I said to ʿAisha, the wife of the Prophet, and I was at that time a young boy, "How do you interpret the Statement of Allah: "Verily, Safa and Marwa (i.e. two mountains at Mecca) are among the Symbols of Allah." So it is not harmful of those who perform the Hajj to the House of Allah) or perform the Umra, to ambulate (Tawaf) between them. In my opinion it is not sinful for one not to ambulate (Tawaf) between them." ʿAisha said, "Your interpretation is wrong for as you say, the Verse should have been: "So it is not harmful of those who perform the Hajj or Umra to the House, not to ambulate (Tawaf) between them.' This Verse was revealed in connection with the Ansar who (during the Pre-Islamic Period) used to visit Manat (i.e. an idol) after assuming their Ihram, and it was situated near Qudaid (i.e. a place at Mecca), and they used to regard it sinful to ambulate between Safa and Marwa after embracing Islam. When Islam came, they asked Messenger of Allah ﷺ about it, whereupon Allah revealed:-- "Verily, Safa and Marwa (i.e. two mountains at Mecca) are among the Symbols of Allah. So it is not harmful of those who perform the Hajj of the House (of Allah) or perform the Umra, to ambulate (Tawaf) between them." (2.158) (Using translation from Bukhārī 4495)  

أَنَّهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ وَأَنَا يَوْمَئِذٍ حَدِيثُ السِّنِّ أَرَأَيْتَ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَعَلَا {إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ فَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا} فَمَا أَرَى عَلَى أَحَدٍ شَيْئًا أَنْ لَا يَطُوفَ بِهِمَا قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ كَلَّا لَوْ كَانَتْ كَمَا تَقُولُ كَانَتْ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ لَا يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا إِنَّمَا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ فِي الْأَنْصَارِ كَانُوا يُهِلُّونَ لِمَنَاةَ وَكَانَتْ مَنَاةُ حَذْوَ قُدَيْدٍ وَكَانُوا يَتَحَرَّجُونَ أَنْ يَطُوفُوا بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ الْإِسْلَامُ سَأَلُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ فَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا وَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ} «  

[Machine] "Urwah bin Zubair asked Aisha, the wife of the Prophetﷺ and I said to her, "What do you think about the saying of Allah, 'Indeed Safa and Marwa are among the symbols of Allah?' until the end of the verse." So I said to Aisha, "By Allah, no one is exempt from going between Safa and Marwa." So Aisha said, "You have said something bad, O nephew of mine. Verily, this verse, if it was revealed on the matter that I had knowledge of, would have no objection for one to not perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa. However, it was revealed concerning the Ansar before they embraced Islam. They used to perform Tawaf around Manat, the idol that they used to worship near Mash'al. And whoever had the privilege to do so would hesitate to perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa. So when they became Muslims, they asked the Messenger of Allahﷺ about this, saying, 'O Messenger of Allah, we used to hesitate to perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa.' So Allah revealed, 'Indeed Safa and Marwa are among the symbols of Allah. So whoever makes Hajj to the House or performs Umrah, there is no blame upon him for walking between them.' Aisha said, 'Then the Messenger of Allah taught Tawaf by going between them, so no one should abandon performing Tawaf between them.' Az-Zuhri said, 'I informed Abu Bakr ibn Abdur-Rahman ibn Al-Harith ibn Hisham about what Urwah narrated from Aisha, and Abu Bakr said, 'Indeed, this is knowledge that I haven't heard. I have heard learned men claim that no one ever abandoned doing Tawaf between Safa and Marwa, all of them used to do Tawaf between them. So when Allah mentioned Tawaf around the House in the Qur'an, without mentioning Tawaf between Safa and Marwa, Allah then revealed, 'Indeed Safa and Marwa are among the symbols of Allah. So whoever makes Hajj to the House or performs Umrah, there is no blame upon him for walking between them.' Abu Bakr said, 'I hear that this was revealed concerning the two groups, both of them, for those who used to hesitate to do Tawaf between Safa and Marwa in the days of Jahiliyyah, then they hesitated to do Tawaf between them in Islam because Allah commanded us to perform Tawaf around the House, without mentioning them, later revealed mentioning Tawaf around the House.'"  

عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا أَرَأَيْتِ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ {إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ} إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ فَقُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا عَلَى أَحَدٍ جُنَاحٌ أَلَّا يَطُوفُ بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتَ يَا ابْنَ أُخْتِي إِنَّ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ لَوْ كَانَتْ عَلَى مَا أَوَّلْتُهَا عَلَيْهِ كَانَتْ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ لَا يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا وَلَكِنَّهَا إِنَّمَا أُنْزِلَتْ فِي الْأَنْصَارِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسْلِمُوا كَانُوا يُهِلُّونَ لِمَنَاةَ الطَّاغِيَةِ الَّتِي كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ عِنْدَ الْمُشَلَّلِ وَكَانَ مَنْ أَهَلَّ لَهَا يَتَحَرَّجُ أَنْ يَطَّوَّفَ بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمُوا سَأَلُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَتَحَرَّجُ أَنَّ نَطَّوَّفَ بِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ فَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا} قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ ثُمَّ قَدْ سَنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الطَّوَافَ بِهِمَا فَلَيْسَ لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَتْرُكَ الطَّوَافَ بِهِمَا قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ أَخْبَرْتُ أَبَا بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ بِالَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي عُرْوَةُ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنَّ هَذَا لَعِلْمٌ وَإِنِّي مَا كُنْتُ سَمِعْتُهُ وَلَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ رِجَالًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ النَّاسَ إِلَّا مَنْ ذَكَرْتِ عَائِشَةُ مِمَّنْ كَانَ يُهِلُّ لِمَنَاةَ كَانُوا يَطُوفُونَ كُلُّهُمْ بِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ فَلَمَّا ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ الطَّوَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرِ الطَّوَافَ بِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ {إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ فَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا} قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فأَسْمَعُ هَذِهِ نَزَلَتْ فِي الْفَرِيقَيْنِ كِلَيْهِمَا فِي الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَتَحَرَّجُونَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ أَنْ يَطَّوَّفُوا بِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ ثُمَّ تَحَرَّجُوا أَنْ يَطَّوَّفُوا بِهِمَا فِي الْإِسْلَامِ مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنَا بِالطَّوَافِ بِالْبَيْتِ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرُهُمَا حِينَ ذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ بَعْدَمَا ذَكَرَ الطَّوَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ «  

[Machine] I said to Ibn Abbas, "Indeed, your people claim that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed stoning and that it is a tradition." He replied, "They have lied and they have told the truth. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Makkah and the polytheists were at Qa'iqi'an, they joked that Muhammad ﷺ and his companions were jesting. So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed stoning and ordered his companions to do so, but it is not a tradition."  

قُلْتُ لِابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ قَوْمَكَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَمَلَ وَأَنَّهُ سُنَّةٌ فَقَالَ كَذَبُوا وَصَدَقُوا «إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمَّا دَخَلَ مَكَّةَ وَالْمُشْرِكُونَ عَلَى قُعَيْقِعَانَ فَتَحَدَّثُوا أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ وَأَصْحَابَهُ هَزْلَى فَرَمَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَمَرَ أَصْحَابَهُ فَرَمَلُوا وَلَيْسَتْ بِسُنَّةٍ»  

when the Messenger of Allah stood on top of As-Safa, he recited the Takbir three times and said: "La ilaha illallah, Wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, yuhyi wa yumitu, wa huwaala kulli shayin qadir (There is none worthy of worship except Allah alone with no partner or associate, His is the dominion and to Him be praise, He gives life and death, and He has power over all things)." He did three times, and supplicated, and did the same a top Al-Marwah. (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2972)  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ إِذَا وَقَفَ عَلَى الصَّفَا يُكَبِّرُ ثَلَاثًا وَيَقُولُ «لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ» يَصْنَعُ ذَلِكَ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ وَيَدْعُو وَيَصْنَعُ عَلَى الْمَرْوَةِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the Umrah (pilgrimage) and circled the Kaaba. Then he went out and walked between Safa and Marwa while we protected him from the people of Makkah, fearing that someone might harm him or throw something at him. I heard him supplicating against the tribes, saying: "O Allah, defeat them and cause them to stumble. Send down upon them a book that settles the account quickly. Defeat the tribes, O Allah, defeat them."  

اعْتَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَطَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَطَافَ بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ وَنَحْنُ نَسْتُرُهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ أَنْ يَرْمِيَهُ أَحَدٌ أَوْ يُصِيبُهُ بِشَيْءٍ قَالَ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَدْعُو عَلَى الْأَحْزَابِ يَقُولُ «اللَّهُمَّ اهْزِمْهُمُ وَزَلْزِلْهُمْ مُنْزِلَ الْكِتَابِ سَرِيعَ الْحِسَابِ اهْزِمِ الْأَحْزَابَ اللَّهُمَّ اهْزِمْهُمْ»  

"I heard him saying" - meaning the Prophet ﷺ - "while supplicating against the Ahzab: 'O Allah, Revealer of Book! Severe is reckoning! Rout the Ahzab and shake them.'" (Using translation from Tirmidhī 1678)   

سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ يَوْمَ الْأَحْزَابِ «اللَّهُمَّ مُنْزِلَ الْكِتَابِ سَرِيعَ الْحِسَابِ اهْزِمْهُمْ وَزَلْزِلْهُمْ» يَعْنِي الْأَحْزَابَ  

I said to Ibn ʿAbbas (Allah be pleased with them): Do you think that walking swiftly round the House in three circuits, and just walking in four circuits is the Sunnah (of the Holy Prophet), for your people say that it is Sunnah? Thereupon he (Ibn ʿAbbas) said: They have told the truth and the lie (too). I said: What do your words "They have told the truth and the lie (too)" imply? Thereupon he said: Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to Mecca and the polytheists said that Muhammad and his Companions had emaciated and would, therefore, be unable to circumambulate the House; and they felt jealous of him (the Holy Prophet). (It was due to this) that Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded them to walk swiftly in three (circuits) and walk (normally) in four. I said to him: Inform me if it is Sunnah to observe Tawaf between al-Safa and al-Marwa while riding, for your people look upon it as Sunnah. He (Ibn ʿAbbas) said: They have told the truth and the lie too. I said: What do your words "They have told the truth and the lie too" imply? He said: When Messenger of Allah ﷺ had come to Mecca, there was such a large gathering of people around him that even the virgins had come out of their houses (to catch a glimpse of his face). And they were saying: He is Muhammad; He is Muhammad. Messenger of Allah ﷺ (was so gentle and kind) that the people were not beaten back (to make way) in front of him. When there was a throng (of people) around him, he rode (the she-camel). However, walking and trotting are better. (Using translation from Muslim 1264a)  

قُلْتُ لِابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَرَأَيْتَ هَذَا الرَّمَلَ بِالْبَيْتِ ثَلَاثَةَ أَطْوَافٍ وَمَشَى أَرْبَعَةَ أَطْوَافٍ أَسُنَّةٌ هُوَ؟ فَإِنَّ قَوْمَكَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُ سَنَةٌ فَقَالَ صَدَقُوا وَكَذَبُوا قُلْتُ مَا قَوْلُكَ صَدَقُوا وَكَذَبُوا؟ قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدِمَ مَكَّةَ فَقَالَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ إِنَّ مُحَمَّدًا وَأَصْحَابَهُ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ أَنْ يَطُوفُوا بِالْبَيْتِ مِنَ الْهُزَالِ قَالَ وَكَانُوا يَحْسُدُونَهُ قَالَ فَأَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ يَرْمُلُوا ثَلَاثًا وَيَمْشُوا أَرْبَعًا قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَخْبَرَنِي عَنِ الطَّوَافِ بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ رَاكِبًا سَنَةٌ هُوَ؟ فَإِنَّ قَوْمَكَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُ سَنَةٌ قَالَ صَدَقُوا وَكَذَبُوا قَالَ قُلْتُ مَا قَوْلُكَ صَدَقُوا وَكَذَبُوا؟ قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَثُرَ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ يَقُولُونَ هَذَا مُحَمَّدٌ؟ هَذَا مُحَمَّدٌ ﷺ حَتَّى خَرَجَتِ الْعَوَاتِقُ مِنَ الْبُيُوتِ قَالَ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَا يَصْرِفُ النَّاسَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَلَمَّا كَثُرَ عَلَيْهِ رَكِبَ وَالْمَشْيُ وَالسَّعْيُ أَفْضَلُ