Travel

Sa’i: Another Sunnah of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage

Davane
Davane
5 min read

Sa’i is one of the rituals and fundamental part of both hajj and umrah. The concept of this ritual originates from the story of Hajar, the wife of prophet Ibrahim. The whole incident goes by like; By the commandment of Allah (SWT), prophet Ibrahim was ordered to take Hajar and his son Ismail who was an infant at that time, and to leave them in a desert.  As they were left in the desert, the child, Ismail was thirsty and on this account his mother, Hajar, out of maternal love ran between the two hills, Safa and Marwa, seven times in search of water. Afterwards the water sprung out from under the feet of Ismail. The sacred water is called Zamzam. The maternal love depicted in this ritual was selfless and profound that Allah made it a part of many rituals of Umrah and hajj. In the present time. Sa’i is performed by the pilgrims which involves walking between these two earlier mentioned hills. These hills are located adjacent to Ka\'ba and within the vicinity of Masjid-e-Haram. The guidance and transportation in USA Umrah packages all-inclusive can make this ritual seamless and hassle free for the beginners as the visitors are informed thoroughly about this ritual beforehand to avoid any confusion. Umrah package from Seattle can be easily availed through travel agencies which provide the package catered to each pilgrim’s demands and a seamless journey towards building strong ties between faith and rituals.

Striving in the way o000f Allah (SWT):

Sa’i literally means to strive or to pursue. In Sa’i, pilgrims are bound to reenact the steps of Hajar as she ran from Safa to Marwa, the two renowned hills, in desperate search of water to quench the thirst of her son, Ismail. This act emphasizes the dedication and steadfastness of pilgrims as they perform this ritual done historically by the wife of one of Allah (SWT)’s prophets, Ibrahim. Fulfilment of this ritual brings spiritual closeness to Allah (SWT) along with fulfilment of rites of hajj and umrah.

The Walk between two Hills:

Walking back and forth between two mountains, Safa and Marwa is one of the fundamental rituals of Hajj and Umrah. After performing the obligatory ritual of tawaf, pilgrims are bound to perform the rite of Sa’i. After tawaf, the pilgrims pray 2 units of prayers (Nafl) and consume the sacred water of Zamzam. Islamic Travel Agency can guide you proper about the sai and various other rituals of Umrah. Afterwards, pilgrims embark on walking initially from Safa and then descending back to Marwa. This walk from Safa to Marwa involves making supplications and prayers or reciting the verses from the Quran in the remembrance of Allah (SWT). The walk between these two hills is to be done 7 times to commemorate the ascending and descending of Hajar between these two holy hills as she ran between these two hills in search of water for her thirsty son.  

Milayn al-Akhdharayn:

Milayn al Akhdharayn is a term used to denote the two green, fluorescent lights between Safa and Marwa at a certain place. These two lights symbolize the extent of distance Hajar ran in a desperate search for water to quench the thirst of her thirsty son, Ismail. Men are obligated to slightly jog upon entering the area where green lights are located. Women can walk at a normal pace and elderly or sick person can take a wheelchair for convenience.  this region commemorates the historical significance of Islam and the hardship Hajar had to face in search of water, and how she still stayed steadfast and resilient on her faith.

Emergence of Zamzam:

the emergence of the sacred water called Zamzam occurred within this same incident. Historically, when Hajar, the wife of Prophet Ibrahim was running between the two hills of Safa and Marwa in search of water amidst strong heat of desert. Her infant son, Ismail was crying and stomping his feet on the ground out of thirst where he was laid by Hajar. The sacred water, Zamzam, emerged below the feet of Ismail. Zamzam literally means “stop stop”  as these words were said by Hajar when the water was overflowing. Zamzam is still present in Saudi Arabia, preserved in a well and each year pilgrims consume this water. The water not only has spiritual significance, but it can also potentially cure cancer or tumors. It is beneficial for the human body in many ways, said by world renowned scientists who have done their research work on the sacred water of Zamzam.

Discussion (0 comments)

0 comments

No comments yet. Be the first!