Umrah is one of the two holy pilgrimages in the Islamic religion. Compared to the obligatory pilgrimage of Hajj, Umrah is a voluntary one i.e., a sunnah of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAWW). Therefore, it is not obligatory for a believer to perform Umrah despite having the physical and financial means for it. One can travel through Umrah Packages UK for the holy rituals as per his/her desire and convenience.
However, the rewards that this sunnah pilgrimage of Umrah holds are no less than that of Hajj. The reason being, millions of pilgrims travel for it throughout the year. As Umrah is a voluntary pilgrimage, it can be undertaken at any time of the year but on the days of Hajj.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah issues Umrah visas throughout the year. As a matter of fact, performing Umrah is now also permissible on one’s tourist visa, business visa, or family visa to the kingdom.
Travelling for umrah; how many km?
Tawaf.
Tawaf is the act of circumambulating the Holy Kaabah, present inside Masjid-la-Haram in Makkah. Pilgrims have to complete seven circuits around the holy Kaabah, starting and ending each round of their Tawaf at the place of Hajar-al-Aswad (the Black stone) and keeping the Kaabah on the left-hand side.
The total distance covered for each round of the Holy Kaaba is approximately 400 meters but can vary significantly according to your location while performing Tawaf. Pilgrims in the inner circle have a shorter diameter to cover for their Tawaf while the pilgrims in the outer circle have to walk long distances in order to complete their round of Tawaf because of being far away from the Kaabah. You can take brochures from any Travel Agency from UK which provide you the authentic information about the Tawaf ritual.
However, on average, pilgrims complete seven circuits around the Holy Kaabah while covering a total distance of 2.8 kilometres (400 meters x 7 circuits).
Sa’i.
Sa’i is the act of walking back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwa, inside the premises of Masjid-al-Haram in Makkah. There are a total of seven rounds for Sa’i as well, performed in such a way that the first round is from Safah to Marwah and the second round is from Marwah to Safah. Then, proceeded in a manner that the seventh round at Marwah.
The distance between Safa and Marwa for one round is approximately 450 meters. Therefore, the seven rounds approximate to 3.15 kilometres (450 meters x 7 rounds). It is necessary to cover this entire distance because leaving any part of it uncovered would make your Sa’i ritual invalid.
Additional Movements.
In addition to Tawaf and Sa’i rituals, there may be a variety of additional movements and activities for pilgrims. Such as;
- Visiting the Masjid-al-Nabawi in Medina.
- The daily commute from your hotel to Masjid-al-Haram and back.
- Moving between different areas within the Haram for the daily obligatory prayers.
- Observing voluntary Tawaf.
- Travelling for Ziyarath, etc.
Therefore, on average considering the distances covered during Tawaf, Sa’i, and other movements during Umrah, the total distance covered ranges from approximately 6 kilometres to 10 kilometres. At the same time, the distance is directly influenced by the;
- The specific route taken.
- Crowd density.
- Individual choices during the pilgrimage.
So, it’s hard to say a specific distance to cover during Umrah as it is different for every individual. These distances provided are only an estimate to give you an understanding of the overall distance you must expect to cover during the performance of a minor pilgrimage.
The physically laborious nature of Umrah holds significance and rewards that go beyond the physical distance travelled, as the focus lies on the devotion, intention, and sincerity of the pilgrim throughout the rituals.
Though it is recommended for the pilgrims to complete their Umrah rituals on foot, if someone’s health or physical inefficiencies require the need for assistance, wheelchairs can also be utilized.