Is It Valid To Only Climb Partially up Mount al-Safa During ‘Umra?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

My father and I differ in the manhaj we follow and many times in fiqh also. To not cause further fitna from our differences (as has happened in the past), I try not to dispute with my father now vocally and disagree with him in my heart.

In our recent ‘umra, we started the sa’i from al-safa at the beginning of the distance between al-safa and al-marwa which I thought at the time, we were meant to start at the top of al-safa for the sa’i to be valid.

So I didn’t dispute and just thought to myself I will make the intention to start the true sa’i at the second lap of our “invalid” sa’i and break that “invalid” sa’i intention. But I couldn’t accomplish 7 laps (did only 6), from fear of dispute. Is my ‘umra valid?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

Running between Mount al-safa and al-marwa is a necessary act of ‘umra. Although it is obligatory, the ‘umra is still valid, even if one, hypothetically speaking, missed a single passing between al-safa and al-marwa.

Climbing up al-safa and al-marwa is an emphasized sunna. Not climbing up is somewhat disliked, if only once or twice; if it is left many times without excuse it is prohibitively disliked, although its valid still. In this case, no expiation is required. [Ibn al-Humam, Fath al-Qadir, citing the Bada’i]

Hope this helps
Allah knows best

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he then completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and a number of texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.

وَفِي الْبَدَائِعِ: الصُّعُودُ عَلَى الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ سُنَّةٌ فَيُكْرَهُ تَرْكُهُ وَلَا شَيْءَ عَلَيْهِ، وَيَقُولُ فِي هُبُوطِهِ ” اللَّهُمَّ اسْتَعْمِلْنِي بِسُنَّةِ نَبِيِّك وَتَوَفَّنِي عَلَى مِلَّتِهِ، وَأَعِذْنِي مِنْ مُضِلَّاتِ الْفِتَنِ بِرَحْمَتِك يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ ” فَإِذَا وَصَلَ إلَى بَطْنِ الْوَادِي بَيْنَ الْمِيلَيْنِ الْأَخْضَرَيْنِ قَالَ ” رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَتَجَاوَزْ عَمَّا تَعْلَمُ، إنَّك أَنْتَ الْأَعَزُّ الْأَكْرَمُ ” يُؤْثَرُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ وَيَقُولُ عَلَى الْمَرْوَةِ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ عَلَى الصَّفَا، وَأَمَّا أَنَّهُ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – خَرَجَ مِنْ بَابِ بَنِي مَخْزُومٍ فَأَسْنَدَهُ الطَّبَرَانِيُّ عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا – «أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – خَرَجَ مِنْ الْمَسْجِدِ إلَى الصَّفَا مِنْ بَابِ بَنِي مَخْزُومٍ» . وَأَسْنَدَ أَيْضًا عَنْ جَابِرٍ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ – «أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، إلَى أَنْ قَالَ: ثُمَّ خَرَجَ مِنْ بَابِ الصَّفَا» وَرَوَى ابْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ مُرْسَلًا «أَنَّهُ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – خَرَجَ إلَى الصَّفَا مِنْ بَابِ بَنِي مَخْزُومٍ» .
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ص459 – كتاب فتح القدير للكمال ابن الهمام وتكملته ط الحلبي – باب الإحرام