The story of a pilgrimage to Hijaz (1909)

THE

STORY OF A PILGRIMAGE TO H1JAZ.

BY

H. H.

THE NAWAB SULTAN JAHAN BEGAM, G.C.T.E.

RULER OF

R HO PAL.

CALCUTTA

.

TIIAOKER, SPINK & CO. 1909.

BP 187

^ALCUlTA RINTEP BY THACKEK, Si INK AND :

J

^ 1

^(

ry OF TC

CO.

THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

IN

INTRODUCTION.

8];

The Sua and Moon a common end pursue,

The way

is

one, the guiding stars are two.

Muhammad s 1*

Two

praiee

ia

!

c

Verily

God Almighty

orbs produce one

we

sight,"

JU

s

praise,

the poet eaya.

X5UVI

U-y

Bl

offered the Trust to the Heavens,

the Earth, and the Mountains, but they refused to

accept

it

and

man who undertook XXXIII, PH

were it."

afraid of

(Al

it.

Kuran,

was

It

Chapter

Verse 72). 1

THE STORY OF A

2

Human

nature, as interpreted in the light

of this sacred verse, resolves itself into a

number

of active emotions of which that which has

gion for

its

the strongest.

is

object

reli

emo

This

tion or sentiment, which in religious language

synonymous with

sincerity of belief or attraction

towards the Deity, in

intensity

present in greater

is

man.

every

It

is

this

power which impels a human being, as

it

for

their

Religion All

own is

men in

or other cerity

to

were,

perform

or

constitution.

Even the

the

sin

nature

of

common-place

of religion does not

happen to

cheerfully undergoes every incon

involved

systems of

human

appreciate

in

the

of the ritual of his faith. all

ceremonies

tenets with perfect

its

not.

mortal whose sense

venience

emotional

world profess a religion of some sort

whether they

be very keen

less

sake without any special object.

and follow

those tenets

or

instinctively

religious

a necessity of the this

is

belief

punctual

The

observance

votaries of almost

admit, in addition to their

ordinary places of worship, the existence of one sacred shrine, pilgrimage

to,

and worship

are of pre-eminent spiritual value.

in,

which

Pilgrims to

these places are regarded by their co -religionists

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ. with special shrines

the

be cited

the

the People of the

the Hindus.

I

(Solomon

ITS of

to

propose

s

and

Book,

Mathura, and similar cent

of

such

Kaaba among

holy

Jerusalem

Musalmans,

among

As instances

veneration.

may

3

temple) Benares,

among

worship,

discuss

the

here

The

sacred shrine of the Musalmans. the KM aha. the

sanctity of a pilgrimage to

known by the name

of the Hajj,

articles of Islamic

cipal

who can

allonl to

formance of

it

make

the

"It

and upon

the pilgrimage, is

command to

requisite means, of

God"

1

those he per

To

obligatory. in this

undertake (Al

is

one of the prin

the duty of every man,

is

to the house

is

belief,

once in a lifetime

quote from the divine tion:

Kaaba, which

a

connec

who

lias

pilgrimage

Kuran, Chapter

111,

Every Musalman who is in arlluent circumstances is anxious to go on this pilgrimage. Verse 96).

While engaged in prayer ful into

which carries the faith

the presence of the Almighty,

importance of which divine words

wickedness

may

ct

verily,

and

faces

towards

selves

before the

vice"-

this

be gauged

prayer keeps a

Musal mans

shrine

and the born the

man from turn

their

and prostrate them

Almighty Creator.

THE STORY OF A Although persons in poor circumstances are

exempted from the obligation to go on pilgrimage* this sacred journey yet the duty of undertaking is

binding on those

who have

to speak of the fact that of

it is

the means.

the readiest means

acknowledging the blessings of Islam and the

best

and

contributing towards

of

way

development

spiritual

of Islam,

benefits

of the

community, the

is

a repository of secular and religious

whose name

is

legion

and which cannot

be comprehended by the ordinary

my

the religious

other fundamental ritual observances

Hajj, like

is,

Not

intellect.

It

however, beyond the scope of the record of journey to discuss these blessings.

There "travel

is

a

leads to

well-known success."

the civilised countries of the

by means

of travel are

present day.

determined

Arab saying that The blessings which world have enjoyed

everywhere manifest at the

The principal causes which have the progress of

civilisation

themselves into an exchange of ideas various branches of the crease of knowledge.

human

resolve

among

the-

race and the in

The Hajj enables Musal-

rnans to achieve these ends in the best possible

manner.

Men from

every corner of the habit-

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

5

on

this occasion,

able globe are gathered together

and, according to their respective tastes and re quirements, they can obtain information ing to the remotest

may

of the

parts

which

world,

be of use to them in their various pursuits.

The material

which

benefit

may

course

is

obvious.

whom

mankind

thus accrue to

by mutual

the vast concourse of pilgrims

of

relat

Moreover, the various

Kaaba draws

the

inter

races

together in

a spiritual bond obtain an insight into one ano ther

s social

and by comparing notes

condition,

gather ideas for such social reforms as are neces

The words

sary.

benefits ing.

and

may

of the holy

accrue to them,

The advantages it

of

Kuran, convey

so that this

mean

union are innumerable,

a principle which Islam has specially

is

inculcated on great Islamic brothers,"

all

its

In pursuance of the

followers.

doctrine

the

that

"

Musalmans

the

Faithful

of the

are

world con

stitute a single fraternity.

The Hajj

is

the best

means

of

strengthening

these fraternal bonds and the plain of Arafat

is

the spot where Musalmans can best cultivate one

another

s

acquaintance.

millions of

men

It

of all sorts

is

the place to which

and conditions resort

6

THE STORY OF A

from

different

unsewn

pieces of

of the

parts

It is there that

coming from

Adam

indelible

The Hajj

is

that

realise

of doing

of

in.

humility,,

homage

to God..

(Peace be upon him), after

Paradise into this world,

cognised his wife Eve.

makes an

wrapped

linen as a token

common object

with the

world,

The spectacle

impression

is

first

re

one which

upon the mind.

the best means of making Musalmans* all

In the sight of the

are equal.

Absolute Master of the Universe the poor and therich,

the beggar and the sovereign, are

all

alike,

are his servants.

all

For servitude our brow

is

branded,

Nothing can the mark efface, Went to God s abode the Prophet, Yet he could not take his

To

is

see all this, however, one

not everyone

is

who

but

it

possesses the gift of vision or

Cen

have passed, yet no human being has taken

with him from his

Ibn Batuta

of

home such power

the

Day

of the arts

of observation

Morocco and Ibn Zubair

Spain whose treasure of knowledge till

eyes,

blessed with the faculty of observation.

turies

as

must have the

Every one has two

of sight.

power

place.

will

Judgment on the neck and sciences. of

of

be borne

of the best

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

Mecca has been the centre tion

from

Arabia

popular attrac

of

immemorial.

time

7

The

annals

oi

show that even before the advent

Islam this holy place was a shrine to which grims used to flock in large

M^-

of

\

pil

numbers and that

the same eagerness and enthusiasm marked their pilgrimage as at present. at once infer

which

of is

from

An

intelligent

become the centre

the result of some mysterious force.

that during the period of the Hajj

and

people

a

without

possible

to

that an led

general

were

holiness

will

this that the strong attraction

this sacred spot has

was stopped,

man

truce

enabled let

or

was

to

It

appears

all

fighting

proclaimed,

join

in

hinderance.

of

acts

It

is

im

conceive, except on the supposition

agency

mightier

the course of

events

than

man

control

at that time, that

a

people, indifferent to social or political restraints

and naturally

turbulent,

should,

holy months of the Hajj, so far of

their

ferocious

instincts as to

during

get the

the

better

be converted

suddenly into a body of peaceful and harmless citizens.

ly

Such a consummation

is

undoubted,

due to the blessings which God has showered on

the holy Kaaba, and to the prayer of the Prophet

THE STORY OF A

Abraham

(Peace be on

make this

City an abode

him

!)

who

said

"

God,

:

of peace.

The foregoing statement is intended, not to be a mere summary of historical events, but to

show that the inductive method

serves to sup

port the arguments that are brought forward to

prove the sacred obligation of the Hajj and the reverence to which the holy

As

for

Kaaba

the traditionary sanction, we

the saying of the Prophet:

"Do

is

entitled.

may

quote

not undertake

a pilgrimage to any shrine except three, the holy Kaaba, the sanctuary of Jerusalem, and my

mosque.

The veneration due to the Kaaba

also

is

proved by the following passage in the Kuran 6

God made

a resort

the

Kaaba

for the people.

