Which Hajj ritual involves walking seven times between Safa and Marwah? Sa'i is the Hajj ritual of walking seven times between Safa and Marwah.
The route lies within Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. Pilgrims begin at Safa and finish at Marwah, traversing the corridor between the two small hills. One trip from Safa to Marwah counts as one lap, and the return counts as another, producing seven crossings in total.
Sa'i commemorates Hajar’s search for water for her son Isma'il. Islamic tradition connects that desperate search with the spring of Zamzam, which pilgrims still visit and whose water is widely distributed. The rite is performed during both Hajj and Umrah.
Sa'i is often confused with tawaf, but the rituals have different locations and motions. Tawaf circles the Kaaba seven times; Sa'i is a back-and-forth journey between Safa and Marwah. The term is also transliterated as “Sa‘y,” “Sai” or “Sa'i.”