Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Volume Ii Part 24

"The word 'Umrah,' denotes a pilgrimage performed at any time except the pilgrim season (the 8th, 9th, and 10th of Zu'l Hijjah).

"The Arkan or pillars upon which the Umrah rite rests, are five in number, viz.:-

"1. Al-Ihram.

"2. Al-Tawaf.

"3. Al-Sai (between Safa and Marwah).

"4. Al-Halk (tonsure), or Al-Taksir (cutting the hair).

"5. Al-Tartib, or the due order of ceremonies, as above enumerated.[FN#43]

"The Wajibat, or requisites of Umrah, are but two in number:-

"1. Al-Ihram, or a.s.suming the pilgrim garb, from the Mikat, or fixed limit; and "2. The avoiding of all things forbidden to the pilgrim when in state of Ihram.

"In the Sunnat and Mustahabb portions of the ceremony there is no difference between Umrah and Hajj."

CHAPTER III.-OF ZIYARAT, OR THE VISIT TO THE PROPHET'S TOMB.

"Al-Ziyarat is a practice of the faith, and the most effectual way of drawing near to Allah through his Prophet Mohammed.

"As the Zair arrives at Al-Madinah, when his eyes fall upon the trees of the city, he must bless the Prophet with a loud voice. Then he should enter the Mosque, and sit in the Holy Garden, which is between the pulpit and the tomb, and pray a two-bow prayer in honour of the Masjid.

After this he should supplicate pardon for his sins. Then, approaching

[p.293] the sepulchre, and standing four cubits away from it, recite this prayer:-

"'Peace be with Thee, O Thou T.H. and Y.S.,[FN#44] Peace be with Thee, and upon Thy Descendants, and Thy Companions, one and all, and upon all the Prophets, and those inspired to instruct Mankind. And I bear witness that Thou hast delivered thy Message, and performed Thy Trust, and advised Thy followers, and swept away Darkness, and fought in Allah's Path the good Fight: may Allah requite Thee from us the Best with which he ever requited Prophet from his Followers!'

"Let the visitor stand the while before the tomb with respect, and reverence, and singleness of mind, and fear, and awe. After which, let him retreat one cubit, and salute Abu Bakr the Truthful in these words:-

"'Peace be with Thee, O Caliph of Allah's Prophet over his People, and Aider in the Defence of His Faith!'

"After this, again retreating another cubit, let him bless in the same way Omar the Just. After which, returning to his former station opposite the Prophet's tomb, he should implore intercession for himself and for all dearest to him. He should not neglect to visit the Bakia Cemetery and the Kuba Mosque, where he should pray for himself and for his brethren of the Muslimin, and the Muslimat, the Muminin and the Muminat,[FN#45] the quick of them and the dead. When ready to depart, let the Zair take leave of the Mosque with a two-bow prayer, and visit the tomb, and salute it, and again beg intercession for himself and for those he loves. And the Zair is forbidden to circ.u.mambulate the tomb, or to carry away the cakes of clay made by the ignorant with the earth and dust of the Harim."

[FN#1] M. Huc's "Travels in Tartary."

[FN#2] The two extremes, between which lie many gradations, are these.

Abu Hanifah directs every Moslem and Moslemah to perform the pilgrimage if they have health and money for the road and for the support of their families; moreover, he allows a deputy-pilgrim, whose expenses must be paid by the princ.i.p.al. Ibn Malik, on the contrary, enjoins every follower to visit Meccah, if able to walk, and to earn his bread on the way. As a general rule, in Al-Islam there are four Shurut al-Wujub, or necessary conditions, viz.:- 1. Islam, the being a Moslem.

2. Bulugh, adolescence.

3. Hurriyat, the being a free man.

4. Akl, or mental sanity.

Other authorities increase the conditions to eight, viz.:- 5. Wujud al-Zad, sufficiency of provision.

6. Al-Rahlah, having a beast of burthen, if living two days' journey from Meccah.

7. Takhliyat al-Tarik, the road being open; and 8. Imkan al-Masir, the being able to walk two stages, if the pilgrim hath no beast.

Others, again, include all conditions under two heads:- 1. Sihhat, health.

2. Ist.i.ta'at, ability.

These subjects have exercised not a little the casuistic talents of the Arab doctors: a folio volume might be filled with differences of opinion on the subject, "Is a blind man sound?"

[FN#3] The technical meaning of these words will be explained below.

[FN#4] At any other time of the year Ihram is considered Makruh, or objectionable, without being absolutely sinful.

[FN#5] In other books the following directions are given to the intended pilgrim:-Before leaving home he must pray two prostrations, concluding the orisons with a long supplication and blessings upon relatives, friends, and neighbours, and he must distribute not fewer than seven silver pieces to the poor. The day should be either a Thursday or a Sat.u.r.day; some, however, say

"Allah hath honoured the Monday and the Thursday."

