I daresay it will be the case with many other subjects relating to the actual and past features of the Eastern life, if natives will be only educated to describe the peculiarities of their own nations and creeds, and for this reason it is desirable that the number of scholars like Mr. Haji Khan should increase, and that this present book, written in collaboration with Mr. Wilfrid Sparroy, should meet with a well-deserved reception. Great credit is due to Mr. Wilfrid Sparroy, to whose high qualities as a writer, this joint production owes so much. Both Mr. Haji Khan and Mr. Wilfrid Sparroy are to be congratulated on the results of their labours: they have succeeded in bringing the East nearer to the West. A. VAMBÉRY. CONTENTS PART I A PERSIAN PILGRIM IN THE MAKING-- PAGE 1. THE MESSAGE OF THE PROPHET 21 2. CONDITIONS OF PILGRIMAGE 31 3. FORBIDDEN VIANDS 32 4. THE WORK OF PURIFICATION 33 5. PRAYERS 35 6. ASPECTS OF SOCIAL ISLÁM 37 7. STORIES OF THE MUSLIM MOONS 47 8. PERSIAN SÚFÍISM--PERSIAN SHIAHISM IN ITS RELATION TO THE PERSIAN PASSION-DRAMA 62 PART II THE STORY OF THE PILGRIMAGE-- CHAP. I. LONDON TO JIDDAH 81 CHAP. II. FROM JIDDAH TO MECCA 102 CHAP. III. WITHIN THE HAREM--SOME REMARKS ON THE ORTHODOX SECTS OF ISLÁM 111 CHAP. IV. COMPASSING OF THE KA’BAH 126 CHAP. V. THE COURSE OF PERSEVERANCE 140 CHAP. VI. SCENE IN AN EATING-HOUSE--VISIT TO THE KA’BAH 153 CHAP. VII. ON THE ROAD TO ARAFAT 173 CHAP. VIII. ON THE ROAD TO ARAFAT (_concluded_) 193 CHAP. IX. ARAFAT DAY: NIGHT 212 CHAP. X. ARAFAT DAY: DAYBREAK 223 CHAP. XI. ARAFAT DAY: FORENOON AND AFTERNOON 234 CHAP. XII. THE DAY OF VICTIMS: FROM SUNDOWN TO SUNSET. THE DAYS OF DRYING FLESH 245 PART III MECCAN SCENES AND SKETCHES-- CHAP. I. THE MECCAN BAZAARS 255 CHAP. II. THE TALISMAN-MONGER 266 CHAP. III. SEYYID ’ALÍ’S STORY OF HIS REDEMPTION 280 CHAP. IV. HEALING BY FAITH 289 APPENDIX. SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE EXISTENCE OF A SLAVE MARKET IN MECCA 299 INDEX. 309 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE THE HAREM, SHOWING THE KA’BAH, AND THE OTHER SANCTUARIES WITHIN THE HAREM _Frontispiece_