After performing the tawaf prayer, the muhrim should embark upon say between the two famous hills of Safa and Marwah.

Say refers to beginning at Safa going towards Marwah, and returning again to Safa.

The say between Safa and Marwah should be performed seven times, each of which is called shawt. That is to say, going from Safa to Marwah is one shawt, while returning from Marwah to Safa is another.

It is obligatory to begin the say, at Safa and end the seventh shawt at Marwah.

It is obligatory to perform the say after tawaf and its prayer.

If the distance between Safa and Marwah is made into two or several layers or strata, all of which are between the two hills, the pilgrim can engage in say from each layer or stratum.

It is obligatory to turn the face toward Marwah while going and to turn the face toward Safa while returning.

Say can be delayed after tawaf and its prayer to rest or proceed when the weather gets cool. Say can be delayed until the night without any excuse.

Say cannot be delayed until next day, unless there is a valid excuse.

Say is an act of worship and should be performed with pure niyyah for the satisfaction of Almighty Allah (SwT). If due to the forgetfulness of Hajj pilgrim increases the number of ashwat of the say by one shawt or more, his say is valid.

If he mistakenly performs less ashwat than required, he has to complete it whenever he recalls his mistake. In case he has gone to his homeland, he should return and perform it, if this does not cause him distress. If he cannot return or if returning involves distress, he should hire a naib.

If he forgets to perform the say in Umrah Tamattu, conceives that his Umrah rites have been completed, removes ihram, and then has intercourse with his wife, he should return and complete the say. Based on necessary precaution, he should offer a cow as kaffarah

Secondary Issues Related To The Say

In case the pilgrim knows he should perform the say between Safa and Marwah seven times and begins from Safa with this intention but regards each instance of going and returning as one shawt, consequently performing fourteen ashwat, his say is acceptable, based on the aqwa.

If while performing the say he doubts the number of the shawt but continues the say and then comes to certainty and completes it, his say will be correct.

Haidh women who hire a naib for tawaf should personally perform the say, as the site of the say is not a mosque. They should also observe the order of tawaf and say.

The precept for mistakenly increasing the number of ashwat in say also applies to unknowingly performing more ashwat than required in say.

Question 1: A person was performing say. Suddenly he realized that the section marked for harwalah had been passed at normal speed. He conceived that harwalah was imperative and thus returned and assumed harwalah to go through those parts he had passed at normal speed. Is his say correct?

Answer: This should not be done with ikhtiyari. But in the aforementioned case, his say is correct, and he shoulders no obligation. Nevertheless, based on precaution, he should complete the say.

Question 2: A person performed say between Safa and Marwah five times, comprising a total of ten ashwat. When he realized what he had done, he stopped his say right there and then. He subsequently performed taqsir. Is his say correct or not?

Answer: His say is correct.

Question 3: While engaged in say a pilgrim doubts the number of the ashwat but nevertheless continues his say, trying to record the ashwat. After pondering and engaging in say for 100 meters or proceeding with the next shawt, he gains certitude about the number of the shawt. He completes the rest of the say with certitude. Is his say correct or not?

Answer: Yes, his say is correct and valid.