"Islamic Pilgrimage in the Middle East: An Overview," CISMOR 11: 48-65. (original) (raw)

2021, CISMOR 11: Pilgrimage Through the Ages: In Religious and Non-Religious Context

Abstract

The paper explains how of the shrine of the Kaʿba became part and parcel of the monotheistic religion of Islam and walks through its rituals, as well as some of the rituals that accompanied the departing caravans and returning pilgrims. It surveys visitation (ziyāra) of places connected with the Prophet, other cities important to Islam, and tombs of earlier prophets and later religious figures, a practice that has been and still is contested among Muslim scholars, yet enjoyed great popularity, especially in Muslim societies influenced by Sufism. Some sites became the focus of annual communal celebrations known as mawālid (in honor of the anniversary of the birth/death of holy men) or mawāsim (seasonal gatherings). In the twentieth century, against the backdrop of nation-building projects and national conflicts in the Middle East, some pilgrimages became highly politicized. A couple of examples from Palestine and Israel to demonstrate this point. Sunni opponents of tomb-worship, beginning with the influential fundamentalist thinker of the early 14th century Ibn Taymiyya, blame the Shiʿis for having introduced this unwarranted "innovation" into the practice of Muslims. Some art-historians also tend to attribute to Shiʿa Islam a prominent role in the development of monumental funerary architecture, typical of pilgrimage destinations. While these conjectures are debated, there is no doubt that Shiʿi Islam encourages visits to the graves of its Imams (spiritual leaders) and martyrs as venues for devotion to the house of ʿAli, and its holy places certainly deserve special attention in the context of Islamic pilgrimage. Also worthy of attention is the phenomenon of shared sacred sites, which – despite the animosity between Sunnis and Shiʿis, and the tensions between Muslims, Christians, and Jews – drew a mixed batch of pilgrims and patrons

Figures (8)

Fig. 1 Drawing of the Ka‘ba, from a sixteenth-century illustrated manuscript of Futih al- Haramayn by al-Ansari. (Photo: Avshalom Avital, courtesy of the L.A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art, Jerusalem, Israel) the black stone (tawdf) — the first rite of the hajj. yelievers and their common liminal status while guests in God's house in Mecca. Women vear ordinary modest ("shar i") clothes, and leave their hands and face uncovered. The tate of ihram requires also refraining from carrying weapons, killing animals, damaging ylants, clipping the nails, shaving, the use of perfume, and sexual relations. It allows entry nto the sacred precincts of Mecca and the participation in the ritual circumambulation of Rees SE Os eee: Pee Be ce: Pc, ees ee EO oe Bee into the sacred precincts of Mecca and the participation in the ritual circumambulation of

Fig. 1 Drawing of the Ka‘ba, from a sixteenth-century illustrated manuscript of Futih al- Haramayn by al-Ansari. (Photo: Avshalom Avital, courtesy of the L.A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art, Jerusalem, Israel) the black stone (tawdf) — the first rite of the hajj. yelievers and their common liminal status while guests in God's house in Mecca. Women vear ordinary modest ("shar i") clothes, and leave their hands and face uncovered. The tate of ihram requires also refraining from carrying weapons, killing animals, damaging ylants, clipping the nails, shaving, the use of perfume, and sexual relations. It allows entry nto the sacred precincts of Mecca and the participation in the ritual circumambulation of Rees SE Os eee: Pee Be ce: Pc, ees ee EO oe Bee into the sacred precincts of Mecca and the participation in the ritual circumambulation of

Fig. 2 A Stencil lithograph from the second half of the 19th century, portraying Muslim pilgrims departing from Egypt for Mecca, followed by a camel carrying an ornate yellow mahmal. The Arabic inscription at the bottom reads: This is the Egyptian noble mahmal constructed by the King al-Zahir Baybars in Cairo in 675/1276. (British Museum, AN1321871001, © The Trustees of the British Museum) site, all the more so by a ritual object of such stature. known as the mahmal — joined the Egyptian procession, and until the demise of this tradition in 1953, remained the centerpiece of the yearly caravan to Mecca. It resemblec a tent made of embroidered yellow silk, crowned with a spherical finial made of gildec silver. Shreds cut off from the kiswa were a sought-after relic,’ since, in the understanding of many practitioners, if blessings could be transferred by objects that had been at a holy site. all the more so bv a ritual ohiect of such stature. of many practitioners, if blessings could be transferred by objects that had been at a holy

