Safa
/ˈsˤa.faː/noun
Safa is the name of one of the two small hills in Mecca that pilgrims visit during the Islamic saʿy ritual.
Did you know?In Islamic tradition, walking between Safa and Marwa commemorates Hagar’s searching journey, and the rite became a permanent part of the pilgrimage rites of Hajj and Umrah.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
ṣ-p-w
“To be pure, clear, or unsullied; the precise reconstruction is debated”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ṣafā
“Purity, clarity, or serenity”
7th Century
Quranic Arabic
al-Ṣafā
“The Safa hill associated with the pilgrimage rites in Mecca”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
al-Ṣafā wa-al-Marwa
“Safa and Marwa, the two ritual landmarks between which pilgrims walk”
Modern English
English
Safa
“An English transliteration used for the Meccan hill and as a personal name”