Umrah: A Journey from the Outer to the Inner Self

Umrah: A Journey from the Outer to the Inner Self

In Sufism, "Seyr-u Sulûk", the spiritual journey, is the process by which the salik (the seeker) comes to know the self and draw closer to Allah.
Umrah, in this sense, is akin to a spiritual journey.

The physical journey to the Kaaba becomes a symbol of the spiritual journey—a turning of the heart toward Allah, the Kaaba within.
Every city left behind, every comfort abandoned, represents the shedding of the ego’s layers.
Each step is a silent prayer, lifting a veil from within.

Ihram: Stripping Away the Ego

Ihram is a symbolic shroud, a shedding of self.
When one enters ihram, they strip away the world—status, desires, ego.
At that moment, the pilgrim is no longer a name, a title, or a belonging.

This state points to the "fana" station in Sufism—
the annihilation of self, the acceptance of non-existence...
For true union only begins when the ego is left behind.

Ihram:
“There is no more 'I'; my being has bowed to my non-being.”

The Kaaba: Returning to the Center of the Heart

The Kaaba, though outwardly a structure of stone, is inwardly the symbol of the heart.
Sufi masters say:

“It is not the Kaaba that calls you; it is the Kaaba within you that calls.”

Circumambulating the Kaaba (tawaf) symbolizes the heart revolving around Allah.
A heart once orbiting the ego now turns to the Divine center—
the center of love.

This turning is, philosophically, a return to the human’s own center, a remembering of one’s true purpose.
Tawaf transcends time, for both love and truth are timeless.

Sa’y: The Wisdom of the Search

The search of Hagar (Hz. Hajar) between Safa and Marwa is a symbol of humanity’s eternal quest for truth.
Her running becomes the footsteps of hope, trust, and resilience.

From a Sufi perspective, Sa’y represents the inner struggle between the ego and the soul—
a patient pursuit of truth.

And in that running, you hear:

“There may be no water,
but even thirst itself is from Allah.
To begin the search
is the first gate to union.”

Dr. Özer Akpınar
Researcher – Historian