According to this exegete, Safa and Marwa are signs (sha'air) that Allah has designated as places of worship for His servants, and they are marked places where servants perform their supplications, remembrance, or obligatory deeds (sa'y). The mention of Safa and Marwa in the verse refers to the same two hills that in the pre-Islamic era had idols upon them and were circumambulated for these idols. It is stated that when some people hesitated to perform this circumambulation during the Prophet's 'umrat al-qada, the verse was revealed in the sense of a command rather than a report. Furthermore, pilgrimage (hajj) is characterized as obligatory and 'umrah as voluntary (nafilah), and it is stated that if someone performs their obligatory pilgrimage and then performs 'umrah voluntarily, Allah is grateful and knowing of this.

وإنما أعلم الله تعالى ذكره بقوله: عباده المؤمنين أن السعي بينهما من مشاعر ا

According to this exegete, the expression in the text refers to one of the religious signs (sha'air) that Allah has established. The attribution of this sign to Allah's name carries the purpose of exalting it and emphasizing its importance.

أي من أعلام الشريعة التي شرعها الله . وإضافتها إلى اسمه : تعظيم لها

In this text, Fahreddin er-Râzî discusses the ruling regarding performing sa'y between Safa and Marwa and why this was made lawful. As the wisdom of the sa'y act of worship, he relates the story of Hagar and Ishmael being helped by Allah with zamzam water during their thirst, and he states that this event is evidence that those who are patient in hardship will reach the highest ranks. Furthermore, he discusses through various interpretations that the phrase 'there is no blame' in the verse does not indicate the obligation of sa'y, because this phrase carries a shared meaning between obligatory, recommended, and permissible acts.

قال ابن عباس : كان على الصفا صنم وعلى المروة صنم وكان أهل الجاهلية يطوفون بهما ويتمسحون بهما فلما جاء الإسلام كره المسلمون الطواف بينهما لأجل الصنمين فأنزل الله تعالى هذه الآية

Kurtubî explains that the word 'sha'air' in the verse means places that Allah has designated as signs for servitude (such as Marwa and Safa, which are markers of hajj rites). Furthermore, based on the interpretation of A'isha, he states that the phrase 'there is no blame' is not evidence for the permissibility of abandoning circumambulation between Safa and Marwa; rather, it indicates that performing the circumambulation is permissible. He emphasizes that al-Shafi'i's view is preferred on this matter.

فقالت له عائشة : ليس قوله : فلا جناح عليه أن يطوف بهما دليلا على ترك الطواف إنما كان يكون دليلا على تركه لو كان فلا جناح عليه ألا يطوف بهما فلم يأت هذا اللفظ لإباحة ترك الطواف ولا فيه دليل عليه

According to this exegete, the verse was revealed because in the pre-Islamic era the Ansar worshipped the Manat idol and had the custom of touching the statues of Isaf and Naila which were located between Safa and Marwa, and after entering Islam they hesitated to perform sa'y between these two hills. The Prophet made this circumambulation (sa'y) a Sunnah, and therefore no one has the right to abandon it. Furthermore, A'isha opposed Urwa's misinterpretation of the verse, through which he brought evidence for the permissibility of abandoning sa'y, and she clarified the true reason for the revelation of the verse.

ولكنها إنما أنزلت أن الأنصار كانوا قبل أن يسلموا كانوا يهلون لمناة الطاغية التي كانو يعبدونها عند المشلل وكان من أهل لها يتحرج أن يطوف بالصفا والمروة فسألوا عن ذلك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقالوا يا رسول الله إنا كنا نتحرج أن نطوف بالصفا والمروة في الجاهلية فأنزل الله عز وجل قالت عائشة ثم قد سن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الطواف بهما فليس لأحد أن يدع الطواف بهما

According to Beydâvî, Safa and Marwa are two hills in Mecca and are among Allah's signs; there is no sin in the person performing hajj or 'umrah circumambulating between them (sa'y). Since these hills contained idols named Isaf and Naila in the pre-Islamic era, when Islam came and the idols were broken, Muslims hesitated to perform sa'y between these two hills, whereupon this verse was revealed. It is established by consensus that sa'y is lawful in hajj and 'umrah, but there is disagreement regarding its obligation: according to Ahmad it is Sunnah, according to Abu Hanifa it is obligatory (if abandoned, it is compensated with blood), and according to Malik and al-Shafi'i it is a pillar.

وكان أهل الجاهلية إذا سعوا مسحوهما. فلما جاء الإسلام وكسرت الأصنام تحرج المسلمون أن يطوفوا بينهما لذلك فنزلت. والإجماع على أنه مشروع في الحج والعمرة، وإنما الخلاف في وجوبه.