Sa'i in Umrah: Do You Need Wudu? May You Rest? What If You Lose Count?

After tawaf and the two-rakaat prayer, pilgrims continue their worship by walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah. This is sa'i in umrah, an act of worship that retraces the struggle of Hajar as she searched for water for her son, Ismail ‘alaihissalam.

One stretch is about 400 meters, so seven stretches add up to almost 3 kilometers. It is natural for many questions to arise: must you have wudu, may a menstruating woman perform sa'i, may you rest along the way, and what if you forget how many rounds you have done?

This article summarizes the explanations of Ustadz Muhammad Abduh Tuasikal at Rumaysho.com, fatwas of Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Baz and Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih Al-Uthaymin at Almanhaj.or.id, IslamQA, and an Indonesian hajj guide interviewed by NU Online, complete with evidence and practical tips.

1. What Is Sa'i and What Is Its Status in Umrah?

Sa'i is walking from the hill of Safa to the hill of Marwah and back, seven times in total, as an act of worship. Allah Ta’ala says:

إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ

Meaning: “Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.” (QS. Al-Baqarah: 158)

Sa'i is a pillar (rukun) of umrah, together with ihram, tawaf, and tahallul. Umrah is not valid without it, and a pilgrim may not exit ihram before completing it. You can read the full order in our article on the pillars of umrah.

2. How to Perform Sa'i in Umrah According to the Sunnah

Ustadz Muhammad Abduh Tuasikal at Rumaysho.com and Shaykh Ibn Baz explain the steps as follows:

• Start at Safa. As you approach Safa, recite the verse innash shafa wal marwata min sha’a’irillah. It is recited only at the start of sa'i, not repeated in every round.
• Face the Kaaba on Safa, say takbir three times while raising your hands, then recite the dhikr below three times, making your own dua in between.
• Walk toward Marwah while making dhikr and dua in any language. Men jog lightly between the two green lights, while women simply walk.
• On Marwah, do the same as on Safa: face the Kaaba, say takbir, make dhikr and dua.
• Counting: Safa to Marwah counts as one, and Marwah to Safa counts as one. So the seventh round ends at Marwah.

The dhikr recited by the Messenger of Allah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam on Safa is:

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

Meaning: “None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, with no partner. To Him belongs the dominion and all praise, and He has power over all things. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone. He fulfilled His promise, supported His servant, and defeated the confederates alone.” (HR. Muslim no. 1218, from the hadith of Jabir bin Abdillah radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

3. Must You Have Wudu During Sa'i?

No. Unlike tawaf, for which most scholars require ritual purity, purity is not a condition for a valid sa'i. IslamQA explains that this is the view of all four schools, as reported by Ibn Qudamah in Al-Mughni (5/246).

Even so, performing sa'i with wudu is better. Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih Al-Uthaymin explains that a person who performs sa'i without purity is still rewarded, but being pure is more complete (Ash-Sharh Al-Mumti’, 7/310–311).

So if your wudu breaks in the middle of sa'i, there is no need to leave to renew it. Simply continue counting until you finish.

4. May a Menstruating Woman Perform Sa'i?

Yes. When Aisha radhiyallahu ‘anha got her period during hajj, the Messenger of Allah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:

افْعَلِي مَا يَفْعَلُ الْحَاجُّ غَيْرَ أَنْ لَا تَطُوفِي بِالْبَيْتِ حَتَّى تَطْهُرِي

Meaning: “Do what the pilgrims do, except do not perform tawaf around the House until you are pure.” (HR. Bukhari and Muslim)

Ustadz Muhammad Abduh Tuasikal also explains that the sa'i area is not part of Masjid al-Haram, so a menstruating woman may be there.

Keep in mind, however, that in umrah sa'i comes after tawaf. If her period starts before tawaf, she waits until she is pure, then performs tawaf and sa'i. If it starts after tawaf is complete, she may go straight on to sa'i. You can read more in our article on umrah for menstruating women.

5. May You Rest During Sa'i?

Yes. KH Sufyan, a religious guide with the Indonesian hajj team in Makkah, explained to NU Online that muwalat (performing the rounds continuously without a break) is sunnah, not obligatory. This is the view of the Hanafi school and the qaul jadid of Imam Ash-Shafi’i.

Resting for a reason, such as joining the obligatory congregational prayer when the iqamah is called, fatigue, or illness, is allowed by all schools. After resting, remember your last position and continue from there without starting over.

The sa'i area also has seating at several points. Use them to drink Zamzam water and catch your breath, especially for elderly pilgrims.

