Umrah Journey Of the Heart

Umrah

Dr. Özer Akpınar – Researcher / Historian

Outwardly, it is an act of worship,
At its core, a migration,
A longing for divine reunion.

From a Sufi perspective, it is a journey of the heart.
A resolve to abandon the junkyard of the world,
And arrive at the threshold of truth.

Umrah is a journey toward the heart.
It is a departure...
But not for wealth,
Not for possessions...
It is the echo of an ancient yearning within the soul.

"O House of Allah! I have come, I have come to be with you."

With the shadow of sin on his back,
And prostration of tears in his hands,
The seeker sets out;
Each step breaks a chain of the ego,
Each stop wipes rust from the heart.

Makkah is no longer far—
For Makkah lies in the heart of the gnostic.

To reach the Kaaba is a physical walk,
But in truth,
It is to overthrow the idols within the heart.

Ihram is worn like a shroud,
As if declaring: “I no longer exist.”
No rank,
No wealth,
No name...
Only servanthood,
Only nothingness,
Only surrender to You.

Then begins the Tawaf:
You turn, and turn again...
Seven times you circle in the orbit of love.
They think you are circling the Kaaba,
But in truth,
You are getting lost around your own heart.

Each turn leaves a fragment of the “self,”
Each step draws you closer to “You.”

Then begins the Sa’y:
Between Safa and Marwa
You run like Lady Hagar—
With hope for reunion,
In search of water...

But what you seek is not water,
What you seek is mercy.

At last, the hair is cut:
Your ego, your pride falls to the ground.
No more masks upon your face,
No more veils before your eyes.
You are truly you.

And perhaps, for the first time,
You are so empty—
And for the first time,
You are so complete.

Umrah is the herald of union.
A call from within:
“Come, I am what you seek.”

And the servant answers:
"Labbayk, Allahumma Labbayk..."
(Here I am, O my Lord, at Your service...)