Transliteration:( Innas Safaa wal-Marwata min sha'aaa'iril laahi faman hajjal Baita awi'tamara falaa junaaha 'alaihi ai yattawwafa bihimaa; wa man tatawwa'a khairan fa innal laaha Shaakirun'Aleem )
331. From this verse three issues emerge:
1. Anything which is connected with the pious, sains sanctity e.g. the Hills of Safa and Marwa have been sanctified because Hazrat Hajira (on whom be peace) had run between them. They are objects of esteem in the eyes of Allah.
2. To show respect to Holy relics is among the religious teachings. It is for this reason that Saee (running seven times between Safa and Marwa) has become one of the rites of Hajj.
3. If sins are committed at sacred places, every effort should be made to eradicate such mal practices from there. These places should be regarded sacred at all times. Although these hills at one stage were associated with idolatry
332.In fact, not making Saee is sinful because running between Safa and Marwa (SAEE) is a Wajib rite of Hajj. Muslims are told that they should not stop performing Saee due to impudence of the idolaters.
333. In the days of the Jahiliyya (Days of Ignorance) the idol worshippers had placed two idols Asaaf and Naila on Safa and Marwa. During their season of pilgrimage while making SAEE between these hills they would pay homage to these idols. After the conquest of Makkah although these idols were removed from the hills, Muslims felt it undesirable to make the Saee between Safa and Marwabecause they felt this act was resembling the act of the infidels. To dispel this doubt from their minds Allah revealed this verse in which they are told they should not think of the days when idols were kept there but think of Hazrat Hajira through whose blessed feet these hills became among the symbols of Allah. Because the pious Companions once regarded SAEE of these hills as sinful, Allah in this verse informs that this SAEE is not sinful, but a Wajib - compulsory rite of Hajj, and its omission is sin.
334. Any person performing Nafl Hajj, Umrah or Tawaaf will be rewarded by Allah.
From this emerge two issues:
1. Performing a Nafl act is reward able, but its omission is no sin.
2.Allah's appreciation really means Allahbestows His blessings upon His thankful servants .This is the same as Allah's repentance, meaning those who seek repentance from Allah, they will be forgiven. Hence, all these are reward able acts.
The tafsir of Surah Baqarah verse 157 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Baqarah ayat 155 which provides the complete commentary from verse 155 through 157.
157. The pilgrimage to the Ka’bah along with a set of other rites on certain fixed dates of Dhu al-Hijjah is known as hajj. Pilgrimage at other times is known as ‘Umrah.
158. Safa and Marwah are the names of two hillocks near the Holy Mosque in Makka. To run between these two hillocks was among the rites which God had taught Abraham in connection with hajj. Later, when Pagan Ignorance prevailed in Makka and the neighbouring regions, altars were built for Isaf at Safa and for Nai’lah at Marwah, and people began to circumambulate them. After the advent of the Prophet, when the light of Islam had spread to the people of Arabia, Muslims came to doubt whether running between Safa and Marwah was one of the original rites of Pilgrimage or was merely an invidious religious innovation of the Age of Ignorance. If it was in fact such, they feared they might be committing an act of polytheism.
Moreover, we learn from a Tradition transmitted from ‘A’ishah that even in pre-Islamic times the people of Madina were not favourably disposed to this practice. Although they believed in al-Manat they did not believe in Isaf and Nai’lah. For these reasons, it was necessary, at the time of the change of the qiblah, to dispel popular misconceptions about this rite. It seemed necessary to tell people that running between these two hillocks was part of the original rites of Pilgrimage and that the sanctity, of Safa and Marwah, far from being an invidious innovation of the people of the Age of Ignorance, stemmed from the revealed Law of God.
159. It is best that one should perform this ritual obligation with wholehearted devotion. But if devotion is lacking one is not thereby exempt from fulfilling one’s obligation. One must perform this ritual if only out of a sense of duty.
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