If possible, the first of the month should be chosen, and the hour early dawn. Moreover, the pilgrim should not start without a Rafik, or companion, who should be a pious as well as a travelled man. The other Mukaddamat al-Safar, or preambles to journeying, are the following.

Istikharah, consulting the rosary and friends. Khulus al-Niyat, vowing pilgrimage to the Lord (not for lucre or revenge). Settling worldly affairs, paying debts, drawing up a will, and making arrangements for the support of one's family. Hiring animals from a pious person. The best monture is a camel, because preferred by the Prophet; an a.s.s is not commendable; a man should not walk if he can afford to ride; and the palanquin or litter is, according to some doctors, limited to invalids.

Reciting long prayers when mounting, halting, dismounting, and at nightfall. On hills the Takbir should be used: the Tasbih is properest for vales and plains; and Meccah should be blessed when first sighted.

Avoiding abuse, curses, or quarrels. Sleeping like the Prophet, namely, in early night (when prayer-hour is distant), with "Iftirash," or lying at length with the right cheek on the palm of the dexter hand; and near dawn with "Ittaka," i.e. propping the head upon the hand, with the arm resting upon the elbow. And, lastly, travelling with collyrium-pot, looking-gla.s.s and comb, needle and thread for sewing, scissors and tooth-stick, staff and razor.

[FN#6] In the Shafe'i school there is little difference between Al-Farz and Al-Wajib. In the Hanafi the former is a superior obligation to the latter.

[FN#7] The Hanafi, Maliki, and even some Shafe'i doctors, reduce the number from six to four, viz.:- 1. Ihram, with "Niyat."

2. Tawaf.

3. Wukuf.

4. Sai.

[FN#8] The Ifazah is the impetuous descent from Mount Arafat. Its Tawaf, generally called Tawaf al-Ziyarat, less commonly Tawaf al-Sadr or Tawaf al-Nuzul, is that performed immediately after throwing the stones and resuming the laical dress on the victim-day at Mount Muna.

[FN#9] Shaving is better for men, cutting for women. A razor must be pa.s.sed over the bald head; but it is sufficient to burn, pluck, shave, or clip three hairs when the chevelure is long.

[FN#10] The known Mikat are: North, Zu'l Halifah; North-East, Karn al-Man.a.z.il; North-West, Al-Juhfah ([Arabic]) South, Yalamlam; East, Zat Irk.

[FN#11] This Tawaf is described in chapter v.

[FN#12] Generally speaking, as will afterwards be shown, the pilgrims pa.s.s straight through Muzdalifah, and spend the night at Muna.

[FN#13] The "Tawaf al-Wida'a" is considered a solemn occasion. The pilgrim first performs circ.u.mambulation. He drinks the waters of Zemzem, kisses the Ka'abah threshold, and stands for some time with his face and body pressed against the Multazem. There, on clinging to the curtain of the Ka'abah, he performs Takbir, Tahlil, Tahmid, and blesses the Prophet, weeping, if possible, but certainly groaning. He then leaves the Mosque, backing out of it with tears and lamentations, till he reaches the "Bab al-Wida'a," whence, with a parting glance at the Bayt Ullah, he wends his way home.

[FN#14] See chapter v.

[FN#15] Many p.r.o.nounce this Niyat. If intending to perform pilgrimage, the devotee, standing, before prayer says, "I vow this intention of Hajj to Allah the most High."

[FN#16] In spite of this interdiction, pilgrims generally, for convenience, knot their shoulder-clothes under the right arm.

[FN#17] Hunting, killing, or maiming beasts in Sanctuary land and cutting down trees, are acts equally forbidden to the Muhrim and the Muhill (the Moslem in his normal state). For a large tree a camel, for a small one a sheep, must be sacrificed.

[FN#18] See chapter v. After the "Talbiyat" the pilgrim should bless the Prophet, and beg from Allah paradise and protection from h.e.l.l, saying, "O Allah, by thy mercy spare us from the pains of h.e.l.l-fire!"

[FN#19] Most of these injunctions are "meritorious," and may therefore [be]

omitted without prejudice to the ceremony.

[FN#20] Namely, the victim sacrificed on the great festival day at Muna.

[FN#21] So the commentators explain "Badanah."

[FN#22] A man's "Aurat" is from the navel to the knee; in the case of a free woman the whole of her face and person are "shame."

[FN#23] If the pilgrim place but his hand upon the Shazarwan, or on the Hijr, the Tawaf is nullified.

[FN#24] This is a purely Shafe'i practice; the Hanafi school rejects it on the grounds that the Word of G.o.d should not be repeated when walking or running.