Fig. 2 A Stencil lithograph from the second half of the 19th century, portraying Muslim pilgrims departing from Egypt for Mecca, followed by a camel carrying an ornate yellow mahmal. The Arabic inscription at the bottom reads: This is the Egyptian noble mahmal constructed by the King al-Zahir Baybars in Cairo in 675/1276. (British Museum, AN1321871001, © The Trustees of the British Museum) site, all the more so by a ritual object of such stature. known as the mahmal — joined the Egyptian procession, and until the demise of this tradition in 1953, remained the centerpiece of the yearly caravan to Mecca. It resemblec a tent made of embroidered yellow silk, crowned with a spherical finial made of gildec silver. Shreds cut off from the kiswa were a sought-after relic,’ since, in the understanding of many practitioners, if blessings could be transferred by objects that had been at a holy site. all the more so bv a ritual ohiect of such stature. of many practitioners, if blessings could be transferred by objects that had been at a holy

Fig. 3 A fourteenth-century miniature of the Mosque of Medina, with the Prophet’s pulpit (minbar), the Prophet's grave alongside the graves of the caliphs Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, and the "tree of Fatima," his daughter. A well-known hadith cited the Prophet saying: "Between my grave and my pulpit is one of the gardens of Paradise." According to another hadith, the Prophet had declare that whoever visits his grave is considered to have visited him during his life. (Albert Gayet, L’Art Arabe, Paris: Librairies Imprimeries Réunies 1891, p. 22) tribute to the Prophet at the complex which includes his house, mosque and grave.

Fig. 3 A fourteenth-century miniature of the Mosque of Medina, with the Prophet’s pulpit (minbar), the Prophet's grave alongside the graves of the caliphs Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, and the "tree of Fatima," his daughter. A well-known hadith cited the Prophet saying: "Between my grave and my pulpit is one of the gardens of Paradise." According to another hadith, the Prophet had declare that whoever visits his grave is considered to have visited him during his life. (Albert Gayet, L’Art Arabe, Paris: Librairies Imprimeries Réunies 1891, p. 22) tribute to the Prophet at the complex which includes his house, mosque and grave.

Islamic Pilgrimage in the Middle East: An Overview Eleventh-century Jerusalem was a destination of pilgrimage that "never for a day Eleventh-century Jerusalem was a destination of pilgrimage that "never for a day "8 an axis mundi and spiritual hub for all three re its streets empty of strangers, nonotheistic creeds. Its conquest by the Crusaders in 1099, after which Jews and Muslims with the exception of some individuals) were denied access to the holy esplanade for early ninety years, changed its character considerably. With its return to Islamic overeignty, further reconstruction work took place on the "Noble Sanctuary," which had ecome even dearer and holier to Muslim visitors after its loss.

Islamic Pilgrimage in the Middle East: An Overview Eleventh-century Jerusalem was a destination of pilgrimage that "never for a day Eleventh-century Jerusalem was a destination of pilgrimage that "never for a day "8 an axis mundi and spiritual hub for all three re its streets empty of strangers, nonotheistic creeds. Its conquest by the Crusaders in 1099, after which Jews and Muslims with the exception of some individuals) were denied access to the holy esplanade for early ninety years, changed its character considerably. With its return to Islamic overeignty, further reconstruction work took place on the "Noble Sanctuary," which had ecome even dearer and holier to Muslim visitors after its loss.

