Dua at Safa and Marwah
3 Things to Know About the Two Hills
During the Sai, the walking between the two hills of Safa and Marwah, the pilgrim pauses upon each hill, faces the Kaaba, and turns to Allah with remembrance and supplication. Allah declares in His Book that Safa and Marwah are among His symbols, and the pilgrim honours them by reciting His words and magnifying Him upon the hills. The dua at Safa and Marwah centres on this remembrance, marking the high points of the Sai with the praise and supplication of Allah.
إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ
Inna-s-Safā wal-Marwata min sha‘ā’iril-lāh.
“Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.”
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) climbed upon Safa and Marwah, faced the sacred house, raised his hands, and proclaimed the greatness and oneness of Allah before supplicating. This guide explains the dua at Safa and Marwah and three things to know about the two hills, so that the pilgrim may honour these sacred symbols of Allah in the way the Prophet (pbuh) did, magnifying Allah upon the hills and pouring out their heart to Him between them.
The Symbols of Allah
Allah declares in His Book that Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah, and that whoever performs the pilgrimage to the House or the Umrah does no wrong in walking between them. When the Prophet (pbuh) began the Sai, he approached Safa reciting this verse, saying that he began with what Allah began with. By honouring the two hills as symbols of Allah, the pilgrim performs the Sai as an act of worship tied to the words of Allah and the practice of His Prophet (pbuh).
Upon climbing each hill, the Prophet (pbuh) faced the Kaaba, raised his hands, and proclaimed the greatness of Allah and His oneness, declaring that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, that His is the dominion and the praise, and that He has power over all things. He repeated this proclamation and supplicated between each declaration. The dua at Safa and Marwah follows this beautiful practice, filling the high points of the Sai with the magnification and remembrance of Allah.
Three Things to Know About the Two Hills
The two hills are honoured symbols of Allah in the pilgrimage. These three things help the pilgrim honour Safa and Marwah.
- Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah, as He declares in His Book.
- Upon each hill, face the Kaaba and proclaim the greatness and oneness of Allah, then supplicate.
- The Prophet (pbuh) began the Sai at Safa, reciting the verse and beginning with what Allah began with.
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ
La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah
There is no god but Allah alone with no partner
Magnifying Allah Upon the Hills
The dua at Safa and Marwah marks the high points of the Sai with the magnification and remembrance of Allah, honouring the two hills as His symbols. By reciting the verse of Safa and Marwah, proclaiming the greatness and oneness of Allah upon each hill, and supplicating as the Prophet (pbuh) did, the pilgrim honours these sacred symbols in the best way. The two hills are among the symbols of Allah, and the believer climbs them magnifying Him and pouring out their heart in supplication.
This practice pairs naturally with the dua during Sa’i and the dua for Zamzam water. Together they help the pilgrim fill the rites of Hajj and Umrah with the remembrance of Allah.
Upon Safa and Marwah, the pilgrim faces the Kaaba and proclaims the greatness and oneness of Allah. Learn the duas of Hajj with us on YouTube, where the supplications are recited aloud, on Instagram for a reminder of the two sacred hills, and on Threads where readers share their experience of the Sai.
Frequently Asked Questions
The dua at Safa and Marwah is the remembrance recited upon the two hills during the Sai. The pilgrim recites the verse, Inna-s-Safa wal-Marwata min shaairillah, indeed Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah, then magnifies Allah and supplicates.
Upon each hill the Prophet (pbuh) faced the Kaaba, raised his hands, and proclaimed: La ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa ala kulli shayin qadir, there is no god but Allah alone, repeating it and supplicating between.
Allah declares in His Book that Safa and Marwah are among His symbols, and the Sai between them commemorates Hajar searching for water for her son Ismail. Walking between them is a permanent rite of worship in Hajj and Umrah.
The Sai begins at Safa, where the Prophet (pbuh) recited the verse of Safa and Marwah, saying he began with what Allah began with. The pilgrim climbs Safa, faces the Kaaba, and proceeds toward Marwah.
Upon each hill, face the Kaaba and proclaim the greatness and oneness of Allah, declaring that there is no god but Allah alone, His is the dominion and praise, and He has power over all things, then supplicate freely.
The Sai consists of seven walks between Safa and Marwah, beginning at Safa and ending at Marwah. Upon each hill the pilgrim faces the Kaaba and magnifies Allah, filling the walks between with dhikr and supplication.