As-Safa and Al-Marwah are among the Symbols of Allaah

Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are among the Symbols of Allaah. So whoever makes Hajj to the House or performs ‘Umrah - there is no blame upon him for walking between them. And whoever volunteers good - then indeed, Allaah Is Appreciative and Knowing.} [Quran 2:158] Sa‘y between As-Safa and Al-Marwah was among the rituals of Hajj since the time of Prophet Ibraaheem (Abraham), May Allaah Exalt his mention, as a reminder of the Favor of Allaah upon Haajar and her son Ismaa‘eel (Ishmael) when Allaah Saved him from thirst. This is proven in an authentic Hadeeth where Ibn ‘Abbaas, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, said:

She left him, for she could not endure looking at him, and found that the mountain of As-Safa was the nearest mountain to her on that land. She stood on it and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see somebody, but she could not see anybody. Then she descended from As-Safa and reached Al-Marwah mountain where she stood and started looking, expecting to see somebody, but she could not see anybody. She repeated that (running between As-Safa and Al-Marwah) seven times. Ibn ‘Abbaas further related, “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, ‘This is the origin of the tradition of Sa‘y.’" [Al-Bukhaari]

Anas ibn Maalik, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, was asked about As-Safa and Al-Marwah, and he said: "We used to consider (i.e. going around) them a custom of Jaahiliyyah, so when Islam came, we gave up going around them. Then Allaah Revealed (what means): {Indeed, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are among the Symbols of Allaah.}" [Al-Bukhaari]The majority of scholars held that Sa‘y between As-Safa and Al-Marwah is one of the pillars of Hajj without which it becomes invalid based on this verse and the action of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in his Farewell Hajj. Jaabir, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, described the Hajj of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, saying: "… When he finished his Tawaaf, he returned to the corner (the Black Stone) and kissed it. He then went out of the gate to As-Safa and as he reached it he recited: {Indeed, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are among the Symbols of Allaah.} Then, he said, ‘I begin with what Allaah began (since Allaah The Almighty mentioned As-Safa before Al-Marwah in the verse).’" [Muslim] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "learn your rituals from me." [Muslim]

Ibn Muhaysin, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, said:

I saw the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, performing Tawaaf between As-Safa and Al-Marwah. People were before him and he was behind them making Sa‘y strongly to the extent that his knees were disclosed and his lower garment was revolving, saying, "Perform Sa‘y, for Allaah Has Enjoined Sa‘y on you." [Ahmad] [Hasan chain of narrators]

Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): "There is no blame upon him for walking between them" Blame here means sin. The verse apparently signifies that Sa‘y between As-Safa and Al-Marwah is not obligatory, but the fact is otherwise. The Hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah, May Allaah Be Pleased with her, expounded the meaning of the verse. ‘Urwah ibn Az-Zubayr, May Allaah Have mercy upon him, said:

Once when I was young I said to ‘Aa’ishah, "Have you seen the Saying of Allaah (which means): {Indeed, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are among the Symbols of Allaah.} So, it follows that there should be no harm for someone who does not go between them." ‘Aa’ishah, May Allaah Be Pleased with her, said, "No. If it were as you say, the verse would have read as:  “there would be no blame upon him for not walking between them”. The case is this verse was revealed about the Ansaar. They used to make pilgrimage to Manaat (an idol) and they used to avoid going between As-Safa and Al-Marwah, and when Islam came they asked the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, about this. Accordingly, Allaah The Exalted Revealed (what means): {Indeed, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are among the Symbols of Allaah.}." [Maalik]

The verse, as stated by the Hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah, May Allaah Be Pleased with her, was revealed to expel the thought and embarrassment of the Muslims who abstained from walking between As-Safa and Al-Marwah on the pretext that idols were used to be worshipped in their vicinity in the pre-Islamic era. Allaah The Almighty Removed the blame to expel this misunderstanding, not to state that Say‘ between them is not required, as the apparent meaning of the verse reflects. In another narration, she said: "The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ordained Sa`y between them, so no body is allowed to leave Sa`y between them." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Limiting the removal of blame in the verse to the one who makes Sa`y [between As-Safa and al-Marwah] for Hajj and ‘Umrah indicates that the Muslim cannot draw closer to Allaah by making Sa‘y independently except during Hajj or ‘Umrah. Unlike Tawaaf around the Ka‘bah; which is permissible for the Muslim to make independently outside Hajj and ‘Umrah.

Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): "And whoever volunteers good- " i.e. does a good deed, "then indeed, Allaah Is Appreciative and Knowing.}" Who Gives reward for obedience and nothing is hidden from Him.

Allaah The Almighty Explained that all goodness lies in the acts of obedience that the slave does and the acts of worship which bring him closer to his Lord. The more the slave obeys his Creator, the more he attains goodness and perfection and the higher his degree will be in the Sight of Allaah. The verse adds another meaning, which is understood from confining volunteering to goodness. That is whoever volunteers religious innovations or acts that Allaah Did not Ordain, or carries out the Orders of Allaah in a manner which He Does not Ordain, his acts will not be accepted and he will find nothing but the suffering of doing that deed . Whoever is in such a state, he falls under the Saying of Allaah (which means): {Say, [O Muhammad], "Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work."} [Quran 18:103-104]

Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): "Allaah Is Appreciative and Knowing," this shows that Allaah The Almighty Accepts even the little work of His slaves and Rewards them abundantly. It also reflects that whoever leaves something [unlawful] for the Sake of Allaah, Allaah Will Compensate him with a better thing, and whoever draws closer to Him one hand-span, He Will Draw closer to him one cubit. Surely, Allaah The Almighty Is All-Aware of the circumstances of His Creation and who deserves reward or punishment. The verse generally indicates that the pilgrim who performs Sa‘y between As-Safa and Al-Marwah should feel his helplessness and humbleness to his Creator, and his need of Him in terms of guiding his heart, maintaining his affairs, forgiving his sins, and that there is no resort from Allaah except to Him. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {O mankind, you are those in need of Allaah, while Allaah Is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.} [Quran 35:15] 

https://islamstory.com/en/artical/1815/As-Safa-Al-Marwah