6. What If You Forget or Doubt the Number of Rounds?

This happens often because the sa'i area is crowded and the distance is long. IslamQA details three situations:

• Doubt while still performing sa'i, for example unsure whether you have done five or six rounds: take the lower number, then complete the rest. Ibn Qasim Al-Abbadi reports that scholars agree on this (Hashiyah Tuhfat Al-Muhtaj, 4/81).
• Doubt after finishing sa'i: the doubt is disregarded, and your sa'i is valid.
• Certainty that rounds are missing, for example realizing after tahallul that you only did six: the sa'i is incomplete. Shaykh Al-Uthaymin explains that such a person is still in ihram, must go back and complete the sa'i, then cut the hair again (Majmu’ Fatawa, 22/435). Ask your religious guide directly for the exact procedure.

Shaykh Ibn Baz also reminds that a person who begins sa'i at Marwah does not count the first stretch, so they must add one more stretch from Safa to Marwah.

7. May There Be a Gap Between Tawaf and Sa'i?

Yes. Shaykh Al-Uthaymin explains that connecting tawaf directly with sa'i is not a condition, although doing them in succession is better. So you may rest after the two-rakaat prayer of tawaf, for example to drink Zamzam or pray an obligatory prayer, before starting sa'i.

As for the order, the Sunnah is tawaf first, then sa'i. Shaykh Ibn Baz held that there is no sin on someone who did sa'i before tawaf out of ignorance, but IslamQA also reports that most scholars do not allow it. So in umrah, always perform tawaf first. You can read about the prayer after tawaf in our article on the prayer after tawaf.

8. Tips for a Smooth Sa'i in Umrah Without Exhaustion

• Count the rounds with a tool, such as a digital tasbih or a note on your phone, so you do not lose count.
• Choose a less crowded floor. The sa'i area has several floors, and the upper floors are often less crowded than the ground floor.
• Use a wheelchair or electric scooter if you cannot walk the distance. The Messenger of Allah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam performed tawaf and sa'i on his mount during the Farewell Hajj so that people could see him (HR. Muslim no. 1273).
• Bring a water bottle and refill it with the Zamzam water available along the sa'i route.
• Wear comfortable footwear and keep it in a small bag, since the route is long and the floor is marble.
• Stay with your group and agree on a meeting point at Marwah, where tahallul is usually done.

After finishing sa'i at Marwah, pilgrims exit ihram by cutting or shaving the hair. You can read about it in our article on tahallul.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sa'i in Umrah

Is sa'i a pillar of umrah? Yes. Umrah is not valid without sa'i, and pilgrims may not exit ihram before completing it.

If wudu breaks during sa'i, must you start again? No. Purity is not a condition for sa'i, so simply continue your count.

May a menstruating woman perform sa'i? Yes, as long as her tawaf was performed in a state of purity.

May you stop for congregational prayer during sa'i? Yes. After the prayer, continue from your last position without starting over.

What should you do if you are unsure whether you have done five or six rounds? Take the lower number, five, then complete up to seven rounds.

Conclusion: Performing Sa'i in Umrah Calmly and According to the Sunnah

Sa'i is a pillar of umrah made up of seven stretches between Safa and Marwah, starting at Safa and ending at Marwah. Purity is not a condition for sa'i, a menstruating woman may perform it after tawaf, and pilgrims may rest and then continue from their last position.

If you doubt the number of rounds while still performing sa'i, take the lower count. If the doubt only comes after you have finished, there is no need to pay attention to it.

Perform Sa'i with Peace of Mind Alongside Tridaya’s Guides

Tridaya Travel has served umrah and hajj pilgrims since 2002. Our religious guides accompany pilgrims from tawaf through sa'i and tahallul, including helping count the rounds and setting group meeting points.

See the Tridaya umrah packages and plan your worship with our team.

Sources

• Panduan Umrah Ringkas (2), Ustadz Muhammad Abduh Tuasikal, Rumaysho.com, 7 January 2014 (in Indonesian).
• Sifat Sa'i, Do'a Ketika Memulai Sa'i, Thawaf Tetapi Tidak Sa'i, Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Baz and Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih Al-Uthaymin, Almanhaj.or.id, 2 January 2006 (in Indonesian).
• Apakah Bersuci Menjadi Syarat untuk Tawaf dan Sa'i?, IslamQA, 9 June 2024 (in Indonesian).
• Niat Umrah dari Mekah dan Lupa Satu atau Dua Putaran Saat Sai, IslamQA, 24 October 2011 (in Indonesian).
• Istirahat di Sela Tawaf dan Sa'i Boleh, Tak Perlu Mulai dari Awal Lagi, Mahbib Khoiron, NU Online, 11 June 2023 (in Indonesian).