إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ نَبْدَأُ بِمَا بَدَأَ اللَّهُ بِهِ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ. لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ، أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ، وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ، وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ.
“Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.” (Quran 2:158) “We start with what Allah started with.” “Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.” “There is no god but Allah alone, without any partner. To Him belongs sovereignty and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things competent. There is no god but Allah alone. He fulfilled His promise, and supported His servant, and defeated the confederates alone.”
Inn as-Safa wal-Marwata min sha'a'irillah Nabda'u bima bada'allahu bihi Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar La ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadeer. La ilaha illallah wahdahu, anjaza wa'dah, wa nasara 'abdah, wa hazamal ahzaba wahdah.
When to Read
This specific sequence of dhikr (remembrance) and personal supplication is recited upon ascending Mount Safa at the very beginning of Sai, and then upon ascending Mount Marwah, and subsequently on each return to Safa and Marwah for the entire seven circuits. While walking between Safa and Marwah, there is no specific prescribed dhikr, and you are encouraged to engage in general remembrance of Allah (dhikr), Quran recitation, and personal dua.
How to Read
Upon reaching the peak of Mount Safa (or Marwah), face the Kaaba. Begin by reciting the Quranic verse: `إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ` (Al-Baqarah 2:158) followed by the intention: `نَبْدَأُ بِمَا بَدَأَ اللَّهُ بِهِ`. Then, proclaim `اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ` (Allah is the Greatest) three times. Immediately after, recite the powerful dhikr: `لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ. لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ، أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ، وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ، وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ.` After reciting this dhikr, raise your hands and make personal supplications to Allah. The Prophet ﷺ repeated this entire sequence of dhikr and personal dua three times at each ascent, interspersing personal duas after each repetition of the dhikr. For example: Dhikr -> Dua -> Dhikr -> Dua -> Dhikr -> Dua.
Virtues & Benefits
Reciting this dhikr and making dua at Safa and Marwah allows us to follow the exact Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ during the sacred ritual of Sai. It is a profound act of worship that combines the remembrance of Allah's Oneness, His power, and His fulfillment of promises, alongside sincere personal supplication. This adherence to the Prophet's practice is a means of earning immense reward, seeking Allah's pleasure, and fulfilling one of the essential acts of Hajj and Umrah. It reinforces the concept of Tawhid and gratitude, reminding us of Allah’s absolute sovereignty and His help to His believing servants.
Source & Authentication
Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) described the Prophet's Hajj: "Then he went out through the gate (of Safa) to Safa, and when he drew near Safa he recited: 'Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah' (Al-Baqarah 2:158). 'We begin with what Allah began with.' So he began with Safa, ascended it until he could see the Kaaba, then faced the Qiblah, proclaimed the Oneness of Allah and magnified Him, and said: 'La ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadeer. La ilaha illallah wahdahu anjaza wa'dah wa nasara 'abdah wa hazamal ahzaba wahdah.' He then supplicated between that. He repeated this three times. Then he descended and walked towards Marwah, and when his feet reached the bottom of the valley, he ran, and when he ascended, he walked until he reached Marwah. There he ascended until he could see the Kaaba, and did to it what he had done to Safa."