Marwa (al-Saʿy) is part of the rites of Hajj and ʿUmrah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to distinguish between pre-Islamic customs and Islamic religious practices, understanding that an act's previous pagan association does not render it forbidden if Allah has ordained it. It also reminds us that Allah values and rewards sincere effort and voluntary excellence in worship, encouraging us to perform acts of devotion with genuine intention and continuous striving beyond minimum requirements.
Related Ayahs
أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ
Do you not know that to Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and [that] you have not besides Allāh any protector or any helper?
كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ إِن تَرَكَ خَيْرًا ٱلْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۖ حَقًّا عَلَى ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
Prescribed for you when death approaches [any] one of you if he leaves wealth [is that he should make] a bequest for the parents and near relatives according to what is acceptable - a duty upon the righteous.
وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَا تَتْلُوا۟ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَـٰنَ ۖ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَـٰنُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَـٰرُوتَ وَمَـٰرُوتَ ۚ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَآ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ ۖ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِۦ بَيْنَ ٱلْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِۦ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ ۚ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا۟ لَمَنِ ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَـٰقٍ ۚ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ
And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Hārūt and Mārūt. But they [i.e., the two angels] do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic]." And [yet] they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife. But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allāh. And they [i.e., people] learn what harms them and does not benefit them. But they [i.e., the Children of Israel] certainly knew that whoever purchased it [i.e., magic] would not have in the Hereafter any share. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they only knew.
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَـٰقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ ٱلطُّورَ خُذُوا۟ مَآ ءَاتَيْنَـٰكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَٱسْمَعُوا۟ ۖ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَأُشْرِبُوا۟ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ ۚ قُلْ بِئْسَمَا يَأْمُرُكُم بِهِۦٓ إِيمَـٰنُكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
And [recall] when We took your covenant and raised over you the mount, [saying], "Take what We have given you with determination and listen." They said [instead], "We hear and disobey." And their hearts absorbed [the worship of] the calf because of their disbelief. Say, "How wretched is that which your faith enjoins upon you, if you should be believers."