When you walk between Safa and Marwah, you are walking where a mother ran, looking for water for her baby. When you stone the pillars, you are doing what a father did when he refused to listen to Shaytan. Hajj is full of these stories. Learn them before you go and every step will carry a meaning.
A mother who trusted
Ibrahim, peace be upon him, brought his wife Hajar and their baby son Ismaʿil to a dry, empty valley, where Makkah stands today. Then, by Allah’s command, he turned to leave them there.
فَقَالَتْ لَهُ: آللَّهُ الَّذِي أَمَرَكَ بِهَذَا؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَتْ: إِذًا لاَ يُضَيِّعُنَا
[When Ibrahim left her and the baby Ismaʿil in the empty valley and turned to go,] she said to him: Is it Allah who commanded you to do this? He said: Yes. She said: Then He will not abandon us.
As he walked away, out of their sight, he turned towards the place of the House and prayed for them.
رَّبَّنَآ إِنِّىٓ أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِى بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِى زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ ٱلْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱجْعَلْ أَفْـِٔدَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ تَهْوِىٓ إِلَيْهِمْ وَٱرْزُقْهُم مِّنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٣٧﴾
Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful.
When the water ran out, Hajar ran between the two hills of Safa and Marwah, looking for help, seven times. Then Allah brought out the water of Zamzam. Every pilgrim who walks the sa’y today follows her steps, and every sip of Zamzam is from that same mercy.3
A House built with a prayer
Years later, Ibrahim and Ismaʿil raised the walls of the Kaʿbah together. While they worked they did not ask for praise. They asked for one thing: to be accepted.
وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَٰهِۦمُ ٱلْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ ٱلْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ﴿١٢٧﴾
And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], "Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing.
Make this your du’a after every rite. Doing something is not the same as having it accepted.
Circling the House
In tawaf you walk around the Kaʿbah with your heart on your left side, towards it. Think of it this way: your life, too, should turn around one centre. Seven times, you return to the same point and begin again.
Standing at Arafah
On the Day of Arafah, millions of people stand on one plain, in the same simple clothes, with no rank and no title, waiting for mercy. Many scholars have described it as a picture of the Day of Judgement. Stand there as if you are already standing before Him, because you are.
Stoning and sacrifice
The stoning of the pillars is linked by many scholars to Ibrahim’s refusal of Shaytan, who tried to turn him away from obeying Allah. When you throw each pebble, you are saying: I reject whatever pulls me away from my Lord.
The sacrifice remembers Ibrahim’s readiness to give up what he loved most for Allah. The Qur’an is clear about what matters in it.
لَن يَنَالَ ٱللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَآؤُهَا وَلَٰكِن يَنَالُهُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ سَخَّرَهَا لَكُمْ لِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿٣٧﴾
Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you. Thus have We subjected them to you that you may glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and give good tidings to the doers of good.
This week
- Read the verses of Surah Ibrahim (14:35 to 41) and Surah al-Baqarah (2:124 to 129), with a translation, slowly.
- Tell the story of Hajar to a child or grandchild. You will remember it best by teaching it.
- For each rite, write one sentence: “When I do this, I will remember…” Keep the sentences in your notebook.