Transgression Of These And Other
Ceremonial Enactments Is Expiated Either By Animal Sacrifice, Or Gifts
Of Fruit Or Cereals To The Poor.
After a complete ablution and assuming the ihram, we performed two
prayer-flections, and recited the meritorious sentences beginning with
the words “Labbaik Allah huma labbaik!” “Here I am, O God, here I am!
Here I
am, O Unassociated One, here I am, for unto Thee belong praise, grace,
and empire, O Unassociated One!”
This prayer was repeated so often, people not unfrequently rushing up
to their friends and shrieking the sacred sentence into their ears,
that at last it became a signal for merriment rather than an indication
of piety.
[p.410]On the 26th we reached Jeddah, where the utter sterility of
Arabia, with its dunes and rocky hills, becomes apparent. The town,
however, viewed from the sea, is not unpicturesque. Many European
vessels were at anchor off the coast: and as we entered the port,
innumerable small fishing-boats darting in all directions, their sails
no longer white, but emerald green from the intense lustre of the
water, crowded around us on all sides, and reminded one by their
dazzling colours and rapidity of motion of the shoals of porpoises so
often seen on a voyage round the Cape.
On disembarking we were accosted by several “mut?awwafs,” or circuit-men,
so termed in Arabic, because, besides serving as religious guides in
general, their special duty is to lead the pilgrim in his seven
obligatory circuits around the Kabah. We encamped outside the town,
and, having visited the tomb of “our Mother Eve,” mounted our camels for
Meccah.
After a journey of twenty hours across the Desert, we passed the
barriers which mark the outermost limits of the sacred city, and,
ascending some giant steps, pitched our tents on a plain, or rather
plateau, surrounded by barren rock, some of which, distant but a few
yards, mask from view the birthplace of the Prophet. It was midnight; a
few drops of rain were falling, and lightning played around us. Day
after day we had watched its brightness from the sea, and many a
faithful haji had pointed out to his companions those fires which were
Heaven’s witness to the sanctity of the spot. “Al hamdu Lillah!” Thanks be to
God! we were now at length to gaze upon the “Kiblah,” to which every
Mussulman has turned in prayer since the days of Muhammad, and which
for long ages before the birth of Christianity was reverenced by the
Patriarchs of the East. Soon after dawn arose from our midst the shout
of “Labbaik! Labbaik!” and passing
[p.411] between the rocks, we found ourselves in the main street of
Meccah, and approached the “Gateway of Salvation,” one of the thirty-nine
portals of the Temple of Al-Haram.
On crossing the threshold we entered a vast unroofed quadrangle, a
mighty amplification of the Palais Royal, having on each of its four
sides a broad colonnade, divided into three aisles by a multitude of
slender columns, and rising to the height of about thirty feet.
Surmounting each arch of the colonnade is a small dome: in all there
are a hundred and twenty, and at different points arise seven minarets,
dating from various epochs, and of somewhat varying altitudes and
architecture. The numerous pigeons which have their home within the
temple have been believed never to alight upon any portion of its roof,
thus miraculously testifying to the holiness of the building. This
marvel having, however, of late years been suspended, many discern
another omen of the approach of the long-predicted period when
unbelievers shall desecrate the hallowed soil.
In the centre of the square area rises the far-famed Kabah, the
funereal shade of which contrasts vividly with the sunlit walls and
precipices of the town. It is a cubical structure of massive stone, the
upper two-thirds of which are mantled by a black cloth embroidered with
silver, and the lower portion hung with white linen. At a distance of
several yards it is surrounded by a balustrade provided with lamps,
which are lighted in the evening, and the space thus enclosed is the
circuit-ground along which, day and night, crowds of pilgrims,
performing the circular ceremony of Tawaf, realize the idea of
perpetual motion. We at once advanced to the black stone imbedded in an
angle of the Kabah, kissed it, and exclaimed, “Bismillah wa Allahu Akbar,”—“In
God’s name, and God is greatest.” Then we commenced the usual seven rounds,
three at a walking pace, and four at a brisk trot. Next
p.412] followed two prayer-flections at the tomb of Abraham, after
which we drank of the water of Zamzam, said to be the same which
quenched the thirst of Hagar’s exhausted son.
Besides the Kabah, eight minor structures adorn the quadrangle, the
well of Zamzam, the library, the clock-room, the triangular staircase,
and four ornamental resting-places for the orthodox sects of Hanafi,
Shafi, Maliki, and Hanbali.
We terminated our morning duties by walking and running seven times
along the streets of Safa and Marwa, so named from the flight of seven
steps at each of its extremities.
After a few days spent in visiting various places of interest, such as
the slave-market and forts, and the houses of the Prophet and the
Caliphs ’Ali and Abubakr, we started on our six hours’ journey to the
mountain of ’Arifat, an hour’s sojourn at which, even in a state of
insensibility, confers the rank of haji. It is a mountain spur of about
a hundred and fifty feet in height, presenting an artificial appearance
from the wall encircling it and the terrace on its slope, from which
the iman delivers a sermon before the departure of his congregation for
Meccah. His auditors were, indeed, numerous, their tents being
scattered over two or three miles of the country. A great number of
their inmates were fellow-subjects of ours from India.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 140 of 170
Words from 143099 to 144105
of 175520