He

a sacred house sanctified the

and ordained that

(of the Hajj)

it

:,-

and

month

should be the

period for offering sacrifices and (marking camels with) circlets

(round

their

This

necks).

to

is

make you understand that God knows what in heaven

and earth and that He

in

every thing.

for

men was

Verily, the

Mecca, which

first

is full

is

omniscient

house reared

of blessings

directs the people in the right path.

is

and

This house

9

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ. ontains

manifest signs and was the abode of

Abraham. it

is

site

Whosoever entered

man who

the duty of every

means

house of

was

it

to undertake

and

safe;

has the requi

pilgrimage to the

a

God."

From my to pay a

childhood I had

earliest

visit to this

longed

In view,

holy sanctuary.

however, of the social customs of India, I could not

unless

long

as

by

remained

I

my

this

purpose,

august mother, as

unmarried.

became involved

official

out

carried

accompanied

riage I

and

have

possibly

mar

After

in innumerable domestic

troubles which are not

unknown

to the

and the object of my from accomplishment as

desire

intelligent observer,

remained as

far

According to a well-known Arab aphorism thing occurs at

every

The sacred

appointed time.

its

ever. c

object which I had in view was so long delayed

that

my lamented

best

knows the

ment plunged

trials into

me.

confronted with of the State.

mother breathed her

all

I

which

this

found myself

last.

God

bereave

suddenly

the arduous responsibilities

The State at

this

time resembled

a tottering pillar and the condition of helpless ness to which

it

had been reduced haunted me

THE STORY OF A

10

day and sacred

Still

night.

the

to

desire

visit

the

Mecca and Medina was the most

cities of

cherished sentiment of

my

After assum

heart.

ing the administration I thought that,

having

accomplished such measures of reform as were absolutely

necessary, I would be able to under

take the blessed journey, but yet another sore

disappointment was in store for me.

had scarcely run

their

course

when my

well-

Nawab

Ihti-

beloved husband and adviser, the

sham-ul-Mulk,

Dulha,

Alijah,

Ahmad

fate to the

of

Sultan

Nazir-ud-Daula,

Khan Bahadur, was

Ali

mercy

Six months

God.

The shock

called

by

distracted

me, and the long-cherished wish which had been

my

guiding star ever since

my

childhood had

again to be postponed. It is well

known

that the Courts of even the

petty Princes of this world are inaccessible to

who have not obtained permission

those

When how

such

is

the case in

to enter.

our earthly relations,

can we possibly betake ourselves to the

Court of the Sovereign of the

Two Worlds

except

with the guidance of His beneficence and mercy

Man

proposes and

God

disposes.

I

?

deem myself

highly fortunate in that the Great and Glorious

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

me

Master sent for

my

besetting

bounded at

His

All difficulties

were removed by

my

all

vanished

well that

ends

something untoward should happen

in its course to

mar

its

accordingly look

upon

my

satisfaction

and

offer

thanks to God,

May God

direct

complete

religious duties

I

harmony.

journey with unmixed Lord.

my

every Musalman in the right

and grant him the

path

un

His

troubles

All s

bidding.

gracious if

to His Court.

and

grace,

even

well,

path

11

ability to

perform his

with the utmost readiness

!

My

journey has been crowned with complete success

and

I

have

ended

it

a

in

most satisfactory

manner. In conformity with the Islamic teaching, that

who does not thank men,

"He

God",

the

I

must

of

India

great kindness to which I shall refer at later on.

My

to thank

in this connection sincerely

Government

Supreme

fails

for full

thank their

length

thanks are also due to the Turkish

Govern

Government, who, at the instance

of the

ment

a reception be.

of India, very kindly

fitting

I

into

gave

me

my rank and entertained me with hospitality. have divided this narrative of my journey

two books.

The

first

book contains a

brief

THE STORY OF A PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

12

geographical description of Arabia, to which

added a detailed account holy

Kaaba

as well the

is

of the foundation of the

Prophet

s

mosque.

The

second book deals with events and incidents relat ing to

my

pilgrimage to Hijaz and copies of such

correspondence

with

it.

as

took

place

in

connection

BOOK

I.

CHAPTER

I.

GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF ARABIA. Modern Arabia

a

is

research

geographical

peninsula

western corner

of the

bounded on the

east

situated

shows

South

the

in

that

Asiatic Continent.

It is

by the Persian Gulf and on the west by the Eed Sea and the Straits of Babul-Mandab. The Arabian Sea washes the South ern coast of the peninsula and the plains of Syria

march with

its

Northern

north-west the country

is

To

boundary.

the

connected with Africa

by an isthmus which has now been pierced by the Suez Canal. The length of the land is 1,500 miles

and

its

breadth about 1,200

miles.

principal political divisions are four

Hijaz

The

including

first

two

Tainan;

Najcl,

The

Al-Khassa

and

;

Oman.

divisions are under the

Sultan of Turkey.

Najd

is

sway of the ruled by an inde

pendent Chieftain, who, however, acknowledges the suzerainty of the Sultan.

Oman

belongs to

THE STORY OF A

14 the

Imam

country

is

of Maskat.

Nearly the whole of the

sandy and, owing to

to the torrid or equatorial zone,

its close is

proximity

The

very hot.

province of Hijaz, which runs along the shore

Red

of the

famed

Sea, contains the

cities of

which

of Taif,

holy and

world-

Mecca and Medina, and the town celebrated for

is

genial climate

its

and green meadows. Mecca lies at the foot a mountain and is surrounded by a number small

hills.

situated the

yard.

On

"

the

other side,

is

tion of

Yaman

the town

spring issuing from the

to the birth-place of !)

in

the

it

a large grave direction

of

In the direc

demarcated by a

is

Bazan which

Hamza (May God

lies

close

be pleased

The Jabl

the Jabl Ahmar, which stand

facing one another, skirt the sides.

one side of

the uncle of our Prophet.

Abu Kubais and

of

of considerable

Jannat-ul-Mualla"

a place called Shahika.

Jeddah,

with him

is

On

rectangular in shape.

size, is is

The town, which

of

town on the other

In his history of Mecca the learned Kutb-

ud-din Hanafi states that in old times the city

was protected by a system of has

fortified walls.

described the system at

He

some length and

points out that in the direction

of the

Palaces

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

a thick wall connected the

Umar

with

iron, the gift of also a,

a

wooden

Abdulla ibn wall was

This

man, to drain

was another piece

off

about

with

plated

gate

some Indian Monarch.

pierced with sluices,

It

was

the height of water.

superfluous

There

of wall in the direction of Sha-

This joined the two

hika.

of

hill

with the opposite rock.

furnished

15

hills

which enclose the

pass that furnishes the means of egress from Mecca.

The wall had two

tem

To complete the

gates.

Darb-ul- Yaman.

The learned the

ion that the founder of Sharif,

Abu

historian

is

Aziz Katada ibn Idris Hasani,

According to the

an

The date

of

down

as

construction of the wall has been put Hijra.

of opin

City wall was the

ancestor of the Sharifs of Mecca.

607

sys

there was one more wall situated below the

same authority

the length of Mecca from the Muallat gate to the Darb-ul- Yaman cubits

is

4,072

and 4,000 yards

if

yards

if

measured in

measured with an iron

rod of the standard length.

Surveyed from the

Muallat gate to Shahika the length of the city is At at 4,172 yards in hand measure.

computed

the time of

my

visit,

wall were visible.

however, no traces of the

THE STORY OF A

16

Mecca

One

is

supplied with water by two canals.

had been

of these

commenced

Zubair Kuraishi, but, being

left

was completed by the Queen

unfinished

of Sultan

Ibn

by

by him,

Sulaiman

The other was constructed by the Abbaside Khalifa, Muktadir. The site of Mecca

of Turkey.

comprises an area two miles long from north to

south and one mile broad

Owing

to the excessive heat

from east to west.

and the sandy nature

of the country not a speck of verdure relieves the

At a distance

eye for miles.

70 miles from

of

Mecca, however, in an easterly direction,

with

its

green

meadows and

cultivated

fields

Summer

reigns

which support and sustain Mecca.

throughout the year in Mecca which visited

the

by any winter worthy

summer

is

Taif

lies

is

scarcely

name.

of the

at its hottest, the nobility

When

and

well-

to-do portion of the populace betake themselves to the cool

and shady

retreat of Taif.

The port of Jeddah lies 40 Mecca on the coast of the Red Sea.

miles west

north, at a distance of 270 miles,

is

blessed City of Medina.

Mecca and masonry.

is

protected

The suburbs

Medina

by an

of

Towards the

is

situated the

smaller than

old wall of strong

of the City are dotted at

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ. intervals with small

The

hills.

soil

17

Arabia

of

is

rocky throughout, like that of Medina, and this accounts for the heat prevailing in the country.

