Kamal F. Ishak

The orgine of Islamic Pilgrimage (HAJJ)

 

The origin of pilgrimage in the Arabian Peninsula.

Trade fair markets - Pre Islamic Hajj - Construction of the KA’BA. 

 

The concept of pilgrimage can be traced in all the ancient Semitic languages, especially in Hebrew. It means solemn procession towards a religious center, the city of Jerusalem, for example. 

Prior to Islam, the pilgrimage in the Arabian Peninsula was the convergence of people to a celebration point. Beside the purposes of worship, the primary intent of pilgrimage assembly was the trade and commerce in annual fair markets, similar to the remembrance festivals of patrons, held everywhere. 

The Islamic Hajj is not an exception to that concept. 

(Sura II, v. 125) “And [mention] when We made the House a place of return (MATHABA) for the people and [a place of] security.”.

The word MATHABA means a site or point of assembly.

 

Arabic worship places prior to Islam.

In contrast to the Jews, Assyrians, Babylonians or the Egyptians who had written and oral traditions, the pre-Islamic Arabs were the least literates among the peoples of the Middle East. They left almost nothing in writing. The Arabians never developed even an oral epic.

Before the advent of Islam, the Arabs, like all the pagan peoples, erected simple worship buildings, mostly cubic shape, hence called KA’BAs, i.e. “cube”, a form commensurate with the lake civilization of the Arabs.

The Arabic chroniclers stated that there were 24 KA’BAs in the Arabian Peninsula, each dedicated to a deity, to which the faithful made specific days to perform rituals including among others a circular stroll and sacrifices. The pagans believed that one or more of their deities lived in those shrines.

According to the narration of Diodorus and Photius, nearby the gulf of the Laeanites (Gulf of Aqaba), i.e. near Petra, there was a very sacred temple, which is highly revered by all the Arabs. It seems to be the most important of the KA’BAs, together with those of SANA' and Najran in Yemen, besides the one in Mecca.

 

Anyhow, Arabs performed pilgrimage to all these KA’BAs.

 

Pre-Islamic beliefs held by the Arabs.

Whatever we know about the account of the religion of the ancient Arabs comes to us through isolated statements of Greek writers and from Semitic inscriptions. Some information are known from polemical allusions in the Koran, or from the few anecdotes and traditions embedded in Islamic literature, written 2 centuries after Muhammad by few early Muslim scholars, specially the historian Ibn al-Kalbi (819-920 C.E.), the author of “The Book of Idols” (Kitab al-Asnam).

 

Prior to Islam, the Arabs believed in myriad demons, jinn’s, in which Islam still believing! Their polytheistic culture included tribal gods and other deities; among those there was Allah.

In pre-Islamic Arabia, Allah was used by people of Mecca as a reference to a creator god, possibly a supreme deity. Allah was considered the creator of the world and the giver of rain, but He was not considered the sole divinity. Allah was associated with companions, whom pre-Islamic Arabs considered as subordinate deities. Allah was thought to have had offspring’s, al-LAT was his wife, and the local deities al-‘Uzza, Manat were his daughters. These three deities were the chief goddesses of People of Mecca. (Remember the Satanic Verse?).

 

(Sura LXXI, v. 23) “They also said, 'Never leave your gods and never leave Wadd or Suwa' or Yaghuth and Ya'uq and Nasr.”.

This verse of the Koran mention five pre-Islamic pagan deities: Wadd, Suwâ`, Yagûth, Ya’ûq and Nasr.  

1. Wadd, Shaped as a Man, represented Manly Power, the idol of the tribe of Kalb.

2. Suwâ’, Shaped as a Woman represented Mutability, Beauty, the idol of the tribe of Hudhayl.

3. Yagûth, Shaped as a Lion (or Bull) represented Brute Strength, the idol of the tribe of Murad, then the people of Ghutayf.

4. Ya’ûq, Shaped as a Horse represented Swiftnes, the idol of the people of Hamdans.

5. Nasr, Shaped as an Eagle or Falcon, represented Sharp Sight, Insight, the idol of the people of Himyar.

(Bukhari) - (Book of Idols).

