THE PILGRIMAGES.
Islam's religion has many holy places and it is the duty of every
Mohammedan to visit these shrines unless circumstances hinder him.
Pilgrimages secure not only forgiveness of sins, but a great reputation
as well. Of all Mohammedan shrines there are four most remarkable.
Medina is the first. It was the birthplace of Mohammed. Here he lived
till he was six years old when his mother, Amina, died. A slave girl
faithfully nourished him and took him to Mecca. But his last days were
spent in Medina. When he was dying in the arms of Ayesha, Omar asked
him: "Prophet where do you wish us to bury you?" He answered: "Throw
the rein of the bridle on my camel's neck and I believe the angel
Gabriel will come and direct her where to go. There bury me." They did
so. His camel started off, but soon stopped and would not proceed
further. So they buried Mohammed there and a magnificent mosque stands
above his grave. This building is adorned with silver and gold and
Mohammedans worship it.
The second place is Mecca. This city is the most holy for all the
Mohammedan world. Here is the old temple of the Arabs the Kaaba which
was converted by Mohammed into a mosque. It has been rebuilt many times
by the rich kings of Islam. This mosque is among the seven wonders of
the world and is not inferior in beauty and cost' to Solomon's temple.
Outside at the gate is a black stone which the ancient Arabs worshiped
before Mohammed. Some said the stone was cast out of paradise with
Adam; others that it was cast down from heaven. Upon it Abraham offered
Isaac. The worshipers held a tradition that if anyone should place a
smooth stone on this holy stone and it should stick fast he should have
the wish of his heart. Many childless women use this means to find if
God will give them a child. Near the mosque is the well of Ab Zimzim,
_i.e._, living water. Mohammedans claim Abraham, Hagar and Jacob
quenched their thirst at this well. Jacob and other patriarchs, they
say, watered their sheep here. Many pilgrims have assured the writer
that the mosque of the Kaaba was originally built by the angel Gabriel.
There are two hundred million Moslems scattered throughout the world
and each of them turns his face toward this mosque and prays five times
daily.
The third place is Karballa. This city holds the second place in
sacredness in the estimation of the Mohammedans. It is situated in
Asiatic Turkey, near the famous city of Bagdad, where Saleek and
Katispon once flourished, ancient towns of the Christian Nestorians.
Here their patriarch dwells who ruled over all the Nestorian church.
After the death of Mohammed his four caliph successors overthrew these
places and took them from the Nestorians. Later a battle took place
here between these caliphs and the grandchildren of Mohammed to decide
which should be at the head of the new religion. The caliphs were
successful; the grandchildren being slain. They were buried here and
upon their graves was reared a magnificent mosque. Like that of Mecca
this, too, is adorned with gold and silver. Hundreds of rich men from
all parts of Persia give large offerings for this temple. Karballa has
different meanings. Some translate it the place of danger, some the
place of mourning, some the place of the killing of martyrs, others the
place of those holy men. Here in this city is the pope of all
Persia,--they call him prophet. In his hands is all the power of his
religion, and he has more power than the king. Everything he commands
they must do, even to the killing or massacring of all the Christians.
The king must do him formal reverence.
The fourth place is Mashhad. This city is situated in the northeast
part of Persia, in the state of Khorason, near the Caspian sea. This is
the most holy city in Persia. Here are buried many famous persons as
the grandchildren of Mohammed. This mosque is more rich than Mecca and
Karballa. The dome is gilded with gold outside and inside. Generally
each king of Persia makes expensive presents, but the most remarkable
event in this connection was two hundred years ago. Nadirshah, a
powerful king of Persia, he that conquered India and despoiled Calcutta
of its treasures,--made a present to this temple of a crown of gold,
adorned with precious stones. They say at night it is like the
Electricity building at the Columbian Exposition. They call it
Mashhad-Mokaddas, meaning holy. It is a place of martyrs. No Christians
or Jews are permitted to reside in this city. In the thirteenth century
this was the cathedral of the archbishop of the Nestorians.
PILGRIMAGES TO THE HOLY PLACES.
Mohammedan law commands all to go to these holy places. The books of
ceremony emphasize the importance of such pilgrimages. The hope of
remission of sins is given to all visitors, and they are thereafter
called by a different name from ordinary men. Everyone has confidence
in them; and sometimes for a witness they call from this class of men.
Their law is, every man able must go and God will be merciful to his
family, and afterward he will be rich. Everyone who refuses to go is
not a true Moslem and does not love his religion.
PREPARATION FOR THE JOURNEY.
Before going on this journey many fast and pray. They must repent of
every sin and sometimes one sees men praying in various ways, and it is
easy to see that they are preparing for a pilgrimage. They put on a
sorrowful countenance and walk about sadly,--all of which is merely for
vain glory. Every day they must wash and cleanse themselves and go to
the mosque. If they are at enmity with any man, they must first be
reconciled before their journey will be recognized. Some days before
starting some Say-yids, descendants of Mohammed who wear a blue turban
and are considered most honorable and holy men, who do not work, who
are not punished for any violation of law, will ride on blue horses
with long spears in their hands. They will walk in the streets crying
in a loud voice to all those who are to make a pilgrimage to prepare
themselves and be ready on a certain day. Together with this command is
uttered words of comfort and encouragement. They tell the people not to
fear. God will send for the sake of Mohammed His angels and prophets,
riding on blue horses, to deliver them from all robbers and thieves.
Yet many do die on this pilgrimage at the hands of desperate characters
of the desert or mountains.
ALMS-GIVING.