Yet the climate

of

Medina

is

comparatively mild,

and abundant groves of fruit met with there. The chains of

to

be

hills skirting

the

trees

are

northern and southern suburbs of the City are

famous

Medina

for their groves of luscious dates.

is

appreciably cold in winter and, as the climate

is

moderate, people do not find

it

necessary to be

take themselves to any other place in the summer,

Arabia ellers

is

not an agricultural country.

have to encounter

owing to scarcity

ties

considerable

Trav

of water,

and

difficul

this

the

is

principal cause of the absence of those trading facilities tries.

which are to be met with in other coun

The

sole trade of

maritime enterprise as

Arabia consists of such

falls

to

however, that the country

is

its lot.

The

fact,

the seat of holy

sanctuaries, to which people are necessarily attract

ed in large numbers, lends an unusual impetus to mercantile activity.

Of the professions, moreover,

the only one for which the Arab entertains any respect

is

trade.

Traditions

show that even before

the advent of the Prophet Arabia was noted for PH

2

its

THE STORY OF A

18

mercantile activity, and that the ancient Arabs,

who of

are

"the

known

period of

and to other

Arabs

in the language of Islam as ignorance,"

journeyed to Syria

countries in quest of trade.

Excessive heat and scorching winds prevail

soil, is

of the

Of the indigenous products

in Arabia.

the date

is

very delicious and palatable and

appreciated not only by the natives but also by

people of other countries.

marvel of

utility

Its fruit is eaten,

the

fibre are

articles

turned to

is

and the

are

sent

The Arab

of diet the

on foreign

and

to

other countries as

bill-of-fare consists

is

other

As the land revenue forms of the

every branch of trade

customs duty

For

mainly

all

country has to depend chiefly

supplies.

but a small portion

tariff rates

is

levied

income

taxed.

of the country,

The namrak

obtaining in the country

economic principles the

it is

01

by the State and the high

may

possibly

be accounted for by the consideration that

of

a

uses.

many

leaves, the bark,

of meat, dates, milk, and honey. articles

is

used in the manufacture of various

which

curiosities.

and

The date-palm

on

essential to the efficiency

administration that the income

of

the

country governed should be equal to the expen-

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

19

The administrative requirements

diture.

by the land

bia not being sufficiently covered it is

revenue,

absolutely necessary that the fiscal

country should be imposed upon

of the

burden

Ara

of

exports and imports.

its

bounded on the north by the land of Syria which far surpasses it in richness and f ertihty. Arabia

In "

is

one of the Syrian towns,

Elia,

Bait-ul-Mukaddas

the

(Temple

it,

Kibla

of

Islam,

the

of

The

sanctity and

importance of the shrine are acknow

ledged by Musalmans to this day. to

much

engaged in prayer, turned their

faces towards this sanctuary. religious

Solomon).

first

In the early days

Faithful, while

of

also regarded with

is

veneration and constitutes the

Musalmans.

situated the

(Holy House), also called

Masjid-ul-Aksa"

This sacred temple

is

"

A

pilgrimage

under religious ordinance, secures spiritual

reward

for the pilgrim.

The Prophet says

:

"Do

not undertake a pilgrimage to any shrine except three, the Masjid-ul-Haram, the Masjid-ul-Aksa,

and

my

the Holy

mosque."

The

first

of

these signifies

Kaaba, the second the sanctuary

Jerusalem, and the third the Prophet at

Medina.

s

of

mosque

The superlative sanctity attached

20

THE STORY OF A

to the Masjid-ul-Aksa

be gauged from the

may

fact that the first stage of the Prophet

was

iy night journey

book thus

of the

this

shrine.

s

heaven-

The

sacred

Musalmans, the Kuran, speaks

of

it

mosque whose environments have been blessed by us." The sanctuary, more It

:

over,

is

is

a

the resting-place of those renowned pro

phets and apostles whose spiritual excellence

is

acknowledged not only in Islam but in all those other systems of belief which claim for themselves

and whose followers are

a heavenly origin

the People of the Book.

in Islamic language

In short, this sacred locality

is

an object

vene

all sides

holy precincts are acknowledged by

Book

of the

heaven.

to

proceeding

pay a

visit to

salem in connection with

and

Medina. to

the

exigencies

It

my

on

of

my

journey,

pilgrimage to Mecca

ow

however,

the time I

was un

journey to Jerusalem in

was not advisable that

remain away from

my

I

the temple of Jeru

Unfortunately,

able to include a

programme.

the People

all

to be the inspired messengers of

Before

had intended

ing

of

and the great spiritual leaders bygone times whose repose is guarded by its

ration on of

called

I

my

should

State duties for any very

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

21

considerable length of time, and the idea of visit ing Jerusalem

had perforce

before I left Bhopal.

myself of the I

I,

to be given

however, intend to avail

blessing at

some future time,

have improved the condition

thus

fulfilled

up even

of

my

State

the prime obligation of a Ruler.

after

and

CHAPTEE

II.

THE PRE-ISLAMIC FOUNDATION OF THE HOLY KAABA.

When was

first

the

foundation of the

advanced to admit

on modern

had not

civilisation

laid,

sufficiently

of the preparation of a record

historical principles,

which might have

how

enabled us to form a clear idea as to

came

shrine

great

into

knowledge, therefore, as ject

we have

to depend

is

existence.

words

own

by

upon

accord.

The

such

and those

tradition

the Holy Kuran

"He

:

For

this

available on the sub

inspired sayings of the Prophet,

tested

Kaaba

holy

which are at the

in

following

(the Prophet) does not speak of his

Whatever he says of the

writings

on the subject are

all

is

inspired.

old Islamic

historians

traceable, as regards the

source of their information, to these traditions.

According to the traditions, the construction of the sacred

edifice

fore the fall of

falls

into

Adam, and

the narrative of

my

two

periods,

(1)

the

fall.

(2) after

journey has for

only those traditions which

fall

its

be

As

object

under the latter

23

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

my remarks to them. On the strength of the Imam Abu-1-Walid-Azraki s tes heading, I will restrict

timony the learned Kutb-ud-din Hanafi makes the following statement earth

Adam

said

hear the voices of 6

Adam,

it

is

because of

God answered

just as

built the It

is

House

Make

Then go round

Adam

for

a it

of

accordingly be

a suitable place

reached the spot where Mecca

and

sin.

:

you saw the cherubim do

in the highest heaven.

gan to look about

your

to me.

it

do not

I

Lord,

:

the Angels.

house and dedicate

and praise me

God

to

coming to the

"On

:

now

is

till

he

situated

God."

evident that in those early times

human

industries did not exist.

For digging and laying

the foundation, therefore,

Adam

of

some

one.

Tradition

says

required the aid

that

the

angel

Gabriel struck the ground with his wing, creating

an enormous chasm which reached to the seventh layer of the Earth. filled

up by the

of rock

This mighty gap was then

angelic host with

huge fragments

which were so heavy that thirty men of

that age could hardly have lifted

Thus the completed.

one of them.

foundation of the Holy Kaaba was

As regards the quarries from which

24

THE STORY OF A

these fragments of rock were obtained the

mountains

of five

non,

Sinai,

(2)

summit Noah sided,

(3)

Ark

s

and

(5)

the

first

ceived

may

be mentioned,

Nita,

(1)

Judi, on

(4)

names Leba whose

rested after the deluge sub

Hira, where

the

Prophet

When

revelation.

tion was level with the surface

re

the founda the

of

earth,

the Bait-ul-Mamur, a glorious edifice of heavenly origin,

was placed over

manded

walk round

to

Adam

and

it

Shah Abd-ul-Aziz,

it.

the great Traditionist of Delhi, this legend in his

ul-Aziz,

and the Kitab-ul-Uzma. animous

in

affirming

remained in

this

deluge.

When

of Glory

was

place

mentions

also

entitled the Fath-

commentary

on the authority

was com

of Azraki,

Ibn Asakir,

All traditions

are

un

that the Bait-ul-Mamur till

the time of

Noah

s

the great flood came, the House

lifted

heavens.

up to the

From

that day to the time of the Prophet Abraham,

no structure

The

Avas reared

locality,

existed,

however,

upon the w-here

old foundation. this

was marked by an eminence which com

manded

the neighbouring ground.

interval

between the deluge

advent

foundation

of

of

During the

Noah and

Abraham, the spot was regarded

the as

PILGRIMAGE TO H1JAZ. sacred and people used to flock to

that the sanctity of

its

the spot in

In the

Kitab-ul-Ilm-

Noah and

of

it is

written that

that of Abraham,

running water and

knowing the actual

without

people,

whereabouts

were yet

of the ancient sanctuary,

aware that the

site

somewhere

existed

The

neighbourhood.

and the

"

question resembled a reddish rock

which was above the reach that the

in the belief

would render

ba-Alam-i-Bait-illah-il-Haram" of

it

precincts

their prayers efficacious.

between the time

25

oppressed,

the

in

that

pursued,

sick betook themselves to this spot

and

their prayers were heard, while people generally

came the

here on pilgrimage.

first

This

is

an account of

foundation of the Kaaba which was laid

after the creation of

was made

man.

of rubies, the

ment

of the

holy

uge

came

to

As the Bait-ul-Mamur

cap of rock on the base

Kaaba which survived the

consist

of

earth

of

a

del

reddish

colour.