 

Before Islam, the main purpose of pilgrimage in the Arabic peninsula was the assembly in a pagan-like annual fair, similar to the current local patron festivals, to trade and gaining profit.

The Islamic pilgrimage disclosed no exception to that commercial concept. 

(Sura XXII, “Hajj”, v. 27-28) “And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass - That they may obtain benefits for themselves … ”. 

In some English translations of the Koran, they substitute the word “obtain” by “witness”, which is a literal translation, which do not express the real meaning.

Benefits are intended profits of trade.

(Sura II, v. 198) “There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord [during Hajj]. But when you depart from 'ARAFAT, remember Allah at al- Mash'ar al-Haram.”

(QURTOBI) The intent of Arabs when performed pilgrimage was to meet, boast, strife, repel and fulfill their needs attending the markets; and all that was without obedience of divinities, or visiting intent; nothing was related to the belief. So Allah ordered pilgrimage with the intent of visit, then allowing to trade. (Interpretation of the Koran). 

(Abu SALIH, the slave of Omar) I said: Oh Commander of the Faithful, you traded during pilgrimage? He said: from were you think was our livelihoods, but during the Hajj? (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, referring to Tabari). 

 

In narrative traditions describing Arabia before Islam, we find the sequence of markets or fairs called MAWASIM (singular: mawsim).

Note that even nowadays, the pilgrimage to Mecca is called MAWSIM.

(SA’ID of Afghanistan) Arabs established seasonal markets .. Those markets in the peninsula were held to meet local Arabs living necessities dictated by the nature of the dispersion in the peninsula. (Arab markets before and after Islam).

 

The pre-Islamic Arabian calendar resembled the Jewish calendar, in that it began each year in early autumn and made use of intercalation to bring the lunar year into harmony with the seasonal patterns of the solar year.

 

The Arabic seasonal markets, MAWASIM, were held in coincidence with the pagan pilgrimage.

 

Sequence and timing of markets (years. 600–610 aD).

- DOUMA, On the borders of Syria. This fair took place during November–December each year. Traders coming from Iraq and Syria frequented it.

- HAJ’R in Bahrain. It was the market of January, in which various goods from Persia and India were treated.

- Mushaqqar, on the Persian Gulf. Held between the months of February and March. This was subject to Persian control, while the management of the market was entrusted to the tribe TAMIM.

- Ṣuḥār & Dabā, in Oman zone,  , on the seashore. The two consequent fairs were held in March and April, treating Indian products.

-Shiḥr on the southern coast of the Arabian Peninsula between Oman and Aden. Held between the months of April and May. Goods treated were the products of the Arabic peninsula.

- Adan and Ṣanā, two markets of the Arabic month of Ramadan, between the months of May and June. Merchandises treated were from Ethiopia and local Yemenite goods.

- Najran fair.

- Hubasha Market, south to Mecca.

- Markets near Mecca, during pilgrimage time: 

1- Ukāẓ, held between June–July

2- Majanna, [July–August]

3- Dhū l-Majāz l[August–September]

4- Minā and ARAFA  [August–September]

- Nutạ̄’t Khaybar, northern of Yathrib. In this market, Jews offered their handcraft and agricultural products on September and October.

 

The Orientalists noted that these markets were uniformly distributed geographically to form a clear circle, starting from the north heading to the east, and descend south along the Persian gulf to the Arabian Peninsula southern coast and then going west to Yemen, to start the trend towards the north again parallel to the Red Sea to complete the course during the year.

 

We quote from Bonner’s Cycles and Spirals, 

Since the annual series of markets and fairs recurs in a fixed order, it seems reasonable to describe it as a cycle. When viewed on a map, however, it takes the form of an inwardly directed spiral. It begins in northern Arabia, at a point roughly equidistant from the heads of the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, and then skirts around the eastern and southern edges of the peninsula, before moving northward and inland to ‘Ukaz and its neighbors. From there the series connects westward to the pilgrimage sites, before turning northeast to conclude at Khaybar ...

