How far is Safa from Marwa?

Safa and Marwa are among the sacred sites that share a great association with the history of Islam. These two hills are present within the premises of the Great Mosque of Makkah i.e., Masjid-al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The hills of Safa and Marwa hold exceptional spiritual and religious significance for Muslims because pilgrims arriving for the Hajj and Umrah rituals through Umrah packages UK observe Sayee between them.

Sayee is one of the four fundamental rites of Umrah. The performance of Sayee is essential to make the pilgrimage valid. Therefore, pilgrims are required to adhere to specific guidelines for observing Sayee between Safa and Marwa. Not only it includes wearing ceremonial clothes and assuming Ihram but also physically laborious tasks to complete the ritual.

Location.

Safa and Marwa are present within the main complex of Masjid-al-Haram, relatively closer to the Holy Kaaba.

The hill of Safa remains located on the southern side of the Holy Kaabah, while on the northern side of the Holy Kaabah is Marwa Hill.

Distance.

The distance between Safa and Marwa Hill is nearly 450 meters (or 1,480 feet), marked by designated markers along the path. Therefore, guiding the pilgrims during the performance of the Sayee ritual.

Note that this distance is for one side i.e., either from Safah to Marwah or Marwah to Safah.

Sayee Ritual.

Sayee rituals can be defined as the process of walking and/or running between the hills of Safa and Marwa inside Masjid-al-Haram’s boundary.

The ritual is a reenactment of the actions performed by Hajar (the wife of the Ibrahim AS) as she was searching for water for her infant son Ismail (AS) in between the barren valley of Makkah.

Historical Significance.

As per Allah’s command, Ibrahim (AS) left Hajar and his infant baby Ismail (AS) in the valley of Makkah as a test. They faced extreme hardship as there was no food or water in the barren land.

When Hazrat Ismail (AS) become thirsty, Hajar ran back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times to find any Karavan passing by to get water but did not succeed. After her seventh round, the Zamzam Well miraculously sprang near the feet of Hazrat Ismail (AS). Thus, providing them with a continuous supply of water.

Therefore, the Sayee ritual is performed in remembrance of Hajar’s perseverance and trust in Allah Almighty’s help during her difficult situation.

Sayee Process.

The Sayee ritual is started by the pilgrims as they climb Safa Hill facing the Holy Kaaba. Upon reaching, they raise their hands, make supplications, and then proceed toward Marwa. At Marwa, the same process is repeated.

Hence, this back-and-forth movement between Safa and Marwa is repeated seven times in such a manner that it starts at Safa and ends at Marwa i.e., covering a total distance of 3.15 kilometres (450 meters x 7 rounds).

Importance.

The Sa’i ritual holds exceptional religious, spiritual, and symbolic meanings for Muslims as well as serves as a reminder of faith, patience, and reliance on Allah during difficult times.

Accessibility.

Both Safa and Marwa Hill remain open to pilgrims throughout the year but excluding the days of Hajj. The area around these hills is also subject to huge crowds during busy times.

On average, a person can complete the seven rounds of the Sayee ritual within 30 to 45 minutes. However, the time can significantly vary depending upon the;

• Individual pace.
• Physical health limits.
• Age of the pilgrim.
• Time of the day.

Though it is recommended to complete the Sayee ritual individually on foot, one can also take a wheelchair (if needed due to health and age constraints). If you have any handicapped pilgrim then you should ask your Travel Agency to add the wheelchair Assistance with your flight and Hotel.

To conclude, we can say that Safa and Marwa are two hills present in Masjid-al-Haram with an approximate distance of 450 meters between them.