THE SECOND CONSTRUCTION OF THE KAABA. All the authorities are

unanimous

in ascrib

ing the second construction of the holy to the Prophet interest

is

Abraham.

A

Kaaba

legend of historical

connected with the building of the

26

THE STORY OF A

shrine

by that

ritual of the pilgrimage

the legend,

it

Tarakh (Terah, whose

of

Noah

after

here.

it

He was

Azr), the son of Nahor.

born 1709 years

the

of

closely associated with

is

necessary to recount

is

Abraham was the son surname was

most

and, as

patriarch,

deluge, a period

s

which was contemporaneous with that

of

Namrud, the son of Kanaan.

s

Abraham

King

native

place was Kusi, a small hamlet in the environs of

Babel.

Like other Prophets before him, his

nature shrank from idolatry while he

very young, and, as that he should

fill

it

was

still

had been decreed by God

the high

office

of a Prophet,

young

Abraham would

and

people to task for their idolatrous prac

his

often

One day he demolished

tices.

when they questioned him deed, he answered them."

cannot their

They

"Ask

replied

His

speak."

self-accusing

his

father

their idols,

and

as to his destructive

the

"Thou

idols

who broke

knowest that they

answer

reply.

take

This

was the cause greatly

of

enraged

them, and to revenge themselves upon Abraham,

and having threw him thereon by means of

they piled up a huge pyre set

fire

to

a catapult.

it

By

of faggots

the Grace of God, however, he

27

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

emerged

from

safely

inducing his

the

Abraham

and repaired to Haran living

at

where his uncle

tels

will

of

Hdran was

idolatry.

this that

at large

country

Haran

Haran gave him his marriage, and his teachings

induced her against the

up

left his

of

the time.

daughter, Sarah, in

give

Despairing

and the community

fafcher

to accept the true faith,

was

fire.

he took away

her parents to

incensed

so

the goods

all

at

and chat

that belonged to the pair and turned them

With no

out of his house.

Abraham

in view

accompanied by

left his

his wife

particular destination

father-in-law s

house,

Sarah who had made an

agreement with him never to disobey him as long as he also

performed her

joined in their wanderings

who was

their

nephew.

They were

bidding.

by the Prophet Lot

They

first

went to Egypt

which at that time was ruled by a tyrant who used to take away every beautiful her guardian.

The guardian was put

happened to be the husband relative,

woman

he was not of

killed.

;

if

woman from to death

if

he

he were any other

Now, Sarah was

a

such transcendent loveliness that one-

sixth of the graces

was centred

of all

womankind

Abraham

told this to

and charms

in her alone.

THE STORY OF A

28

Sarah and said not that

I

am

know

destroy real

that

my

If

the king sends for thee

thy husband, but rather that

for I

thy brother, I

"

God

am

honour."

and showed

of the tyrant

itself

came

in

what relation the

is

my

sister in

the

I

thy brother in the

will protect

say

?

am

faith.

thee and will not

The danger was only too before long. The servants

Abraham and asked him woman stood to him She to

"

:

was Abraham

faith"

s

reply.

Thereupon the men took away Sarah, and Abra

ham began

Sarah was carried before the king. of course captivated liberties

Meanwhile

to pray for her safety.

with her.

him and he

She guessed

Her charms tried to

take

intention

his evil

and asked him to allow her to bathe and worship her God.

The tyrant consented and at

his bid

ding the servants of the royal household brought basin to enable her to an ewer and a

washing

perform her ablutions and say her prayers.

was engaged time.

The

in prayer

king,

and supplication

growing

impatient

Sarah

for a long

of

delay,

resolved to accomplish his evil design while his

intended victim was

still

praying, and,

having

sent everyone out of the house, was on the point of laying hands on her

when he was suddenly

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ. seized with a

foamed

His breathing

fit.

at the

29 ceased and he

Sarah was greatly alarm

mouth.

ed for she thought that the guards of the tyrant

would put her to death on the charge their

ing

to relieve

king.

of

murder

God

She therefore prayed to

the king of his

suffering,

supposing

that the supernatural visitation would serve as a warning.

Sarah

supplication was heard and

s

the king recovered, but, instead of repenting, he persisted in his evil purpose.

still

on

a

second apopleptic

fit.

This brought

To cut the matter

short, the tyrant received three similar

in succession, and,

on the

last occasion,

that Sarah was a jinn, he gave

warnings

persuaded

At the

her up.

same time he presented Sarah with Hagar,

who had been but had in

living for

some time

in his

a girl

harem,

some way been protected from

his

violence.

Abraham now

left

Egypt

for

Palestine,

a

well-known city in the centre of Syria, where he took up his

abode.

The

citizens

of

Palestine

him with great respect and showed their hospitality by making him a gift of an ex

treated

tensive plot of land the revenue of which placed

him

in affluence.

He

purchased numerous slaves.

30

THE STORY OF A

acquired

many

cattle,

cultivated several farms,

established a feeding house for the needy

and made arrangements

the traveller, liberal

He

entertainment of guests.

puted Lot to show the Path

and the

for

then

de

of Salvation to the

people of Sodom.

Sarah had a great longing for children.

yearned to be blessed with a she told

Hagar

to

Abraham that him

child.

she was

as a gift in the

She

Accordingly

going to offer

hope that a

child

might be born

of

both of them.

Abraham, knowing that jealousy

her to

bring

consolation to

predominated in her character, feared

lest in

the

event of a son being born of the slave-girl Hagar,

Sarah might be envious and persecute the Sarah, however, insisted carried out

her

child.

upon her wishes being

and Abraham was compelled to accept

gift.

In due course Hagar gave birth to the Pro phet Ishmael

who was brought up by Sarah

some time with motherly suckled the child. jealousy, paid

little

Abraham,

Hagar merely

in view of Sarah s

attention to

day, however, being alone, feeling

care.

for

he

Ishmael.

out of

and fatherly love took Ishmael on

One

natural his lap

31

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

Sarah chanced to see

and caressed him.

this,

jealousy got the better of her, and she asked Abra

ham

to turn both

into

a

mother and son out there was

desert where

Abraham

water.

foliage, or

of the house,

neither shelter,

tried

utmost

his

to dissuade her from her purpose, but without

As a

success.

last resort,

Do

came

the answer

Abraham took them

as

both,

the

accomplished

where the holy Kaaba now left

Sarah bids thee.

journey, and reached the plain

his

of

stages

he appealed to God, but

Abraham

stands.

the infant Ishmael and his mother under a

this spot

Zamzarn.

of

the place

tree at

At that time

Abraham

was a desert Avithout water.

gave Ishmael s mother dates, loaves, and a skinful of water, and told her to feed the child and sit

Then he began to return to his home. In while he saw Hagar following him and

down. a

little

calling

Where

:

desert there

thou leaving us

no water, no

Abraham was

friend."

asked:

is

art

"Art

thou

not,"

Yes",

replied

said Ishmael

perish."

silent.

no house, no

At

last

doing this by the

"

God?"

shelter,

s

Abraham.

mother,

"He

In this

?

order

"Then

will

Thus saying she returned

Hagar

not

of

I fear let

to her

me son

THE STORY OF A

32

and began

to suckle him.

crossed the top of the lost sight of

Kaaba,

Thy

lifted

his hands,

up

and prayed

:

my family in a desert plain

sacred house that they

Turn

Thee.

between them and had

Hagar, he turned towards the holy

God, I have placed to

hill

When Abraham had

thou

the

hearts

may of

"O

close

worship

the

people

towards them and bless them with plenty that they

Thee."

As long

and water

lasted,

may thank

of dates, bread,

as the

supply

Hagar suckled

the infant and refreshed him with water.

When

the water was finished, Hagar was very thirsty,

and Ishmael from the greatness of his thirst, She could not bear the rolled on the ground. sight,

so she ran towards the hill of Safa which

was hard by, climbed it, and looked all round to She could not see if there was water anywhere. go very far as she had to keep the child in sight. When she saw no water, she descended the hill in despair

and went towards Marwa.