… Many people visited these “markets of the Arabs,” following the prescribed, clockwise order. This does not necessarily mean that any individual ever traveled the entire sequence, but rather that significant numbers of persons and quantities of goods moved from each point in the sequence to the next. At the same time, there is also no doubt that other people went in different directions and visited other markets that were not part of the sequence at all. (Unquote).

 

These annual markets, called seasons, were held at specific intervals during the solar year, considering climatic conditions. For instance, the yearly sequence of markets was tied to the annual rhythm of the winds in the Indian Ocean, as the ships from India arrived in ‘Uman each year in late March and early April.

(MAQRIZI) The pilgrimage of the Arabs was in different times allover the entire year. (KHOTAT).

This means that all the fairs (MAWASIM) were for pilgrimage.

 

The Prophet said: Islamic pilgrimage is to stand in ARAFA site.

ARAFA, or ARAFAT, is a barren and plain site 22 kilometers east of Mecca.

 

The fairs and markets were called seasons (MAWASIM), even the Islamic pilgrimage (Hajj) was and still called “season” so far.

Thus, we have to examine the pre-Islamic fairs (seasons) around Mecca to understand pilgrimage.

 

Markets in that zone were ‘Ukaz, Mijanna, Dhū l-Majāz, then Minā with ARAFA. These fairs together were the season of what is currently called the Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage.

‘Ukaz was southeast to Mecca, near TA’IF.

Majanna, was distant one stage south Mecca. 

Dhū l-Majāz, is an outskirts of ARAFA.

 

(AZRAQI) The Hajj was in the Arabic month of Dhu al-Hijja. People went out with their goods and they ended up in ‘Ukaz on the day of the new moon of the Arabic month preceding that of pilgrimage, Dhū l-Qa’da. They stayed there twenty nights during which they set up in ‘Ukaz their market of all colors and all goods in small houses.  People “planted their banners, called upon one another in their tents, and bought and sold in the marketplace”. The leaders and foremen of each tribe oversaw the selling and buying among the tribes where they congregate in the middle of the market. 

After twenty days they leave for Majanna, to held their market for the last ten days of the month.

When they see the new moon of the month of pilgrimage, Dhū l-Ḥijja, they leave for Dhu al-Majaz, where they spend eight days and nights in its markets. Then, i.e. after these eight days, on “the day of watering” (yawm al-Tarwiya), they proceeded to the pilgrimage rites of ARAFA. The "day of Tarwiya so called because they depart for ARAFA after they have taken water (on their camels) from Dhu al-Majaz. They do this because there is no drinking water in ARAFA or in MUZDALFA.

... The people who were present at these markets were merchants and those who wanted to trade; and even those who had nothing to sell and buy because they can go out with their families (just as attendance of the fairs). The non-merchants from Mecca left Mecca on the "day of Tarwiya”. (History of Mecca).

Then, Mecca was not a part of the yearly sequence of “Markets of the Arabs”, although assertion of some tendentious sources.

 

‘Ukaz was a market, an element of the rites of Hajj.

(MAQRIZI) The pilgrimage of the Arabs was in different times allover the entire year. (KHOTAT, MAWASIM, i.e. seasons of Arabs).

 

The tribes of TAMIM created ‘Ukaz, Mijanna and Dhu al-Majaz to be rituals of the Hajj, blessing the idols by slaughtering sacrifices, and circumambulation around sacred rocks. The religious aspects aimed to convince the Arabs to pay visits to these sites.

The people of Mecca and TA’IF benefited from the establishment of such rituals to trade and make money by securing the needs of pilgrims: food, drink and so on.

And prove that those markets were really the Arabic pilgrimage.

(Ibn Habib) There was an idol in ‘Ukaz called "JAHAR" due to the tribe of HAWAZIN, worshipers of idol NASR. The pre-Islamic Arabs roam around the sacred rocks and make pilgrimages to them. The Arabs visited “JAHAR” as they do the Islamic pilgrimage the Hajj, reciting the formula of TALBIYYA, i.e. answering the religious call, shouting "Here I’m Oh Allah, Make our sins vanished oh powerful (JIABAR), guide us to a clearer illumination (MANAR), comfort us through “JIHAR”. (Muhabbar).

