Narrated `Urwa:I asked `Aisha : "How do you interpret the statement of Allah,. : Verily! (the mountains) As-Safa and Al-Marwa are among the symbols of Allah, and whoever performs the Hajj to the Ka`ba or performs `Umra, it is not harmful for him to perform Tawaf between them (Safa and Marwa.) (2.158). By Allah! (it is evident from this revelation) there is no harm if one does not perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa." `Aisha said, "O, my nephew! Your interpretation is not true. Had this interpretation of yours been correct, the statement of Allah should have been, 'It is not harmful for him if he does not perform Tawaf between them.' But in fact, this divine inspiration was revealed concerning the Ansar who used to assume lhram for worship ping an idol called "Manat" which they used to worship at a place called Al-Mushallal before they embraced Islam, and whoever assumed Ihram (for the idol), would consider it not right to perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa. When they embraced Islam, they asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) regarding it, saying, "O Allah's Apostle! We used to refrain from Tawaf between Safa and Marwa." So Allah revealed: 'Verily; (the mountains) As-Safa and Al-Marwa are among the symbols of Allah.' " Aisha added, "Surely, Allah's Apostle set the tradition of Tawaf between Safa and Marwa, so nobody is allowed to omit the Tawaf between them." Later on I (`Urwa) told Abu Bakr bin `Abdur-Rahman (of `Aisha's narration) and he said, 'I have not heard of such information, but I heard learned men saying that all the people, except those whom `Aisha mentioned and who used to assume lhram for the sake of Manat, used to perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa. When Allah referred to the Tawaf of the Ka`ba and did not mention Safa and Marwa in the Qur'an, the people asked, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We used to perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa and Allah has revealed (the verses concerning) Tawaf of the Ka`ba and has not mentioned Safa and Marwa. Is there any harm if we perform Tawaf between Safa and Marwa?' So Allah revealed: "Verily As-Safa and Al- Marwa are among the symbols of Allah." Abu Bakr said, "It seems that this verse was revealed concerning the two groups, those who used to refrain from Tawaf between Safa and Marwa in the Pre- Islamic Period of ignorance and those who used to perform the Tawaf then, and after embracing Islam they refrained from the Tawaf between them as Allah had enjoined Tawaf of the Ka`ba and did not mention Tawaf (of Safa and Marwa) till later after mentioning the Tawaf of the Ka`ba.'
Reference
Sahih al-Bukhari 1643
In-book reference
Book 25, Hadith 125
USC-MSA web (English)
Vol. 2, Book 26, Hadith 706
Translation by Dr. M. Muhsin Khan · Language: EN
Sahih
It is related that 'Urwa said, "I asked 'A'isha, 'What do you think of the words of Allah Almighty, "Safa and Marwa are among the Sacred Landmarks of Allah, so anyone who goes on hajj to the House or does 'umra incurs no wrong in going back and forth between them." (2:158) By Allah, so there is no harm in not going between Safa and Marwa.' She said, 'My nephew, what you say is wrong. If it was as you say, it would have been, "There is no harm in him not doing tawaf between them." However, it was sent down about the Ansar who used previously to go into ihram for the idol Manat which they used to worship at al-Mushallal. Those going into ihram considered it a sin to do tawaf between Safa and Marwa. When they became Muslim, they asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about that, saying, 'Messenger of Allah, we used to consider it to be a sin to do tawaf between Safa and Marwa.' So Allah Almighty sent down, 'Safa and Marwa are among the waymarks of Allah...' 'A'isha said, 'The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made a sunna of doing tawaf between the two of them, so no one should neglect to do tawaf between them.' "Then I informed 'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr and he said, 'I have not heard this. I did hear some of the people of knowledge saying that the people - except for those 'A'isha mentioned who went into ihram for Manat - all used to do tawaf of Safa and Marwa. When Allah Almighty mentioned tawaf of the House and did not mention Safa and Marwa in the Qur'an, they said, "Messenger of Allah, we used also to do tawaf around Safa and Marwa and Allah has revealed tawaf of the House without mentioning Safa. Is it a sin for us to do tawaf of Safa and Marwa?" Allah Almighty then revealed, "Safa and Marwa are among the waymarks of Allah..."' "Abu Bakr said, 'I heard that this ayat was revealed about both groups, those who used to consider it a sin to do tawaf of Safa and Marwa in the time of Jahiliyya, and those who had done tawaf of them and then considered it a sin to do it in Islam because Allah Almighty had commanded tawaf of the House without mentioning Safa, only speaking of it after what He said about tawaf of the House.'" [al-Mushallal is a place close to al-Juhfa. They considered tawaf between them to be sinful because two idols had been there: Isaf and Na'ila]]
Reference
Sahih al-Bukhari 1643
In-book reference
Book 25, Hadith 125
USC-MSA web (English)
Vol. 2, Book 26, Hadith 706
Translation by Aisha Bewley · Language: EN
Sahih