She then

was away from her child, perhaps some wild beast might carry him off.

feared

that,

Moved by

as

she

this fear, she lifted

up the

skirt of

her

dress and began to run swiftly across the hollow of the

plain wihch

is

called the

Batn-ul-Wadu

33

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ. Presently she

came out on

ground and went slowly, in

She

sight.

Marwa and for water,

to a

for

Ishmael now came

mounted

then

strained her eyes

but found none.

to Safa and, running

stretch of level

the

in every

peak

of

direction

She retraced her steps

across

the hollow, walked

slowly over the level part of the plain.

In this

manner she crossed between Marwa and Safa seven times forwards and backwards.

In handing down this legend to us Ibn-

Abbas (may God be pleased with him!)

ascribes

to the Prophet the following version of the dition

:

6

The run between the Safa and Marwa has

been ordained that the servants of God

remember the gar and

may

how

loneliness

and

she turned to

bring their

own

When Hagar

helplessness of

Ha-

God most High, and

loneliness

and helplessness

reached

Marwa

the seventh time,

she heard a voice and, turning towards

Fear

may

same True King and implore His mercy.

to that

*

tra

not."

Then she

how good were

bring us help. PH

she said

listened attentively

hearing the voice again she said speakest,

it,

it

c

that

and

Thou that

Thou

couldst

She then came running to Ishmael 3

THE STORY OF A

34

and saw that an angel was

striking the

ground

Zam-

with his wings or heels at the place where

zam

is

now

from the

and that water was flowing

situated

Fearful lest

earth.

should

the spring

run dry and leave her as thirsty as before, Hagar her waterskin with water and,

filled

in order to

embank

store water in a reservoir, she raised an

ment

this

but

for her impatience

day be a running

Hagar refreshed Ishmael greatly

to

and said

The

God

:

here, for in this place

its

troy of the

his

In

and conspicuous, and the

direction

comforted

not destroy

those

like a

rain

of

of

Arabs

land,

When

shall build will

the

never des

days, the

mound, flowed

of the

came

her thee

off

it

spot

Yaman and camped

on

alone.

Jurham

to the

site

beautiful,

Mother and son were there

One day a party who inhabited the the

will

and God

Kaaba was high

either side.

angel

the House of God.

father,

inmates."

Zamzam would

with water and gave

become a man, he

this child shall

House with

is

May

:

brook."

herself

drink.

writer

the mother of

God descend upon

the Blessing of ;

these words

with

concludes his story

Ishmael

The holy

around the spring.

of earth

at

clan,

from the

35

They saw a

flock of birds

the mound.

foot

of

take

flight

*

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

Birds

and wondering

often pass or the

by

to

rise

only

of

man

sent round a

had

woman

a

and

to look

child

At

men.

dwell

:

we

;

tell

what he saw.

said that

was

living

they

length

a spring of

and that a

appeared

miraculously

with

another

but have never seen water

The man came back and water

men

where

fly

this place,

dwellings

said one to

near

The

it.

clansmen waited upon Hagar and asked leave to settle there.

Hagar,

being lonely,

wished to have people about her. the permission very readily, but

naturally

She granted

made the condi

tion that the clansmen should have no property in the spring.

The men

Jurhain counted

of

it

a favour that they might dwell there, and, having

few houses, sent for the rest of their clan

built a

together with settled

down

the

whole

of

their

goods

and

in the place.

Ishmael began to speak Arabic, the language of the

able

and

Jurham ing

settlers,

his

and he

grew up an

intelligent youth.

clan

The Chieftain

had the great happiness

daughter

to

him.

died and was buried at Hajr.

unusually

of

Meanwhile

of the

marry

Hagar

THE STORY OF A

36

Ishmael was fourteen years

prophet Isaac was born to Sarah

came busy

She

him.

for

and she be less

grew

and Abraham begged her to allow him to

jealous

go

care

in

when the

of age

and see

dition that

She

Ishmael.

he

on con

consented

should neither dismount from his the

horse nor pass

Ishmael

at

night

s

house.

Abraham went, and he found that Ishmael, who was grown to man s estate, had married after the death Abra of his mother and was living with his wife.

ham

searched

the door. lived his

for

on animals lawful

he

called

s

right to

water of

with

his lot.

wife to the door and

husband

was

and

when

She replied that her husband

and w^ould be back

Abraham knew that

he waited

if

would have to pass the house, and, as he only wanted

return, he

night at his son

make

s

in quest of food

in the evening.

Ishmael

which he slew with

was contented

her where her

had gone out

to

house and went to

for food

Ishmael

he would return.

for

s

arrow, and cooked in the

Zamzam; and Abraham

son

Ishmael had gone out to hunt, for he

bow and

asked

his

s

sure that his son was well, he thought

enquire

and

return

to

his

he rode to the door, and began to ask

home.

his

it

So

daughter-

PILGRIMAGE TO HiJAZ.

37

questions as to their condition.

in-law

all sorts of

When

he asked her about their means of

lihood, she replied that they were

live

precarious

and

that she and her husband lived in great poverty

and

Abraham asked

plaints.

on

his

return and

framework its

She also made

distress.

of

to

his

many

com

other

her to greet her husband

him

tell

to

change the

which was

door,

unfit for

Abraham then started for home.

purpose.

At

sunset Ishmael returned to his house and perceiv

ing that light and blessing had house, he asked his wife

She

visitor.

answered

had come mounted on a his

that

was

described stranger told the

4

his

him.

had

that

He

horse,

anything. of

the

thy father

to do with thee. girl

of

guessed

mother had often

In

visit

my

father

that I should put thee away. to

Ishmael

reply

s

house

who has

the she

his wife

:

signified

Go thou

for I

if

and repeated

Ishmael thereupon said to

The stranger was

fore

and she described

then asked his wife

said

man

a venerable

father, for his

whole story

his message.

she had received any

and appearance.

features it

if

descended on his

there

have no more

After this he married another

the same clan, Sayyada, the daughter of

38

THE STORY OF A

.

Mazaz ibn-Amr Jurhami, a bride who managed his house with great tact and skill. After

went out to

He

Abraham

some time

heart

s

again

his son and he longed to see him.

asked leave of Sarah a second time and, hav

ing obtained

it

on the same terms as before,

This time too Ishmael was

out on his journey.

Ishmael

absent.

set

s

wife,

however,

appeared

women

in the doorway, for in those days

hide themselves from the gaze of men.

comed Abraham and asked him

did not

She wel

to rest in the

house that she might wash his head which was

To keep

covered with the dust of the journey. his

Abraham was compelled

promise to Sarah,

refuse.

Then Ishmael

of stone

and placed

ham

the stone ing his

wife brought a

slab

and

his

of

Abra

his feet

daughter-in-law

on

mount

upon the slab, washed his head and combed While this was going on, Abraham hair.

questioned her as to their condition. wife

large slab

close to the stirrup of

it

Abraham put one

horse.

s

s

to-

answered

virtues of her

his

by

inquiries

husband and

describing

gratefully

ing his kind and loving treatment.

means

of

livelihood, she said

-.

IshmaePs the

acknowledg

As to

"Thanks

to

their

God

39

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

no want, and God has not made us de pendent upon any man for anything. Ishmael

we

are in

brings meat

we

and Zamzam

live well.

meat and water and

On

mise to Sarah.

framework

the

it

of

him that

and

his

who

daugh

tell

him

good fortune and

Ishmael came

his spiritual insight

a great personage

his wife

his pro

door was excellent,

this as

When

carefully.

in the evening

mind

husband and to

and that he should regard cherish

in

leaving, he charged his

ter-in-law to greet her

that

to bless their

the place without waiting

left

Ishmael s return, bearing

for

ed

nigh at hand, and thus

is

Abraham prayed God

"

home

informed

had come, he question

He

told the whole story.

there

upon signified to her that the venerable stranger was his father who had commended her to him. Again, after some days see his son.

told

her

He opened

that,

as

Abraham yearned

to

Sarah and

his heart to

on both the previous occasions

he had not been able to see Ishmael, he was nowanxious to go and live with him for a few

but could do so only

Sarah now

if

willingly

arrived at Mecca.

she readily gave

consented

and

him

days, leave.

Abraham

This time Ishmael was seated

under a tree near Zamzam, mending

his arrows.

THE STORY OF A

40

He recognised his

father at once

him.

Mumam

father

and son wept

says

that

so profusely that the

very

The joy which meeting must have caused was a natural

birds joined this

prelude to the

him

commanded Abraham

at the

of

On

time

own

hands.

anxious that he should join

temple was that the work done as

if it

was done by

Abraham pointed out

Ishmael readily agreed to do as

bade him, and the building was begun

first

of

son to join

Ishmael questioning him as to the

the red mound.

on the

in

same time explained that the

the proposed temple,

his father

itself

which he had been

them would count

the other.

his

construct with his

to

why he was

by each

showed

which

Abraham asked

in building the

site of

sympathy.

building a temple

in

reason

for

feeling

After this

tears.

him

Yamani

ibn-Rashid

them

and ran to embrace

day

of the

building

month

Abraham

At the

of Zikaad.

hesitated

to the

as

exact spot on which the foundation was to be laid.

came

Then

the

in the

form

the Kaaba.