‘Ukaz was a season of pilgrimage, visited before going to MINA.

(YAQUT) ASMA'I (an eminent traditionalist, lived before abolishing the market of ‘Ukaz) said: ‘Ukaz is in a valley near TA’IF, three nights ride to Mecca ... There were rocks to which Arabs did the pilgrimage, and circumambulated around. (Geography of countries) - (The Complete History, Ibn ATHIR) - (Book of the Arab countries, by ASFAHANI).

 

(AZRAQI) ... Allah revealed in his book...

... (Sura II, v. 198) "There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord [during Hajj]. But when you depart from 'ARAFA t, remember Allah at al- Mash'ar al-Haram." . 

… In reading Ibn-KA’B (N.d.A.: One of authors of the Koran) there were added words “ during the pilgrimage seasons”, which means: MINA, ARAFA , ‘Ukaz, MAJANNA, and Dhu al-Majaz, these were pilgrimage sites. (History of Mecca).

(AZRAQI) The Arabs believed that the most evil act is performing Umrah in the months of Hajj. The people of Mecca and other Arabs said: Do not visit ‘Ukaz, MINA or Dhu al-Majaz but in state of sacredness (IHRAM) for the pilgrimage. They never did non-legal acts, or attacked each other in the sacred months of pilgrimage.... (History of Mecca).

 

‘Ukaz was a season of pilgrimage, before ARAFA, a commercial market to a large congregation of pilgrims. (See also: Ibn-ASAKER - ALUSSI - Arab Markets by SA’ID from Afghanistan).

 

This was the origin of the Hajj, the pilgrimage was not called, but it was a trade seasons in the markets, which were sometimes associated worships and pagan ritual.

 

... The people who were present at these markets were merchants, and those who wanted to trade, and even those who had nothing to sell and buy, but they went out with their families (just as attendance of the fairs). The non-merchants from Mecca left Mecca on the "day of Tarwiya” i.e. watering. (AZRAQI)

(Ibn Abbas) Before Islam, ‘Ukaz, Mijanna, Dhū l-Majāz, were the fairs of the people. (Bukhari).

 

The rebuilding of the KA’BA after the creation of the fair of ‘Ukaz.

(Jubair Ibn-MUT’AM) The "Messenger of Allah" was born in the year of the elephant, the fair of ‘Ukaz was established after fifteen years, while and the House (i.e. the Ka’ba) was built at the beginning of the twenty-fifth year after of the elephant. The "Messenger of Allah" started his “mission” forty years after that of the elephant. (Signs of prophethood, by Bayhaqi).

Muhammad was born on 570 AD, Muslims believe that it was the year of the elephant, and associate that year with the alleged campaign of ABRAHA, and we have proved previously that this assertion is wrong.

 

We note that the building of the KA’BA was after the establishment of fair of ‘Ukaz.

We believe that the ‘Ukaz market had been established long time before. Because the seasons have existed since the time of QUSSAY (400-480 aD), the second-grandfather of Shaybah Ibn Hashim known as Abd-el-Muttalib, a fourth great-grandfather of the Prophet Mohammad.

We repeat:

QUSSAY imposed on the tribes of Mecca a contribution to be paid in each season to the hands of QUSSAY himself, to offer food for poor pilgrims. (The Sealed Nectar).

 

The Messenger of Allah said: Hajj is to stand in ARAFA . (Ahmad in his Musnad) - (Abu Dawoud) - (Tirmidhi).

ARAFA or ARAFAT, is the main site of the nowadays Islamic pilgrimage stations, distant about 22 km from Mecca, and is outside the boundaries of the sanctuary.

 

The beginning was from the tribe of TAMIM.