One month before starting each man must give according to his ability
for alms. They are besieged by the others to prepare food and drink for
feasts. If a man is rich the demand is repeated. Before starting the
pilgrim goes to the leader to inquire what is necessary for him to do
and how to do it that his pilgrimage be accepted. The priest will say
if the man is rich, "You found a mosque." If a man is poor a smaller
amount of money is required. The very poor are commanded to fast from
ten to forty days. Those who make their pilgrimage on horseback scatter
money on the way for the benefit of the beggars and the poor. As the
pilgrim sets out he is accompanied by friends for some distance as a
mark of honor to the faithful Islam. Before the band of pilgrims the
leader rides calling out in a loud voice, "Säläwät."
CARRYING THE DEAD.
Their law requires that not only the living but also the dead shall go
to these places. The dead are sometimes carried to the sacred cities
forty years after burial. Sometimes when a stingy man dies who has not
gone on a pilgrimage in his lifetime, he exacts a promise from his
relatives that a certain amount of his money will be used to carry his
body to a holy city. If this promise is not kept, the priest will
compel his relatives and heirs not only to restore the specified sum
for sacred purposes but more. When the poor man is about to die he
administers an oath to his relatives that after his death his body
shall at some future time be taken to Karballa. As a reward for this
service, the relatives will be blessed of God and made rich. The dead
are buried in a box so that at some appointed time the remains may be
exhumed and transferred to a new box and strapped to the back of a
horse and carried to the holy city. It matters not if the body has
decayed. If the bones remain it is not too late for the pilgrimage. If
the deceased has been very poor and his friends cannot take him in
person, they hire strangers to do it. Thus one may see the caravans
with hundreds of horses--sometimes thousands--with the boxes of dead
strapped to their backs on their way to the holy places.
MOTIVE IN PILGRIMAGES FOR THE DEAD.
The object of these trips is to secure heaven for the dead. Their
religion teaches that all who die in a holy city or who are buried
there find a home in heaven. Some say God has a multitude of spiritual
camels with riders who will come and carry the dead bodies to heaven.
If you say to them, "Flesh and bones cannot inherit the holy place of
God," they will answer, "Their spirit is taken to heaven, not their
body." Others will say, "The bones are not the original ones but
likenesses of them." Others say, "it is an honor to the prophets who
are buried in the holy city for other dead men to be buried there." At
an appointed time after burial it is believed that the dead will rise
and bow to the tombs of the prophets. This is the manner of their
worship: Those who go to Medina must arrive before a certain day
because on that particular day their worship is commenced. For two or
three days various ceremonies are performed such as fasting, prayer,
purification and washing of their bodies. When these are concluded, on
the fourth day they array themselves in a special robe for worship.
Without any covering on their feet they walk around the mosque seven
times. When they enter the mosque they bow themselves before the tomb
of Mohammed. After this bowing they walk seven times around the tomb of
the prophet. They then kneel down and kiss the tomb at the same time
placing such money upon it as they can spare. Upon leaving the mosque a
ram is killed as a sacrificial offering. On that day more than one
hundred thousand sheep are killed in that small city. This together
with the warm sun beating on the blood of the victims gives rise to the
most fearful of all scourges, cholera. In Karballa, Medina and Mashhad
worship is conducted in this manner.
THE FEMALE PILGRIM.
The law requires that females also go to these holy places. Girls at
every age are allowed to go, also children. Widows under fifty years
are not accepted as pilgrims, first, because of their probable desire
for marriage, and second because the law says no women must undertake a
pilgrimage alone for thus they would expose themselves to men. So in
order to go some marry for the occasion. The husband accompanies them
hither and upon returning either divorces them or keeps them as wives
or concubines.
THE RETURN OF THE PILGRIMS.
Those who went to Mecca from certain parts before trains began to run
in the east consumed a year or more in their journey, but now it takes
only six or eight months. Those going to Karballa take from three to
five months, likewise those going to Mashhad. Every band of pilgrims
when returning to their own city will send a messenger about ten days
ahead to announce that in so many days a band of pilgrims will appear
in the city. On the day of their arrival many hundred men will meet
them several miles from the city. The Say-yids ride before them crying
säläwäts. Friends and relatives kill lambs as a sacrifice before them.
This sacrifice is a holy thing and no man can touch it till its blood
is shed, but when it is beheaded, it belongs to God and the strongest
man takes it for his own. This being a sacred thing all are very
anxious to partake of it. The weak will do all they can to keep the
strong from carrying the sacrifice away. So there is always quarreling
when the pilgrims return. The acquaintances of the pilgrims will come
and say, "My portion be as thy portion. Blessed art thou. May your
pilgrimage be accepted," and the pilgrim will answer, "God grant that
you may also go to this Holy Place and receive remission of sin." Women
will sometimes cut pieces from the pilgrim's garments which are
supposed to be holy. At the pilgrims home many sheep are killed and a
variety of fine meats are cooked. People gather there to eat and drink
and they say to the host, "God bless your pilgrimage." He will answer,
"May the prophet give you success and grant that you, too, may visit
the Holy Place."
It is evident from the above descriptions that there is no place in
Islam for peace of conscience or absolute assurance of heaven. The
writer has often asked of Mohammedans: "Have you any hope of heaven?"
They say, "We don't know God knows." "Yes God knows everything but what
do you say of your hope?" He will reply, "I have no hope--but God is
merciful."
Many of them would receive Christ if there was freedom of worship.
There are even now some true Christians among the Moslems who secretly
like Nicodemus. Let us pray that God will open the way of freedom for
them.