Sakina

of a cloud

Abraham was

marked by the shadow the exact

site

(a

covering

of

light)

and stood opposite told

that the spot

of the cloud represented

of the Kaaba.

The angel

Gabriel,

41

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

moreover, drew a line marking the size of

As

shadow.

Abraham

Adam

dug,

foundation

s

was uncovered and he began to build on height

the

of

The length

walls

pillar of

on one

from the western

and from the

from the

the

pillar to

The breadth, from the

31 yards.

pillar of Syria to

yards.

the Black Stone, was 33 yards,

other,

Yaman,

side,

The

it.

9

at

fixed

of the building

pillar of Syria to

and on the

was

fche

the western pillar was 22 yards,

pillar of

Yaman

to the Black Stone

Thus the Kaaba was a quadrangle with unequal sides. The entrance was level with

20 yards.

the

ground.

It

was

without

low,

On

without bolt or chain.

any one entering was a deep

the pit in

built the walls while

material

He

which

consisted of

prepared the

bring the stones

Ishmael

mud on

all

the

beyond the height

of

which might be

No

roof.

account

Abraham

brought him the

mud and

stones.

the spot, but had to

way from

Kubais, Hira, and Warkan.

hand

right

placed the gifts offered at the Kaaba.

show s that the building had a

and

doors,

the

When

hills of

Abu

the walls rose

man, a large stone was wanted on which to stand and continue the build

ing.

of a

Possibly the art of building already existed

THE STORY OF A

42

and there were people who understood it, but these holy men had no special knowledge. They

command, and had no

followed only the divine

On

scaffolding.

his

Abu Kuba

the

to

way

quest of a huge stone, Ishmael met the angel riel

who

:

said

:

Come with me and

I will

in

Gab show

thee the two pieces of stone which came with

Adam

from Paradise and were buried at the foot

of this hill

by the prophet

be carried away by

One

are greatly blessed.

ham

as a support

a corner of the

Noah

Idris lest

they should

flood.

These stones

s

of

them

Abra

will serve

and the other do thou

Kaaba on the

the entrance where

it

right

hand

fix

side of

can be kissed by every

grim before he makes the

circuit of

in

pil

the building.

Ishmael brought away both these stones one after the other,

inspired of

the

and Gabriel went with him and

Abraham Kaaba.

to fix one stone in the corner

The stone on which Abraham

stood while building the walls grew in height with

the wall and no other stone was needed until the

completion of the structure. of

Abraham

i-Ibrahim

?

s

footprint

(Abraham

and s

is

It

bore the mark

called the

standing

Makam

place).

The

Hajar-i-As\vad (Black stone) which was set up in

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

an angle

of the

which shed

its

directions

all

Kaaba was

43

a very luminous stone

light for a considerable distance in

from the holy Kaaba.

reached by this

is

light

the

The distance the

of

boundary

Sanctuary to the present day, within which none

may

be molested.

who

kiss this s,tone

It

is

sad that the sins of those

have robbed

of

it

till

light

x-

now

the eye seeks

historical

"The

of

fuller

concerns

it

treatment

in vain.

legend ;

thus

but this

y

admits

told

much

of

it

only

the construction of the Kaaba, and I

need not therefore dwell upon the

the

of

rest

story.

Having completed the building

Abraham made the 66

O

of the

Kaaba,

following invocation to

God

:

Lord, accept (this service) from us, for verily

Thou

nearest

and knowest everything.

and our children to bow

make

us

show

us our rites

and forgive us

;

to

Thy

for

God, will

Thou

and

art the

Forgiver, the Merciful.

The prayer was heard and at the divine com

mand

the angel Gabriel appeared before Abra

ham whom its

details

round the

he taught the ritual of the Hajj in

from the wrapping

of

body to the shaving

unsewn of

the

all

linen

head.

44

THE STORY OF A

From

that time the Hajj with

has become a duty.

rites

near Multazam, (3)

close to

(5)

on Marvva,

(7)

between

the

of

Abraham,

(8)

fifteen places

efficacious, viz.

(I)

under the Mizab-ur-Rahmat,

(2)

the

accompanying

There are

Mecca which render prayer

in

its

Yaman,

pillar of

(4)

on

between Safa and

(6)

Rukn and inside the

Safa,

Marwa,

the Standing-place

Kaaba,

at Mina,

(9)

(10) at Muzdalfa, (11) at Arafat, (12), (13)

near the three Jamarats, (15) near

and

Zamzam

(14)

while

drinking the water of the well.

THE THIRD AND FOURTH CONSTRUCTION OF THE KAABA.

Jurham

The

Kaaba the

built the

Tradition

is

is

to

the

first.

to

as

Amaleka tribesmen

and the fourth time.

third

divided

built the edifice

Alam

and

which

The author

of

the clans

of the Ilm-ul-

has quoted two traditions, but he himself

uncertain whether priority should

the

Jurham

or the

Amaleka.

Tabri believes the legend that the before the Jurham.

We

be ascribed Nevertheless,

Amaleka

have no detailed accounts

regarding these two buildings except that,

Abraham Jurham

s

structure

or the

fell

Amaleka

built

when

into ruins, either

rebuilt

it

the

with some addi-

fl ?,

lr

|

^gg

"5^;;TS

*

.*

fx

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

tions, it

and

was

later,

when

this building also decayed,

anew by the second

built

45

of these clans.

The height of the Kaaba at the time of and fourth construction was the same as

ham

s

third

its

in

Abra

time.

THE FIFTH CONSTRUCTION. To Kusai ibn Kilab struction of the Kaaba.

is

ascribed the fifth con

According to the learned

Kutb-ud-din Hanafi (May God

be

merciful

to

him!) the Kaaba came under the control of Kusai ibn Kilab in the following manner

:

Fatima, the

daughter of Saad, was married to Kilab ibn Marrah

and gave birth died and his

to

Zahra and Kusai. Later on Kilab

widow Fatima contracted

marriage with Rabia

ibnHuzram who took her with

her former children to Syria.

him

children.

a second

When

There Fatima bore

Kusai grew up, he and the

son of Rabia quarrelled, and they taunted him with

him why he did not Kusai, who had known no

being a foreigner, asking

go to his

own

people.

other father than Rabia, complained to his mother,

who

told

him that

his father

was

of

nobler birth

than their father, that he was the son of Kilab, the

son

of

Marrah, that

his

Mecca near the Sacred House.

tribe

lived

at

Kusai forthwith

46

THE STORY OF A

went to

Mecca

greatly honoured tribe of

where

was

he

At

his kinsfolk.

by

and

recognised

time the

this

Khazaah was the guardian of the Kaaba and

Khalil ibn Jaisha, their Chief, kept the key,

and

responsible for opening

He had

When

married.

effect that after

pointed

keeper

pleaded

her

dying, Khalil

him

his

of

the

inability

Aisa

whom

made

a will to the

Kusai

daughter should be ap

to

key.

Aisa,

guard

the

charge and handed over the key to

Now Abu

Kaaba.

the

closing

named

a daughter

and was

however,

important

Abu

Bishan.

Bishan was greatly addicted to drink.

Once when he had no money to buy wine, he

God

the key of the Holy House of

Kusai came to know

this

for

sold

liquor.

and bought the key.

Thus the key came into the possession of Kusai, son of Kilab. The kinsmen of Khazaah could not brook

and Kusai,

He

A

this.

in

fight

took place between them

which the

latter

expelled the family of

and brought built

their

his

own

Khazaah from Mecca

people to settle there.

houses around the

they became the guardians. collected all his wealth

one had

built

it

proved victorious.

Kaaba

of

They which

Kusai, son of Kilab,

and rebuilt the Kaaba

before that time.

He

as no

extended

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ. the width it

provided

the holy edifice to

of

with a roof of

covered with

47

and

25 yards

dum wood

which he

branches of date-palm.

thor of the Shafa-ul-Gharam, however,

The au distrusts

the tradition which affirms the extension of the

breadth of the Kaaba.

time

of its foundation

last construction

each

He

is

certain that

by Abraham

from the

to that of

its

by the Kuraish, the Kaaba was

time built according to

Abraham

s

scale.

After the Kaaba, Kusai built the Dar-ul-Nadwat (place of assembly) where the Kuraish clansmen

met

to discuss

space was

left

all

their tribal affairs.