('Abbad) A man from SUFA [tribe] used to allow the people going away from ‘ARAFA and to give them permission to depart from Mina. When the day of departure [from MINA] arrived they used to come to throw pebbles, and a man of SUFA used to throw before the men, none throwing until he had thrown. Those who had urgent business used to come and say to him: 'Get up and throw so that we may throw with you, and he would say, “No, by Allah, not until the sun goes down”; and those who wanted to leave quickly used to throw stones at him to hurry him, saying “Confound you, get up and throw”. But he refused until the sun went down and then he would get up and throw while the men threw stones with him. (Biography of the Prophet, by Ibn Hisham).

 

SUFA was a branch of TAMIM tribe.

 

The TAMIM tribe was one of the main tribes of Arabia; it was an extremely large tribe. They were mostly localized in NAJD (Saudi Arabia) in Pre-Islamic era, but had extensions everywhere in Arabian Peninsula in pursuit of the Islamic Conquests. 

ARAFA was the start point of pilgrimage, and then people flew to Mina.

It is clear from the text that TAMIM tribe dominated the season in ARAFA and Mina, and controlled the launch throw pebbles. This indicates that the Arab pilgrimage was their affair.

Nothing had to do the Hajj with Mecca or its Ka'ba.

 

Furthermore, TAMIM tribe never sanctified the Ka’ba of Mecca.

  … Hundred and fifty years before Islam, the tribe TAMIM attacked the Ka’ba, and plundered the Sanctuary. (AGHANI, vol. 19, p. 10).

 

TAMIM Why?

TAMIM was the major of Arab tribes. It has been said that TAMIM would have dominated all the Arabs if Islam arrived little bit later, due to the strength and predominant force.

To show the power of that tribe:

(Ibn IS’HAQ) A delegation from the tribe TAMIM went to see the Prophet. They entered the mosque and called the Prophet, who was in his private apartment: Oh Muhammad, come out to meet us. Their shouting annoyed the Prophet, and so he came out to see them. They said: Oh Muhammad, we have come to brag to you. Allah revealed verses of Koran about them (Wahidi, Asbab al-Nuzul).

For that reason, Muhammad managed to reveal verses of Koran.

(Sura IL, v. 1-5) “O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah . … do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, … Indeed, those who call you, [O Muhammad], from behind the chambers - most of them do not use reason. And if they had been patient until you [could] come out to them, it would have been better for them.”.

This happened only one year before Mohammad’s death, when he was in his full power.

 

The TAMIM tribes comprised many branches, their main land was in NAJD region, far from the routes of trade and markets, Thus, the tribe began inventing pilgrimage in the western Arabian Peninsula, specifically in ARAFA, near TA’IF, on the trade corridor with Byzantine Syria to the north and Yemen to the south.

 

Let’s now take a moment to talk about the old trade routes

The trade in the Arabian Peninsula run basic routs:

I- The oldest rout, on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Goods from India, Persia and Yemen, were transported from Oman ports to Gerrha (now Al-AH’SA’). From Gerrha started 2 ramifications. The first to Mesopotamia through Gerrha-Babylonia route, while the second leaded to the Syrian markets traveling on the route linking Gerrha, crossing The Wadi Sirhan, communicated directly with Damascus, passing by DOUMA and BOSTRA.

 

The intensification of hostilities between Byzantium and Sassanian Persia; and between their confederates, the Ghassanids and the Lakhmids, made the caravan trade in the eastern corridor unsafe.  

That is why the Romans, and hence after the Byzantines tried to find al alternative routes.

 

II- The Seaway.

The Indian and Chinese goods reached the sea of Oman and Yemen, together with goods of East Africa, were transferred to Egypt through the Red Sea. About 120 B.C., the Greeks began to coast to India (Poseidonius in Strabo) Ships sailed from Southern Asia directly to Egypt along this maritime route. 

 

During the Roman era, the piracy of South Arabs against the Roman ships in the Gulf of Aden induced the Romans to make an expedition to the western Arabian Peninsula, under the command of Aelius Gallius to punish Aden.

This Red Sea route started to loose its importance by the end of the third century AD, and subdue a big drop in the fourth century due to the fall of the Roman Empire.