Fig. 5 Tomb of Shaykh Muhammad al-Mawsili, said to have miraculously joined Saladin's forces at a crucial moment and attained martyrdom, by the ruins of Ascalon (southern Palestine). (Source: Liet. Kitchener’s photographs (courtesy of the Palestine Exploration Fund in London, 1875) privileged few, a visit to a nearby holy site was feasible for many. Due to the spread-out belief in the persistence of the powers of charismatic saintly men after their death, tombs —ranging from the mausoleum of the Prophet Muhammad in Medina to modest rura sanctuaries commemorating almost anonymous local figures of some renown —became destinies of pilgrimage. The establishment of mausolea, often inspired by a dream or ar apparition, became an act of piety (and political expediency), for rulers and commoners. The landscape of the Middle East was dotted with shrines, typically modest domec buildings, which sometimes developed into elaborate complexes. buildings, which sometimes developed into elaborate complexes.

Fig. 5 Tomb of Shaykh Muhammad al-Mawsili, said to have miraculously joined Saladin's forces at a crucial moment and attained martyrdom, by the ruins of Ascalon (southern Palestine). (Source: Liet. Kitchener’s photographs (courtesy of the Palestine Exploration Fund in London, 1875) privileged few, a visit to a nearby holy site was feasible for many. Due to the spread-out belief in the persistence of the powers of charismatic saintly men after their death, tombs —ranging from the mausoleum of the Prophet Muhammad in Medina to modest rura sanctuaries commemorating almost anonymous local figures of some renown —became destinies of pilgrimage. The establishment of mausolea, often inspired by a dream or ar apparition, became an act of piety (and political expediency), for rulers and commoners. The landscape of the Middle East was dotted with shrines, typically modest domec buildings, which sometimes developed into elaborate complexes. buildings, which sometimes developed into elaborate complexes.

Fig. 6 Entrance to shrine of the head of al- -Husayn in the Umayyad Mosque of Damascus. (Photo: Stephennie Mulder) Islamic Pilgrimage in the Middle East: An Overview 7. Pilgrimage Politicized Travel to sacred places and worship therein have always had secular and political

Fig. 6 Entrance to shrine of the head of al- -Husayn in the Umayyad Mosque of Damascus. (Photo: Stephennie Mulder) Islamic Pilgrimage in the Middle East: An Overview 7. Pilgrimage Politicized Travel to sacred places and worship therein have always had secular and political

Fig. 7 Celebration of mawsim in the courtyard of Mashhad Ra’s al-Husayn, by the ruins of Ascalon, April 1943. (Source: Library of Congress, Matson (Eric G. and Edith) Photograph Collection, LC-DIG-matpc—2 1685) a I I I I Since 1920, Nabr Misa gained the reputation of being a hotbed of nascent Palestinian nationalism. The main procession to the complex always started by the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, where the chanting of anti-British and anti-Zionist slogans was prone to be accompanied — once in a while —by violent attacks on Jewish and sometimes also Christian by-passers and celebrants of Easter and Passover. In the 1930s and 1940s the mawsim at the shrine in Ascalon, heretofore only of local rural prominence, also evolved into a celebration of Palestinian patriotism and resistance on a broader national scale. At the two sites, religious preachers and politicians repeatedly addressed not only the revered patrons of the shrine (Prophet Musa and the martyr al-Husayn), but also glorified Saladin, the pious military commander who liberated the land from the Crusaders inl1187, thereby becoming a Palestinian national hero and patron of the annual visitations of Palestinian sacred sites. Further reading:

Fig. 7 Celebration of mawsim in the courtyard of Mashhad Ra’s al-Husayn, by the ruins of Ascalon, April 1943. (Source: Library of Congress, Matson (Eric G. and Edith) Photograph Collection, LC-DIG-matpc—2 1685) a I I I I Since 1920, Nabr Misa gained the reputation of being a hotbed of nascent Palestinian nationalism. The main procession to the complex always started by the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, where the chanting of anti-British and anti-Zionist slogans was prone to be accompanied — once in a while —by violent attacks on Jewish and sometimes also Christian by-passers and celebrants of Easter and Passover. In the 1930s and 1940s the mawsim at the shrine in Ascalon, heretofore only of local rural prominence, also evolved into a celebration of Palestinian patriotism and resistance on a broader national scale. At the two sites, religious preachers and politicians repeatedly addressed not only the revered patrons of the shrine (Prophet Musa and the martyr al-Husayn), but also glorified Saladin, the pious military commander who liberated the land from the Crusaders inl1187, thereby becoming a Palestinian national hero and patron of the annual visitations of Palestinian sacred sites. Further reading:

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References (25)

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  13. Various Aspects in Jewish Studies: Surrounding Cultures and Dialogue -Papers & Discussions of the 2nd CISMOR Conference on Jewish Studies, 9 December 2006. Edited by Ada Taggar-Cohen and Isaiah Teshima; Published March 2007; 148 pp. Table of Contents in English and Japanese; Foreword, Papers & Editorial Comment in Japanese only.
  14. The Languages of the Jews and their Convergence with Neighboring Cultures through History -Papers & Discussions of the 3rd CISMOR Conference on Jewish Studies, 8 December 2007. Edited by Ada Taggar-Cohen and Etsuko Katsumata; Published March 2008; 154 pp.
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  16. Jews and Christians, Jews and Muslims: The Interaction of these Religions from Historical and Cultural Perspectives -Papers & Comments of the 4th CISMOR Conference on Jewish Studies, 22-23 January 2011. Edited by Ada Taggar-Cohen and Etsuko Katsumata; Published October 2011
  17. Judaism and Christianity in Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages -Papers & Comments of the 5th CISMOR Conference on Jewish Studies, 29-30 October 2011. Edited by Ada Taggar-Cohen and Etsuko Katsumata; Published October 2012; 230 pp.
  18. Foreword, Table of Contents, Editorial Comment & Papers in both English and Japanese.
  19. The Revival of Hebrew Culture in the Context of Modern Judaism and in Relation to Japan -Proceedings of the 6th CISMOR Conference on Jewish Studies, 5-7 October 2012. Edited by Ada Taggar-Cohen, Etsuko Katsumata & Doron B. Cohen; Published June 2013; 180 pp. Preface, Introduction, Editorial Comment & Table of Contents in English and Japanese; Papers in either English or Japanese.
  20. Jewish Cultural Creativity in Medieval Times and its Relations with Christian and Islam Traditions of Thought -Proceedings of the 7th CISMOR Conference on Jewish Studies, 29-30 June 2013. Edited by Ada Taggar-Cohen, Etsuko Katsumata & Doron B. Cohen; Published January 2014; 142 pp.
  21. Preface, Introduction, Editorial Comment & Table of Contents in English and Japanese;
  22. Kabbalah and Sufism: Esoteric Beliefs and Practices in Judaism and Islam in Modern Times -Proceedings of the 8th CISMOR Conference on Jewish Studies, 28 February -1 March 2015. Edited by Ada Taggar-Cohen, Etsuko Katsumata & Doron B. Cohen; Published December 2015; 124 pp.
  23. Preface, Editorial Comment & Table of Contents in English and Japanese; Papers in English only.
  24. Judaism and Japanese Culture: Studies in Honor of Yoel Hoffmann -The 9th CISMOR Conference on Jewish Studies, 27-28 November 2016. Edited by Ada Taggar-Cohen & Doron B. Cohen; Published December 2017; 190 pp. Preface & Table of Contents in English and Japanese; Papers in English only.
  25. The Place of Christianity in Modern Hebrew and Japanese Literature: Its Roots and its Contemporary Expressions -The 10th CISMOR Conference on Jewish Studies: An Annual conference held on May 18-19, 2019 in Kyoto, Doshisha University. Edited by Ada Taggar-Cohen & Doron B. Cohen; Published October 2020;190 pp. Preface & Table of Contents in English and Japanese; Papers in English only. CISMOR website: http://www.cismor.jp/en/publication/