(56) باب أَمْرِ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ
'Urwa bin Al Zubair said I said to A'ishah, wife of the Prophet(ﷺ) while I was a boy. What do you think about the pronouncement of Allaah, the Exalted "Lo! (The Mountains) Al Safa' and Al Marwah are among the indications of Allaah. "I think there is no harm for anyone if he does not run between them. A'ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) said Nay, had it been so as you said, it would have been thus. It is no sin on him not to go around them. This verse was revealed about the Ansaar, they used to perform hajj for Manat. Manat was erected in front of Qudaid. Hence they used to avoid going around Al Safa and Al Marwah. When Islam came, they asked the Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) about it. Allaah, the Exalted therefore revealed the verse "Lo! (The Mountains) Al Safa' and Al Marwah are among the indications of Allaah.
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 1901
In-book reference: Book 11, Hadith 181
English translation: Book 10, Hadith 1896