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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Al-mizan an Exegesis of the Qur'an (volume Two) Volume 2: Surah Baqarah, Verse 158 Surely the Safa and the Marwa are among the signs appointed by Allah; so whoever makes a pilgrimage to the House or pays a visit (to it), there is no blame on him if he goes round them both; and whoever does good spontaneously, then surely Allah is Grateful, Knowing.

(158) **GENERAL COMMENT ** The Safa and Marwah are two places in Mecca between which a pilgrim has to perform as-sa'y (the ceremony of walking quickly seven times between Safa and Marwah, during the hajj and 'umrah; literally to move quickly, to run). These are two hills, the distance between them reportedly being 760 1/2 arm. as-Safa (= hard smooth rock); al-Marwah (= hard stone).

ash-Sha'a'ir is the plural of ash-sha'irah (sign); from it is derived the word al-mash'ar (the hajj station, east of Mecca); also they say, ash'ara 'I­hady (he marked or branded the sacrificial animal). al-Hajj literally means repeated intention; in Islamic terminology it refers to the special rites collectively known as Pilgrimage of Mecca.

al-I'timar means to visit; it is derived from al-'imarah (building) because buildings thrive by visits; in Islamic language it refers to the so-called "lesser pilgrimage" to the Ka'bah, which unlike the hajj need not be performed at a particular time and whose performance involves fewer ceremonies. al-Junah is deviation from truth and justice; it is used for sin and misdemeanor; thus, negation of sin or blame implies permission.

at-Tatawwuf is derived from at-tawf that is, to make the rounds; it denotes a round trip, that is, a journey or walk that ends at its starting point; it need not necessarily be a circumambulation around something (although circumambulation is more obvious application of the word); it is the former meaning in which it has been used in this verse - it refers to as-sa'y, that is, walking between the Safa and the Marwah seven times consecutively.

at-Tatawwu' is derived from at-taw' (= to do a walk willingly and gladly). Some people, differentiate between at-tatawwu' and al-ita'ah and say that the former, unlike the latter, is exclusively used for voluntarily done good deeds. If correct, this assertion might be based on the view that the obligatory deeds - because of their obligatoriness - are probably not done willingly, unlike the voluntary and recommended actions which are done willingly by one's own accord.