I just stopped, asking: why we are doing this?

She is a sharp professional, belongs to generation X; who was telling about her Umrah experience many years ago..

“I had accompanied my sister doing Sa’i between Alsafa and Almarwa.. After a couple of laps; I just stopped, asking her: Why we are doing this?
She quickly explained,: it is to memorize the hardship Sayyedah Sarah PBUH had suffered, running between the two hills to find any water spring, for her thirsty baby Ismail to drink..
I replied: OK.. But why we repeat the hardship.. There is no point..!
She begged me to continue, otherwise the religious attendants would observe us and may question; why we are not performing alike others..!
I replied: you go continue.. I shall seat here waiting for you..!”

Then she continues to elaborate how histories should not dominate our present times.. People are more intellectual now to absorb and comprehend the past lessons without the need for any physical performance.. Many of the religious rituals are just meaningless activities; which would waste our time and energy..

Certainly; I was unable to debate..!!
Briefly; I had commented that such deeds are driven by belief and devotion..

Such (falsely arrogant) mindset is hard to align; for a simple reason:
Many people unintentionally challenge the Creator swt with their own intellectuality and smart fitness; yet they cannot comprehend the implicit shortfall of their created brains to envision the Creator swt, or his wisdom and commands..
If we successfully perform the role of creations, The Creator swt will enable us to satisfactorily comprehend the mysteries within His creation, rulings and commands..

Whatsoever sophistication, speed or capacity of any “Computer”; it can’t understand the unexpressed Epistemia his “Engineer” has..!

You may imagine it as a sort of leadership: Leader and Followers are not alike in terms of knowledge, authority or capabilities.. They vary along the hierarchy.. Yet; every follower has “faithfully” to follow the Leader.. If you do not exercise trust and faith in your Leader, your endeavor is most likely unsustainably successful..!

Law & Order are the merits of all humane endeavors..
Not necessarily to “like” the Order, whenever you follow the Law.. yet, you have to bear it.. Willingly better than forced..!

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لَنْ يَخْلُقُوا ذُبَاباً وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ وَإِنْ يَسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْئاً لَا يَسْتَنْقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ – الحج :73
O people, an example is presented, to listen to: Those who you invoke instead of Allah will never create a fly, even if they align together for this purpose. If the flies snatch away something from them, they can’t recover it back. How weak are both pursuer and quest. 22-73