With the pilgrims to Mecca: The great pilgrimage of A.H. 1319; A.D. 1902Khan, Hadji (Gazanfar Ali)
Religion
With the pilgrims to Mecca: The great pilgrimage of A.H. 1319; A.D. 1902
Khan, Hadji (Gazanfar Ali)
Mecca (Saudi Arabia); Pilgrims and pilgrimages
That being understood, the conditions must be mentioned which, in
theory, though not necessarily in practice, limit the number of
Muhammadans that go on the pilgrimage. First, the Muhammadan must
be of age--that is, he must have completed his fifteenth year when,
according to the Muhammadan Law, a boy becomes a man. Secondly, he
must be of a sound constitution in order to endure the fatigue of the
journey. Thirdly, he should have no debts whatever, but should be
sufficiently well-to-do to defray his own travelling expenses, after
having distributed one-fifth of his property among the Seyyids, given
one-tenth of the remainder in alms, and made provision during his
absence for the support of the family and the servants he leaves behind
him. Fourthly, he should support both the mosque in which he prays
and the fund of the saint he adores the most by making his religious
adviser a present in proportion to his means. Fifthly, he must be
either a virtuous or a sincerely penitent man, for he cannot legally
undertake the pilgrimage unless his wealth has been gained in a lawful
manner. Strictly speaking, a thief, for example, cannot be a pilgrim,
nor can the money earned by accepting bribes be used to cover the
expenses of the journey. The best money to use for the purpose is that
which has been gained from the produce of the soil, or else that which
has been bequeathed by a virtuous father. Sixthly, the Muhammadan who
would be a Hájí must start with an absolutely clean conscience: he must
look to it that the friends he leaves behind him shall have no just
cause to be offended with him. Though he need not heed the slander of
the malignant, he must formally repent of his sins, bidding his friends
and acquaintances good-bye with the words, “Halálám kuníd.” Seventhly,
a woman should be accompanied by one of her Meharem, that is by one of
the men who are privileged to see her unveiled--namely, by her father,
her husband, her brother, her uncle, her born slave, or her eunuch.
In short, the pilgrims should be really good Muslims, adhering firmly
to all the laws laid down in the Kurán, and following religiously the
special teaching of their chosen directors, whose prescriptive right to
regulate the minor details of the rites and observances of the Faith,
has resulted in their wielding a tremendous power over their flocks
even in political matters.
III.--FORBIDDEN VIANDS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account