 

III- The Incense Route ran along the western edge of Arabia’s central desert. The Roman Historian Pliny the Elder described its stages and halts. The Incense Route served as a channel for trading of Indian, Arabian and East Asian goods. Using of the incense trade started from the era of the Roman Emperor Philippus Arabs, (244 to 249 aD).

The Incense Route flourished due to the reduced fleet navigating the Red Sea, which can be attributed to weakness of the Roman Empire in the last era, and to the engagement of the Byzantine Empire in conflicts against Persian Sassanid Empire.

In the main-time, By 350 a.D, AXUM kingdom, under King Ezana, occupied also the Western Yemen, thus controlling the entrance of the Red Sea. This favored the overland route. In fact the rulers of ZUFAR who had the exclusive monopoly on the south-Arabic frankincense (See the voice ZUFAR in Yaqut), ordered the merchants to use this course to by-pass abyssinian control.

Anyhow, The scholar Patricia Crone proved that Arabic trade through the Incense Route was really limited, while the Red Sea Route was still in usage.

The Nabateans exercised control over the routes along the Incense Route.

 

The Incense Route may be broken up into three stages:

The first part of which runs from Palmyra to Egra (now Mada'in Salih). It was indicated clearly by Ptolemy.

 This track lost a great deal of its importance by the 1st century A.D., when goods from southern Arabia began going directly to Egypt, by-passing Nabataea, via Leukos-Limen to Coptos and up to Alexandria. Diminishing role of Petra seems to have been due to the enfeeblement of this track. Trade that formerly passed northward through Petra to Gaza was going more and more to the Egyptian coast and thence north to the Mediterranean. This track was no longer in use by the beginning of the Islamic era, but.

 

A second track on the eastern cost of Red Sea, from Egra to Nagran, was passing by BADR, near Yathrib, and Jeddah. TA’IF was an appropriate stop for the caravans.

Mecca was established in dependency of seasonal fairs and the Arabic pilgrimage the instituted by the tribe of TAMIM, as being “on beaten tracks”.

 

The continuation of this Incense Route, was the way from Nagran to Yemen. Most of tits stages are well identified.

 

Secondary Routes.

1 - The route along the southern coast of the Arabian Peninsula towards Oman.

2 - A route starting from the south of the Arabian Peninsula to Gerrha, hence to the old eastern route to continue on to Babylonia, either by land, either in boats up the Arabian Gulf and Euphrates River. 

3 - A track starting from KHAYBAR, northern of actual Mecca, crossing the desert of Arabian Peninsula through Wadi BATN, to Gerrha, hence, towards north to Kuwait, arriving in Mesopotamia.

This track was heavily frequented in the Islamic era.

4 - A track starting near Yathrib, passing by TAYMA’ and DOUMA up to Babylon.

 

Later, On the 6th century, the Byzantine Empire allied with Abyssinia.  After Persian invasion of Yemen the year 570 a.D., Axum kingdom extended its influence on the trade routes in the Red Sea, recouping some of the importance of the old Sea Route of the commerce between Asia and Africa from one side and Syria and Egypt from the other one. This caused a gradual abandonment of the incense road of the West Arabian Peninsula at the rise of Islam. 

 

Axum remained a strong, though weakened, empire and trading power until the rise of Islam in the 7th century. 

Eventually, the Islamic Empire took control of the Red Sea and most of the Nile, forcing Axum into economic isolation.

 

***

 

As said upwards, the pilgrimage in the Arabian Peninsula prior to Islam was a congregation of people in celebration points. The primary intent of pilgrimage assembly was the trade and commerce in annual fair markets, similar to the remembrance feasts of patrons, held everywhere.

 

The TAMIM tribe had a prominent role at ‘Ukāẓ fair. The responsibility for admission to the “fair” was allotted to fractions of the tribe.

(Al-KALBI) It was claimed that the control over the fairs (MAWASIM) and the judgeship of ‘Ukāẓ fair belonged to the tribe of Tamīm, through its various fractions, with one of them exerting control over the fair, while [another] exerted control over the judgeship. Someone of them combined both functions … (Marzūqī, Times and Places).

