MECCA THE MYSTIC 



171 



of the Koran are also woven into this 

 tapestry, namely, the Chapter of the Cave, 

 Miriam, Al Amran, Repentance, T. H., 

 Y. S., and Tobarak. 



RITUAL OBSERVED BY ORTHODOX PILGRIMS 



The inscription over Bab es Safa is 

 also from the Koran and reads as fol- 

 lows : "Verily, Es Safa and El Mirwa are 

 among the signs of God. Whoever then 

 maketh a pilgrimage to the temple or 

 visiteth it shall not be blamed if they go 

 round about them both." This gate leads 

 out to the hills beyond the city where cer- 

 tain pilgrim rites are performed. Over 

 the Mirwa gate there is (unless it has 

 been removed by the new king) a small 

 tablet in honor of the Sultan of Turkey, 

 who erected it. 



The Mahmal is an annual present of 

 tapestries, gold specie, or other gifts sent 

 by various Moslem countries to the Sherif 

 of Mecca. The Ka'aba covering accom- 

 panies the Egyptian Mahmal. 



Arriving within a short distance of 

 Mecca, orthodox pilgrims, male and fe- 

 male, put off their ordinary clothing and 

 assume the ihram, which consists of two 

 pieces of white cloth, one tied around the 

 loins and the other thrown over the back. 

 Sandals may be worn, but not shoes, and 

 the head must be uncovered. After cer- 

 tain ablutions the pilgrim enters the 

 mosque, kisses the Black Stone, and runs 

 around the Ka'aba seven times. After 

 special prayers he proceeds to the place 

 of Abraham, then drinks from the holy 

 well, and once more kisses the Black 

 Stone. After this follows the race be- 

 tween the two hills, Safa and Mirwa. 



Little books of ritual prayers to be 

 used by the pilgrims are sold to every 

 one, and there is great punctiliousness in 

 observing every detail correctly. On the 

 seventh day of the pilgrimage there is a 

 sermon from the grand pulpit. On the 

 eighth day the pilgrim goes to Mina, 

 three miles distant from Mecca, and 

 spends the night. The next morning he 

 leaves for Arafat, another hill a short 

 distance from Mecca, and the following 

 day is the great day of sacrifice, simul- 

 taneously observed throughout the whole 

 Moslem world. Early in the morning 

 the pilgrims go to Mina, where there are 



three pillars, called the Great Devil, the 

 Middle Pillar, and the First One. Here 

 each pilgrim flings seven pebbles to show 

 his hatred of Satan and his love for God. 

 He then performs the sacrifice of a sheep, 

 goat, or camel, according to his means, 

 the victim being placed toward the 

 Ka'aba and the knife plunged into the 

 animal's throat with the cry, "Allahu 

 Akbar." This ceremony concludes the 

 pilgrimage proper. 



After visiting Mecca most Moslems 

 also go to Medina to visit the tomb of the 

 Prophet. At present, because of the rail- 

 way, many of them pay this visit first. The 

 pilgrimage to Medina is called Ziyarat 

 and that to Mecca Hajj. The latter is 

 obligatory ; the former meritorious. 



The Prophet's mosque at Medina is 

 about 420 feet long by 340 broad. It also 

 is surrounded by a large courtyard and 

 porticoes. The Hujrah, or place of the 

 tomb, has four gates, which are carefully 

 locked and guarded by eunuchs. Within 

 the inclosure there are four graves and 

 place for a fifth. Next to Mohammed 

 himself lies Abu Bekr, his father-in-law ; 

 next to him Omar, founder of the im- 

 perial power of Islam, and a short dis- 

 tance away is the grave of the Prophet's 

 beloved daughter, Fatima. Between Fa- 

 tima's grave and that of Omar is a space 

 left empty. According to Moslem tradi- 

 tion, it was the wish of Mohammed that 

 this place should be reserved for Jesus 

 on his second coming and death. 



Between Medina and Mecca are some 

 of the famous battle grounds of early 

 Islamic days. On one of these the battle 

 of Ohod was fought, when the Koroish of 

 Mecca, after their defeat at Bedr, over- 

 came the Moslem army, and where Mo- 

 hammed himself was seriously wounded. 

 Hamza, a valiant warrior of Islam, lies 

 buried here. 



SACRED CITIES FREED FROM TURKISH 

 YOKE 



On the occasion of the anniversary of 

 the proclamation of the constitution at 

 Mecca, all the worthies take part in the 

 ceremonies. Over the doorway of the 

 building where the celebration takes 

 place lanterns are hung to illuminate the 

 Arabic inscription : "In liberty is the 



