As soon as their
tents are pitched, and all things orderly disposed, every individual
Hagge, the first day, goes
And throws seven of the small stones, which
they had gathered, against a small pillar, or little square stone
building.[FN#36] Which action of theirs is intended to testify their
defiance of the devil and his deeds; for they at the same time
pronounce the following words, viz. Erzum le Shetane wazbehe[FN#37];
i.e. stone the devil, and them that please him.[FN#38] And there are
two other of the like pillars, which are situated near one another; at
each of which
[p.377] (I mean all three), the second day, they throw seven stones;
and the same they do the third day. As I was going to perform this
ceremony of throwing the stones, a facetious Hagge met me; saith he, ‘You
may save your labour at present, if you please, for I have hit out the
devil’s eyes already.’ You must observe, that after they have thrown the
seven stones on the first day (the country people having brought great
flocks of sheep to be sold), every one buys a sheep and sacrifices it;
some of which they give to their friends, some to the poor which come
out of Mecca and the country adjacent, very ragged poor, and the rest
they eat themselves; after which they shave their heads, throw off
Hirrawem, and put on other clothes, and then salute one another with a
kiss, saying, ‘Byram Mabarick Ela,’ i.e. the feast be a blessing to you.
“These three days of Byram they spend festivally, rejoicing with
abundance of illuminations all night, shooting of guns, and fireworks
flying in the air; for they reckon that all their sins are now done
away, and they shall, when they die, go directly to heaven, if they don’t
apostatize; and that for the future, if they keep their vow and do
well, God will set down for every good action ten; but if they do ill,
God will likewise reckon every evil action ten: and any person, who,
after having received the title of Hagge, shall fall back to a vicious
course of life, is esteemed to be very vile and infamous by them.[FN#39]
“Some have written, that many of the Hagges, after they have returned
home, have been so austere to themselves as to pore a long time over
red-hot bricks, or ingots of iron, and by that means willingly lose
their sight, desiring to see nothing evil or profane, after so sacred a
sight as the temple at Mecca; but I never knew any such thing done.
[p.378] “During their three days’ stay at Mina, scarce any Hagge (unless
impotent) but thinks it his duty to pay his visit, once at least, to
the temple at Mecca. They scarce cease running all the way thitherward,
shewing their vehement desire to have a fresh sight of the Beat-Allah;
which as soon as ever they come in sight of, they burst into tears for
joy; and after having performed Towoaf for a while, and a few Erkaets,
they return again to Mina.
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