 

Although the pilgrimage is connected to the sequence of “markets of the Arabs, it was actually peripheral to it.

(AZRAQI)… When they had finished the stoning with pebbles and wanted to leave Mina, SUFA held both sides of the hill and kept the men back. No one left until they had gone first. When SUFA left and had passed on, men were left to go their own way and followed them. This was the practice until they were cut off. After them the next of kin inherited. It was SAFWAN [fraction] who gave permission to the pilgrims to depart from ARAFA, and they maintained this right up to Islam. (History of Mecca).

(KISTER) The duties entrusted to TAMIM in Mecca and in the markets of Mecca are a convincing evidence of the important role played by TAMIM in establishing of the economic power of Mecca.

(Ibn Habib) The leaders of the tribes in the MAWASIM and their judges at ‘Ukaz were the members of TAMIM. 

 

(Ibn al-Kalbi) Every Arabic Patrician was attending his local market, but only in ‘Ukaz market, all of them were gathered, as it was the greatest of those markets. (FAKIHI, History of Mecca).

 

This was the origin of the Hajj, the pilgrimage was not called, but it was a trade seasons in the markets, which were sometimes associated worships and pagan ritual.

 

(Zubayr ibn Bakkar) ‘Ukaz market was held for twenty days starting from the day of the new moon of the Arabic month preceding that of pilgrimage. And then market Majanna was held for the last ten days of the month. With the new moon of the month of pilgrimage, the market of Dhu al-Majaz was held for eight days. Then people went to Mina and ARAFA for the pilgrimage (Hajj). (Book of Genealogies).

 

Also the famous orientalist Julius Wellhausen, on the basis of evidence, argued that the fairs of ‘Ukāẓ, Majanna and Dhū l-Majāz originally existed apart from Mecca. (Remains of Arabian Paganism).

At an earlier time, People of Mecca would only trade with merchants who frequented the markets of Dhū l-Majāz and ‘Ukāẓ during the “sacred months”.

 

Muhammad went often to those markets.

(Ibn Abbas) The Prophet, accomplished with some of his Companions, went deliberately to ‘Ukaz market. (Narrated within the fantastic story of the JINNs).

(JABIR) For ten years, the Prophet followed by people in their homes and in the seasons (MAWASIM) in Majanna and ‘Ukāẓ, to announce the messages of his Lord. (Narrated by Ahmad and others).

 

In fact Muhammad practiced pagan pilgrimage.

(RABI’A) I saw the "Messenger of Allah" standing on ARAFA with the infidels during the pre-Islamic era, and I saw him standing in Islam in same position.

(Ibn MUT’AM) During the pre-Islamic era, on the day of ARAFA  pilgrimage, I lost a camel. I went to research for it within ARAFA , as I saw Muhammad attending the pilgrimage in ARAFA, I said to myself: That man is from Mecca, why he is here? …

 

Tirmidhi and also demonstrates in his SUNAN from the presence of Muhammad in pagan pilgrimage, at least twice.

(JABIR) The Prophet performed pilgrimage three times, two of which before his emigration to Yathrib, and once more combined with lesser pilgrimage after the conquest of Mecca. (Tirmidhi).

(Ibn al-JAWZY) The “Prophet of Allah” performed pilgrimage (to ARAFA) many times before and after his [alleged] prophesy. No body knows the real number of pilgrimage performed by him, but all were done voluntarily.

(Ibn-ATHIR) The Prophet performed pilgrimage [to ARAFA] every year before emigrating to Yathrib.

Therefore, the Prophet introduced pilgrimage in his Islam.

 

Muslims are trying to appeal according to another tradition.

(QATADA) I said to Anas ibn Malik (N.o.A: He was the servant of Muhammad): How many times did the Prophet performed pilgrimage? He said: Only one, but he performed lesser pilgrimage (UMRA) four times: Once during the month preceding that of pilgrimage (Sic! when?), the second time at HUDAYBIYYA, the third time was the Umrah of JU’RANA after distributing the booty of HUNIEN, and the last one when combined with his pilgrimage (Hajj). (Tirmidhi).

