And The Zair Is Forbidden To Circumambulate The Tomb,
Or To Carry Away The Cakes Of Clay Made By The Ignorant With The Earth
And Dust Of The Harim.”
[FN#1] M. Huc’s “Travels in Tartary.”
[FN#2] The two extremes, between which lie many gradations, are these.
Abu Hanifah directs every Moslem and Moslemah to perform the pilgrimage
if they have health and money for the road and for the support of their
families; moreover, he allows a deputy-pilgrim, whose expenses must be
paid by the principal. Ibn Malik, on the contrary, enjoins every
follower to visit Meccah, if able to walk, and to earn his bread on the
way. As a general rule, in Al-Islam there are four Shurut al-Wujub, or
necessary conditions, viz.:—
1. Islam, the being a Moslem.
2. Bulugh, adolescence.
3. Hurriyat, the being a free man.
4. Akl, or mental sanity.
Other authorities increase the conditions to eight, viz.:—
5. Wujud al-Zad, sufficiency of provision.
6. Al-Rahlah, having a beast of burthen, if living two days’ journey from
Meccah.
7. Takhliyat al-Tarik, the road being open; and
8. Imkan al-Masir, the being able to walk two stages, if the pilgrim
hath no beast.
Others, again, include all conditions under two heads:—
1. Sihhat, health.
2. Istita’at, ability.
These subjects have exercised not a little the casuistic talents of the
Arab doctors: a folio volume might be filled with differences of
opinion on the subject, “Is a blind man sound?”
[FN#3] The technical meaning of these words will be explained below.
[FN#4] At any other time of the year Ihram is considered Makruh, or
objectionable, without being absolutely sinful.
[FN#5] In other books the following directions are given to the
intended pilgrim:—Before leaving home he must pray two prostrations,
concluding the orisons with a long supplication and blessings upon
relatives, friends, and neighbours, and he must distribute not fewer
than seven silver pieces to the poor.
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