While I was a youngster, I asked 'Aisha the wife of the Prophet. What...

Hadith 3:18

Narrated Hisham Ibn 'Urwa from his father who said:

While I was a youngster, I asked 'Aisha the wife of the Prophet. "What about the meaning of the Statement of Allah;

"Verily! (the mountains) As-Safa and Al Marwa, are among the symbols of Allah. So, it is not harmful if those who perform Hajj or 'Umra of the House (Ka'ba at Mecca) to perform the going (Tawaf) between them? (2.158) I understand (from that) that there is no harm if somebody does not perform the Tawaf between them." 'Aisha replied, "No, for if it were as you are saying, then the recitation would have been like this: 'It is not harmful not to perform Tawaf between them.' This verse was revealed in connection with the Ansar who used to assume the Ihram for the idol Manat which was put beside a place called Qudaid and those people thought it not right to perform the Tawaf of As-Safa and Al-Marwa. When Islam came, they asked Allah's Apostle about that, and Allah revealed:--

"Verily! (the mountains) As-Safa and Al-Marwa Are among the symbols of Allah. So, it is not harmful of those who perform Hajj or 'Umra of the House (Ka'ba at Mecca) to perform the going (Tawaf) between them." (2.158) Sufyan and Abu Muawiya added from Hisham (from 'Aisha): "The Hajj or 'Umra of the person who does not perform the going (Tawaf) between As-Safa and Al-Marwa is incomplete in Allah's sight.