Traveling for Umrah is itself a spiritual act and millions of Muslims reach Makkah to enjoy this personalized experience. Mostly people choose December Umrah Packages because of the winter vacations and pleasant weather of Makkah. Besides, knowing the significance of Umrah some people have several doubts about the rituals of Umrah. Before you embark on this religious journey, clear your concepts regarding Umrah rituals and know their history-wise importance.
Umrah doesn’t mean just doing Tawaf and reciting duas, you must complete all the rituals for the completion of Umrah. Your Umrah journey cannot be considered complete without performing Sa’i. It is an integral part of the Umrah journey explained by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ initially. The literal meaning of Sa’i is to walk or pursue. Performing Sa’i includes walking between the two hills of Safa and Marwah which are adjacent to the holy Kaaba in Masjid al-Haram.
Steps to Perform Sa’i
After performing Tawaf which is seven rounds around Kaaba, pilgrims move towards the Sa’i area and complete seven rounds there too, between the hill Safa and Marwah. Rounds for Sa’i start from Hill Safa. Walking from Safa to Marwah is considered one round and then walking from Marwah to Safa is considered as second round. This lap continues until Muslims complete seven rounds. If during Sa’i Muslims forget which round they were performing, they should consider the least amount of rounds they think they have completed.
In the Sa’i you’ll see green lights on the roof, this is the area where Hazrat Hajra ran in search of water. Between this marked area, men have to run slowly while women should walk all through the Sa’i. When you book your December Umrah packages keep yourself mentally and physically prepared. Because Umrah requires a lot of effort and it would be difficult to perform this journey without proper health. Distance from Safa to Marwah is 450 meters and the total distance covered during the whole Sa’i is 3.15 km.
History of Sa’i in Islam
Sa’i is a remembrance of the Sunnah of Hazrat Hajra (wife of Prophet Ibrahim). After the revelation from Almighty Allah, Prophet Ibrahim migrated to Makkah along with His wife Hazrat Hajra and His newly born son Ismail. Makkah was a barren land and after receiving orders from Almighty Allah, Prophet Ibrahim gave some dates and water and left his wife and son alone. After a few days, food resources were finished and Hazrat Hajra had to look for water and food. She ran back and forth between Safa and Marwah Hill in search of water. Allah Almighty loved this act so much that. He added it as a compulsory act in the spiritual journeys of Umrah and Hajj.
Sa’i is an act of tribute and respect for Hazrat Hajra that she made in search of water for her son Ismail. Millions of Muslims travel between these hills to perform Sa’i and complete the Umrah pilgrimage. Through the action of Sa’i the blessed water, Zamzam was given to Muslims.
Importance of Sa’i in Umrah
Sa’i is a difficult ritual to perform, however, if you book December Umrah packages it would be much easier to perform than in summer. This action depicts the struggles that one person encounters in his/her life. It shows devotion and putting trust in Allah’s order, just like Hazrat Hajra did and Allah completed her requests. From a physical point of view, Sa’i shows what changes we need to make in our body to remain physically fit, it’s like a source of meditation.
Steps to Perform Sa’i
Hill Safa is situated in line with Hajr e Aswad in front of the holy Kaaba, upon reaching you have to recite dua by facing the Kaaba, and your Sa’i journey will begin. Rise your hand towards Kaaba but not above earlobes, recite prayers, and move towards Marwah. Upon reaching Marwah move your face towards holy Kaaba and recite certain duas as mentioned in different guides of Umrah. You’ll see green lights on the floor of the Sa’i area which is where Hazrat Hajra ran to reach the higher ground. So men are advised to run slowly in this area and women are advised to walk all through the way. After Sa’i men shave their heads and women cut their hair and perform two nawafil for thankfulness that your Umrah is completed.
Final Words
It was difficult to perform Sa’i in back those days but now the Saudi government has added the Safa and Marwah hills inside the premises of Masjid al-Haram. Built-in air condition systems are attached and there is a smooth way of marble tiles. Now it’s much easier to perform Sa’i. Still, it’s better to choose December Umrah Packages because in the summer season, it’s too hot in Saudi Arabia. Several people feel dehydrated while performing Umrah during the summer season and it affects their health. For a better choice of packages, contact Muslims Holy Travel right away.