Al-Safa
/æl ˈsæfə/noun
Al-Safa is a sacred hill in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, associated with the Islamic ritual of walking between Al-Safa and Al-Marwah.
Did you know?During the Islamic pilgrimage ritual of saʿy, pilgrims walk between Al-Safa and Al-Marwah seven times, commemorating Hagar’s search for water for her son Ishmael.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
ṣ-f-w
“A reconstructed root associated with purity, clarity, or smoothness”
Pre-Islamic Arabic
Arabic
ṣafā
“A smooth rock or clear, pure quality”
7th Century
Arabic
al-Ṣafā
“The smooth rock or rocky hill, with al- meaning “the””
7th Century
Quranic Arabic
al-Ṣafā
“The hill in Mecca paired with Al-Marwah and recognized as a sacred site”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
al-Ṣafā
“A proper name for the Meccan sanctuary hill”
Modern English
English
Al-Safa
“The conventional English transliteration of the sacred Meccan hill”