[FN#25] The reader will observe (chapter v.), that the Mutawwif made me reverse this order of things.

[FN#26] It is better to recite these prayers mentally; but as few pilgrims know them by heart, they are obliged to repeat the words of the cicerone.

[FN#27] This portion is to be recited twice.

[FN#28] A woman, or a hermaphrodite, is enjoined to stand below the steps and in the street.

[FN#29] Women and hermaphrodites should not run here, but walk the whole way. I have frequently, however, seen the former imitating the men.

[FN#30] The Arab legend is, that the angels asking the Almighty why Ibrahim was called Al-Khalil (or G.o.d's friend); they were told that all his thoughts were fixed on heaven; and when they called to mind that he had a wife and child, Allah convinced them of the Patriarch's sanct.i.ty by a trial. One night Ibrahim saw, in a vision, a speaker, who said to him, "Allah orders thee to draw near him with a victim!" He awoke, and not comprehending the scope of the dream, took especial notice of it ([Arabic]); hence the first day of pilgrimage is called Yaum al-Tarwiyah. The same speaker visited him on the next night, saying, "Sacrifice what is dearest to thee!" From the Patriarch's knowing ([Arabic]) what the first vision meant, the second day is called Yaum Arafat. On the third night he was ordered to sacrifice Ismail; hence that day is called Yaum Nahr (of "throat-cutting"). The English reader will bear in mind that the Moslem day begins at sunset. I believe that the origin of "Tarwiyat" (which may mean "carrying water") dates from the time of pagan Arabs, who spent that day in providing themselves with the necessary.

Yaum Arafat derives its name from the hill, and Yaum al-Nahr from the victims offered to the idols in the Muna valley.

[FN#31] The present generation of pilgrims, finding the delay inconvenient, always pa.s.s on to Arafat without halting, and generally arrive at the mountain late in the afternoon of the 8th, that is to say, the first day of pilgrimage. Consequently, they pray the morning prayer of the 9th at Arafat.

[FN#32] This place will be described afterwards.

[FN#33] The Shafe'i when engaged on a journey which takes up a night and day, is allowed to shorten his prayers, and to "join" the noon with the afternoon, and the evening with the night devotions; thus reducing the number of times from five to three per diem. The Hanafi school allows this on one day and on one occasion only, namely, on the ninth of Zu'l Hijjah (arriving at Muzdalifah), when at the "Isha" hour it prays the Magh[r]ib and the Isha prayers together.

[FN#34] If the pilgrim be too late for the sermon, his labour is irretrievably lost.-M. Caussin de Perceval (vol. iii. pp. 301-305) makes the Prophet to have preached from his camel Al-Kaswa on a platform at Mount Arafat before noon, and to have again addressed the people after the post-meridian prayers at the station Al-Sakharat. Mohammed's last pilgrimage, called by Moslems Hajjat al-Bilagh ("of perfection," as completing the faith), Hajjat al-Islam, or Hajjat al-Wida'a ("of farewell"), is minutely described by historians as the type and pattern of pilgrimage to all generations.

[FN#35] Ibn Abbas relates a tradition, that whoever recites this short chapter 11,000 times on the Arafat day, shall obtain from Allah all he desires.

[FN#36] Most schools prefer to sleep, as the Prophet did, at Muzdalifah, pray the night devotions there, and when the yellowness of the next dawn appears, collect the seven pebbles and proceed to Muna.

The Shafe'i, however, generally leave Muzdalifah about midnight.

[FN#37] These places will be minutely described in a future chapter.

[FN#38] id al-Kurban, or the Festival of Victims (known to the Turks as Kurban Bayram, to the Indians as Bakar-id, the Kine Fete), id al-Zuha, "of forenoon," or id al-Azha, "of serene night." The day is called Yaum al-Nahr, "of throat-cutting."

[FN#39] If the ceremony of "Sai" has not been performed by the pilgrim after the circuit of arrival, he generally proceeds to it on this occasion.

[FN#40] This day is known in books as "Yaum al-Karr," because the pilgrims pa.s.s it in repose at Muna.

[FN#41] "The days of drying flesh," because at this period pilgrims prepare provisions for their return, by cutting up their victims, and exposing to the sun large slices slung upon long lines of cord. The schools have introduced many modifications into the ceremonies of these three days.

Some spend the whole time at Muna, and return to Meccah on the morning of the 13th. Others return on the 12th, especially when that day happens to fall upon a Friday.

[FN#42] As will afterwards appear, the number of stones and the way of throwing them vary greatly in the various schools.

[FN#43] The difference in the pillars of Umrah and Hajj, is that in the former the standing on Arafat and the Tawaf al-Ifazah are necessarily omitted.