Sa‘i Step-by-Step: Walking Between Safa and Marwah

Seven trips, not fourteen. Where to jog, what to recite, and rules for the elderly.

Last updated 5 June 2026 · Written by the Umrah Companion team · Disputed rulings are flagged for qualified scholarly review

Sa‘i is the second pillar of Umrah after Tawaf. It commemorates Hajar’s desperate search for water for her infant Isma‘il — a re-enactment of total reliance on Allah. The mechanics confuse many pilgrims, especially the question of whether it is seven trips or fourteen.

How many trips — 7 or 14?

Sa‘i is seven trips. Each one-way walk is one trip. Safa → Marwah is trip 1. Marwah → Safa is trip 2. The seventh trip ends at Marwah. If you find yourself ending at Safa, you have only done six.

The full round trip (Safa → Marwah → Safa) is two trips, not one. This is the single most common Sa‘i mistake.

At Safa — what to do

Climb a little up on Safa (or stand at the base if you cannot). Face the Ka‘bah. Raise your hands and recite: “Innas-Safa wal-Marwata min sha‘a’irillah, faman hajja al-bayta aw i‘tamara fala junaha ‘alayhi an yattawwafa bihima, wa man tatawwa‘a khayran fa-innallaha shakirun ‘alim.” (Qur’an 2:158).

Then say “Allahu Akbar” three times and the dua: “La ilaha illallah, wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamd, yuhyi wa yumit, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir. La ilaha illallah, wahdahu, anjaza wa‘dah, wa nasara ‘abdah, wa hazama al-ahzaba wahdah.” Then make personal dua.

Repeat the same takbir and dua at Marwah at the end of each trip. Personal dua in between is encouraged.

The green markers — when men jog

Two green pillars mark a stretch on the path between Safa and Marwah. This is the area where Hajar ran searching for water. Men jog briskly between the green markers in every trip. Outside the markers, men walk normally.

Women walk at a normal pace throughout. They do not jog at the green markers.

Rest, illness, and wheelchairs

You may sit and rest at any point. Drink Zamzam (it is available throughout the Mas‘a). If the iqamah is called, pray with the congregation and resume Sa‘i afterward from where you stopped.

Wheelchair levels are available — push yourself or be pushed. There is no reduction in reward for genuine need: “Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.”

Tahallul — exiting Ihram

After completing the seventh trip at Marwah, Sa‘i is done. Proceed to Halq (shaving) or Taqsir (trimming) — this is the final act that exits Ihram. Men may use the barbershops located inside the Marwah area; women trim discreetly at their accommodation.

Sources & further reading

Where scholars differ, we follow the majority position and note significant differences. Always consult a qualified local scholar for personal rulings.