THE RULES OF SAEE

THE RULES OF SAEE

Saee is one of the fundamentals of Hajj and if one omits to perform it deliberately, whether knowing the rule or ignorant of it or because the time became so short that it could not be performed before the period for stay at Arafaat, the Hajj is invalidated and he is subject to the rules applicable to one who deliberately omitted the Tawaaf.

If one forgets to perform Saee, one must perform it when one remembers but if one remembers after completion of the ceremonies of Hajj and is unable to perform the Saee personally because of some restraint or difficulty, he is obliged to appoint an agent and in both such cases, the pilgrimage will be valid.

If a pilgrim is unable to perform the Saee personally even by being carried on the shoulders of another man or on a wheelchair, he may appoint an agent to perform the Saee on his behalf and his Hajj will be valid.

As a matter of caution, a pilgrim must not delay the performance of Saee after the Tawaaf and prayers beyond the period necessary to avoid heat and exhaustion although it is permissible to delay it till night. In ordinary circumstances it is not permissible to delay it to the next day.

The rule on additions in Saee is exactly the same as the rule in Tawaaf. It invalidates the Saee if additions are made knowingly and deliberately. However, if the addition is made out of ignorance of the rule, it is clear that the Saee will not be invalidated but, as a matter of caution, must be repeated.

If a pilgrim makes addition in Saee by mistake, the Saee is valid but if the addition is a complete round or more, it is recommended that he should complete seven rounds to make a full Saee apart from the first one. In this way he will complete at Safaa.

If a pilgrim deliberately makes less than the required rounds in Saee, whether knowing the rule or not, and is unable to remedy it because of the required period of stay in Arafaat, his Hajj is invalidated and he is obliged to perform it again in the following year. It is obvious that his ihram is invalidated also. If the omission is out of oversight, it is obligatory on him to perform what was omitted when he remembers even if it is after completion of Hajj.

If he remembers the omission whilst he is in Arafaat, or after the expiry of Dhil Hijjah, as a matter of caution, he must repeat the Saee after completing the forgotten rounds. However. if this is difficult, he is obliged to appoint an agent to perform on his behalf. As a matter of caution, the agent must perform a full Saee with the niyyath of fulfilling an obligation of his principal in addition to completing the forgotten rounds.

If in the course of Umrat-ul-Tamatoo, a pilgrim mistakenly omits a portion of Saee but in the belief that he had completed it, then, as a matter of caution. he should sacrifice a cow in penalty and it is obligatory to complete the Saee.


DOUBTS IN SAEE

After Taqseer, there is no room for doubt in the number of rounds made, but if it arises before Taqseer then, if the doubt is whether additions were made, it should be ignored but if it is whether omissions were made, the Saee is invalidated.

If having reached Marwah in the last round, a pilgrim entertains a doubt as to whether it was his seventh or ninth round, the doubt should be ignored and the Saee is valid. However, if the same doubt arises in the course of a round, the Saee is invalidated and has to be performed again.

The rule on doubt concerning the number of rounds in Saee is the same as the rule for such doubts in Tawaaf arising in the course of the Tawaaf itself. If there is doubt on the number of rounds, the Saee is invalidated.