Considering HUDAYBIYYA as a lesser pilgrimage cannot be accepted.

We will see also that the Umrah of JU’RANA is a big lie.

Anyhow, this tradition regards the pilgrimage to Mecca only, coined by Muhammad himself. Mecca was outside the range of the pre-Islamic pilgrimage.

 

By a text of Koran, Islam maintained the concept of trade in seasons for the Arabs.

(Sura II, v. 198) “There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord [during Hajj]. But when you depart from 'ARAFA, remember Allah at al-Mash'ar al-Haram.”.

The supreme interpreter of the Koran, Ibn Abbas, added to the above text "in the seasons of Hajj" (an integration of the verse which is deleted from the actual Koran). Ubay ibn-KA’B recited the verse in the same way.

Provisions or Bounty means earnings or profits by commerce. (Bukhari) - (Tabarani) - (History of Mecca, AZRAQI ).

The concept was the profit, not that of religious visit in the Mohammedan’s tradition.

(Ibn Abbas) The people of Yemen made pilgrimage without provisions, saying: We are on reliance. They used to beg the people of Mecca, so Allah "revealed":

... (Sura II, v. 197) “… no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do, Allah knows it. And take provisions, …”. (Bukhari, vol. 2 - n. 598) - (Reasons of Revealing, Wahidi).

 

We have to remember that in the period preceding Islam, the importance of the commercial route had waned, and therefore the importance of Mecca decreased considerably.

See the book “Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam”, by Patricia Crone. 

 

The above-mentioned markets vanished due to two main reasons:

- Amendments of Muhammad on the solar calendar.

The lunar calendar is not appropriate for the time of convening those markets. The chief effect of the transformation of the calendar was the disappearance of the old fairs and markets.

- Arab control large parts of Persia, Syria and Egypt.

Arabs dominated both the eastern and southern shores of the Mediterranean; only northern shores were left to Byzantium. All historians agreed that the new situation led to the splitting of the commerce across the sea into two sections, with no connection in-between, especially in the beginning of the eighth century AD, thus modifying the entire system of trade. The trade with the Byzantines was reduced to a very large extent. For instance, the export of papyrus from Egypt to Constantinople was stopped, while the Arabs continued to import timber from Anatolia. As for wheat, which was sent from Egypt to Constantinople, now found its way to the Arabian Peninsula.

Arabian traders continued transporting goods to Constantinople through the Persian Gulf to Anatolia to Twabzon port on the Black Sea, and then to Constantinople, out of reach of the Umayyad, since the early eighth century AD, at least.

Trade of Arab Muslims was directed toward the Far East.

As a result, Syria and Egypt suffered an economic drop since the thirties of the eighth century and a complete stop since about the year 750 AD.

 

And, of course, that was not done suddenly, but it was little bit gradual.

 

(AZRAQI) These markets in ‘Ukaz, Majanna and Dhū l-Majāz continued to be held under Islam in its initial times. ‘Ukaz was abandoned in the year 129 of Hijra (746 aD), during the rebellion of some Islamic groups. Majanna and Dhū l-Majāz were abandoned soon after. The people made trade in markets held in Mecca, Minā and ARAFA. (History of Mecca).

 

The last of the markets of the pre-Islamic era to be abandoned was “Sūq Ḥubāsha”, where Ethiopian goods were treated.

 

The term MAWASIM now refers to the pilgrimage sites themselves; meanwhile, the fairs of ‘Ukaz, Majanna and Dhū l-Majāz went into oblivion.

In fact, Muhammad subtracted the control of Hajj from TAMIM in favor of the people of Mecca.

... Aktham ibn al-SAYFI said: Oh members of TAMIM tribes! If Allah wanted to establish a state, He would have created people like these of Mecca; they are created by Allah, not by men. (MUNAMAQ, The News of People of Mecca).

This clearly demonstrates the People of Mecca were inherited the rituals that belonged to TAMIM.