An open

around the Kaaba to admit

prescribed circuit being

were fed at Kusai

s

made by

of the

who

pilgrims,

expense.

THE SIXTH CONSTRUCTION. The holy Kaaba was

built a sixth time after

the birth of our Prophet (peace be on him

The

!).

occasion which led to this construction was this.

A woman,

while burning incense inside the Kaaba,

accidentally set of the

mighty injury

fire

wood-work flood

to

the

had

to the sacred covering. of the roof

also

walls.

Most

was destroyed.

A

previously caused great

Accordingly

the

Kuraish

48

THE STORY OF A

resolved

upon strengthening the structure and

raising the entrance -portal sufficiently to

any one from entering without

Koman

time a

this

prevent

their leave.

At

merchant named Bakum, a

carpenter by* trade, brought a vessel laden with

Walid ibn Mughira

timber to the port of Jeddah.

went with some the

wood

of the

Kuraish to Jeddah, bought

to use in the building, and took

it

with

him to Mecca. The Rishad

author

the

of

Sabil-ul-Huda-wa-r-

mentions a tradition that the

inside the

Kaaba

pit

dug

to receive offerings was the haunt

huge black serpent with a head as large as that of a kid. The monster had been living in of a

this pit for nearly five

hundred years and would

occasionally appear on the walls of the

Kaaba and

any person who approached it. The Kuraish stood in superstitious awe of the monster,

gape

at

which they believed to be the guardian

Kaaba and

its

offerings.

carried off the serpent

by

At

divine

this

of the

time a bird

command and the

incident confirmed the Kuraish in the belief that

They accord the Kaaba and build ingly decided to dismantle Ibn Hisham recounts a legend which it anew.

their purpose

was approved by God.

49

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ,

when Aabid ibn Amran ibn Makhzum,

says that

the Prophet

maternal uncle,

s

the Kaaba, the stone

the stones of

hand and returned to the which

it

lifted

up one

of

from

his

fell

identical

had been taken up.

spot from

This portent led

the Kuraish to decide that the material employ

ed in the construction of the holy Kaaba must be purchased with

money earned by honest

and that unf awful

gains,

such

as

income from

On

usury and similar sources, must not be used. this principle the different parts of the holy

of

God were

distributed

among the

allotted to the

tribes of the

Bani Zahra and: the Bard Abdu-

Munaf and the portion between the Black and

House

The part near the entrance was thus

Kuraish.

and the

toil

Pillar of

Yaman

to the share of the Bani

Saham, and the

Mukhzum

to the Bani

The back

their branches.

of the

Pillar

Kaaba

Jamah and

fell

the Bani

side of the Black Stone to the

Bani Abd-ud-Dar, Bani Asad ibn Abd-ul-uzza, and Bani

Adiibn

ed for the in the

lay

Kaab.

edifice.

work

claim to

of

Stones were then collect

The Prophet personally helped The Kaaba can thus building.

the

proud distinction that three

Prophets of God took a personal share in building PH 4

50

THE STORY OF A

When

it.

a

to

the foundation

certain

point, a

When

appeared.

came from

it

had

been excavated of green rock

fragment

the pick-axe struck

it,

which dazzled the eyes.

a flame

Digging

was now stopped and the building was commenced till

the walls reached the level of the Black Stone.

then arose among the families as to which

Strife

should

the stone in the wall.

fix

It \vas

ingly difficult to decide the point to

tion of

all,

exceed

the satisfac

and there was nearly being a great bat

among the Kuraish, when, at the instance of Abu Umayya ibn Mughira Makhzumi, it was agreed to abide by the decision of the person who tle

should gate.

first

enter the

That day the

the Prophet himself.

Kaaba through the Safa

first

to enter the gate w-as

Every one was glad at the

appearance of Muhammad-ul-Amin (the Faithful), that

being the

known among Each

mission.

title

by which the Prophet was

the Kuraish before his prophetic of the families expressed its will

who

ingness to do the bidding of the Prophet,

took a sheet of linen and, having placed the sacred stone in

it

with his

own

hands, asked

the

mem

bers of each of the clans to hold the cloth on sides

and

lift

it

up together.

They obeyed

all

his

PILGRIMAGE TO H1JAZ. order and the stone was raised

on

Then the Prophet took the stone with his

He

own

51

sacred hands and fixed

the

cloth.

the cloth

off

in its place.

it

thus acted as the representative of

assembled and they willingly accepted

all

those

his action.

The building of the Kaaba was then completed. The height of the walls was double that of Abra

ham

s

wall,

reduced,

but the breadth of the building was

as

not available.

sufficient

material for building was

The area thus

the ground of Hatim.

Kaaba two rows

left

was included in

Inside the building of the

of six

wooden

the roof and a staircase

was constructed near the

pillars

leading Pillar

Prophet at this time was 35 years

supported

up

to the roof

of

Syria.

of age

The

and the

divine mission had not yet been revealed to him.

CHAPTER

III.

THE BUILDING OF THE HOLY KAABA AFTER THE REVELATION OF ISLAM. Zubair (May God be gracious

Abdulla ibn to him!) was the

first

Kaaba

to build the

the revelation of Islam.

He had

after

heard from his

aunt Ayesha, the Truthful, that the Prophet had said to her:

Kuraish)

(the

would its

"Had

have

but

lately

doors,

the building the

Islam, I

Kaaba,

reducing

western and eastern walls

its

and adding to the body six

yards of

by the Kuraish on the If,

embraced

dismantled the

height, piercing

with two

not the people of thy clan

of

ground excluded

side of the

Black Stone..

however, thy kinsmen wish to take the con

struction of the holy edifice in

gone, see thou to

When

hand

after I

am

it."

Yazid ibn Muaviya came into power,

he wished to receive homage for himself.

Many

eminent Companions, however, refused to do him

homage, among them being Abdulla ibn Zubair who, aided by the people oftheHijaz, Yaman,Irak,

and Khorasan, went to Mecca.

Meanwhile Yazid

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ,

53

despatched a body of troops under the

exterminate Abdulla ibn

to

of Hassin-ibn-Mair

command

The troops laid siege to Mecca and Ibn Zubair was compelled to seek refuge within the sanctuary of the Kaaba. The besiegers did not Zubair.

respect even the sacred precincts

means

of certain engines to fling fire at the

The covering

woodwork At

and began by

Kaaba and some

the

of

of the structure

this juncture

Kaaba. of

the

were thus set on

fire.

Yazid died and the news of

death caused- a panic among the besiegers.

this

s

behest conveyed to

occurrence rendered

necessary.

He

its

The

down

citizens of

not, however, take part for fear of

him by Ayesha, and fulfilment the more

wished to pull

der of the building.

violating

its

Be

had remembered the

fore this Abdulla ibn Zubair

Prophet

his

the remain

Mecca would

in razing the structure sanctity.

Abdulla ibn

Zubair thereupon had the building razed to the

ground by

his Ethiopian slaves, in the

among them might be the

particular

hope that

Negro who,

according to a prediction of the Prophet, was destined to dig

down

-prophecy might thus be

God might not be

the Kaaba, and that the fulfilled

profaned.

and the House

of

After this he built

THE STORY OF A

54

man) on the foundations according

to

Abraham

on the east and west.

laid

s plan,

On

Ya-

found in

with stones and war as (a mortar

by Abraham and and erected doors

the completion of the

building, which took place on 27th of

Rajab

in

the year 64 Hijra, the inner as well as the outer surface of the walls was smeared over with an

ointment prepared from musk and amber, while a

mantle

of rich silk

of the

Kaaba.

A

was provided

for the covering

short while afterwards, during the reign

of Abd-ul-Malik ibn

Marwan, a second expedition

was sent against Abdulla ibn Zubair.

This time

the expedition was headed by Hajjaj ibn Yusaf.

In the battle that followed Abdulla ibn fell

a martyr in the year 73 Hijra and Hajjaj

took possession behalf of

of

the

province

of

Abd-ul-Malik ibn Marwan.

several changes

He

Zubair

in

Mecca

on

He made

the building of the

Kaaba.,

dismantled the portion of the building facing

towards Syria and raised

by the

Kuraish,

filled

it

to the height adopted

up the

interior with

huge

the eastern fragments of rock, raised the height of

doorway and

in keeping with the plan of the Kuraish,.

closed the western door.

He

did not, however.

55

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ. interfere

with the

rest

of

the

This,

building.

the second post-Islamic construction of the Kaaba,

took place in the year 74 Hijra.

Walid ibn Abd-ul-Malik

rebuilt

for the third

time after the coming

was the

to erect pillars of

first

Kaaba and

Kaaba

the

of Islam.

hewn

He

stone in the

to employ good saj (teakwood) tim

With the exception of occa the building was not renewed till the

ber in the ceiling. sional repairs,

time

of Sultan

Murad ibn Ahmad Khan

That monarch took tion of the

in

hand the fourth

holy edifice

With the exception

of

in the

Turkey.

construc

year 1040 Hijra.

of that portion of the edifice

which contains the Black Stone, the whole

Kaaba was accordance It

is

pulled

with

this building

down and

the

plan

which

of

reconstructed

adopted

by

the in

Hajjaj.

exists to the present day.

CHAPTER

IV.

THE TAHLIA (DECORATION) AND THE KISWAT (COVERING). The Decorations. Sabit, the son of Ishmael, succeeded his father

who

died at the age of 130 years, as guardian of

the Kaaba.

After

him

his

maternal grand -father

Mazaz ibn Amr Jurhami became guardian. is

important to note

instead

of

preferring

that the

sons of Ishmael,

claim to the

a hereditary

guardianship, lent their support to Mazaz

acquired the status of a king.

descendants of Ishmael for

of

Mecca

fell

who thus

When, however, the

found Mecca too small

them and spread over

to preach the faith of

It

other

places in order

Abraham, the

into the hands of the

principality

Amaleka

clan.

This clan had the audacity to violate the sanctity

The vengeance of God thereupon overtook them, and they were expelled from of the

Haram.

The guardianship of the Kaaba now reverted to the tribe of Jurham. Then they

their

homes.

too began to be guilty of the deeds which had

taken place

among the Amaleka.

Mazaz ibn

57

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

Amr

assembled

his

clansmen and powerfully ex

them, but they refused to

horted

There

listen.

upon Mazaz dug a deep hole at the bottom of Zamzam which had run dry and buried in it the

two

golden

known

images set

the two

as

left

Kaaba by

Ibn-i-Sasan.

Mecca, his clan remaining behind.

Very few days, however, passed exile of

after the voluntary

Mazaz before the Jurham clan was turned

From

out of Mecca by the Banu Khuzaah.

time

stones,

had been

which

Gazelles,

sent as an offering to the

Mazaz then

with precious

all

traces of

Zamzam

were

that

Abd-ul-

lost.

Mutalib, the grand-father of the Prophet, searched

&gain and dug

were found. the

it

Abd-ul-Mutalib covered the

Kaaba with the

when

and the two golden images

out,

pillars of

Abdulla ibn Zubair,

gold.

building the Kaaba, also plated

with gold and made golden keys for

its

pillars

Subse

it.

quently Abd-ul-Malik had the gate of the Kaaba plated with gold at a cost of 36,000 dinars.

Mizab-i-Rahmat (drain

of

The

mercy) was under or

ders from the same monarch

;

also

made

of solid

gold and the pillars in the interior of the holy building were coated with gold.

Later on Amin-

ur-Rashid, the Abbaside Khalifa, improved

it

at

58

THE STORY OF A

a further cost of 18,000 dinars

;

while the Khalifa.

Mutawakkil Billah commissioned Ishak ibn Salma to repair the golden corners of the sacred ing, to

adorn the upper fringe of the interior cov

ering of the

Kaaba with a

silver

wide surmounted by a gold the old portal which was a

build

new one mounted with

border three yards

circlet,

made

silver.

and to replace

of teak\vood

All this

work

8,000 miskals of gold and 70,000 dirhams of

by

cost

silver..

Afterwards at the instance of certain dignitaries of

the Kaaba, the Khalifa Mutazid Billah had

the entrance of the

Kaaba

the year 310 Hijra, the

repaired.

mother

of the

Muktadir Billah commissioned her to

have

all

in

Khalifa

slave,

Lulu,

Kaaba plated with

Again, in the year 549 Hijra, Jamal-ud-din

gold.

Muhammad, lars in

the pillars of the

Later,

the Egyptian Minister, had the

the interior of the

of gold

and

silver.

A

Kaaba coated with

similar

service

pil

plates

was done

to the Holy Place by Malik Muzaffar Ghassani of

Yaman and Hijra,

the

Malik Nasir Kalaon.

when Sultan Sulaiman

Kaaba with

a

new

roof,

of

In the year 961

Turkey covered

he also had the doors

of the holy edifice encased in silver of

solid

gold was also

made

gilt.

A

drain

in Constantinople,

59

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

and sent all

period

the Mizab-i-Eahmat.

for

that

Since

repairs to the sacred shrine

have been

carried out from time to time at the expense of

the Turkish

Government.

THE COVERING. Shah Asaad, known of

Yaman, was the

with a covering.

as

He

Tubba-i-Hamyari, King

Kaaba

to furnish the

first

did this in consequence of

a dream in which he saw himself in the act of investing the

a

second

covering. of

what

Kaaba

in

dream and But there stuff

is

the

dreamed

result

was

another

nothing on record to show

From the

the cover was made.

time of Kusai ibn Kilab

it

had been the custom to

a covering for the

provide

He

drapery.

Kaaba annually

at

the joint expense of the families of the Kuraislu

With the consent, however, Kuraish,

Abu Rabia Makhzumi,

chant, arranged to furnish

other plied

year at his it

of the families of the

jointly

in

own the

the

a wealthy

mer

covering

every

cost while

remaining

they years.

arrangement lasted during the lifetime Rabia.

Down

to

the

close

of

the

of

sup. This

Abu

Days

of

Ignorance the Kuraish continued to provide the

60

THE STORY OF A This was never changed, but each suc

covering.

ceeding year the old drapery was overlaid with a

With the

fresh one.

revelation of Islam, accord

ing to a tradition by the historian Wakidi, the

Prophet imitated

Abraham,

Yaman

his ancestor

in covering the

cloth,

Ishmael, the son of

Kaaba with

a mantle of

a practice which was followed by

the Khalifa Umar.

Azraki

is

responsible for the

legend that the practice of placing one cover over

Umar who

another ceased during the Khilafat of

ordained that the old covering should be replaced yearly by a

among the

new

one, the former being distributed

Subsequently in the time

pilgrims.

of the Khalifa

Usman

the practice of having two

coverings annually was commenced.

Amir Muaviya the

Tule of the

taken

off

Under the

old coverings were

preparatory to perfuming the

Kaaba

which was then dressed in coverings from Deba,

The covering

Jabr, and Kabata. consists of (vest)

The

two

parts, the

and the lower

following

is

called

A

put on during the period later,

Kaaba

upper called the Kamis the Izar (drawers).

the order in which the

dressed twice a year.

was added

of the

Kaaba was

covering from of pilgrimage.

on the expiry

Deba was To

this

of the first ten

PILGRIMAGE TO HIJAZ.

6J

days of Muharram, an extra Izar which lasted

till

the 27th of Ramzan, when the second covering

was put on. But during the Khilafat of Mamunur-Rashid he ordered that the covering of the holy edifice should be changed three times a year.

According to this arrangement, the Kaaba

wa&

decked in scarlet from Deba during the season of the Hajj, a robe from Kabata was put on in the early part of

Rajab and was changed

for

one of

white from Deba at the festival of tke Id-ul-Fitr.

Towards the end

of

Mamun

s

reign

it

was urged

that the excessive wear to which the Izar of the

Kaaba was subjected did not admit

of its lasting

throughout the year and that consequently

newal was necessary at the time granted this request. of

Mutawakkil

in the

month

of the Id.

its re

Mamun

Later on, during the Khilafat

Alallah, a further renewal of the

of

Rajab was asked

for.

Izar

Mutawakkil

sanctioned the renewal of the Izar on each occasion

that the

covering

was changed.

the

Kamis was, moreover,

its

skirt

in

to the level

of

The length

of

increased so as to bring

the

floor.

Eventually,

the year 240 Hijra, orders were issued

that

the Izar should be changed every other month.

On

the break-up of the

Abb aside

Khilafat

the

2

THE STORY OF A

sanctuary was furnished with

sometimes by the Sultans

by the kings of tive

Yaman

of

annual covering

its

Egypt and sometimes

according as their respec

means permitted.

Ultimately the Egyptian Sultans began to send the holy covering regularly Sultan Malik every year. Salih, son of Sultan

Malik Nasir, made an endowment of two villages Bisu and Sundhis, which were purchased by him with the express object of furnishing the necessary revenues to cover the cost of the annual covering.

new King came to the supply the Kaaba with a sable

Nevertheless, whenever a

throne, he used to

and

covering for the exterior of the sanctuary

a red covering green one

for the

of the sacred

(There

is

the interior, together with a

into the

while the border

and sometimes from the

M J^ j,*x

Kalima,

woven

is

inscribed

Kuran.

The

tomb.

s

Prophet

no God but God and

Prophet), are ings,

for

When