'Field Notes on Sa'udi Arabia, 1935' [‎24v] (53/248)

Pilgrims arrive by various routes, but the majority come by sea
and land at Jedda, proceeding to Mecca by camel-litter or motor-car.
A small proportion come by various routes across Arabia or land at
other ports in the Red Sea. Attempts are being made to improve
these overland communications, and it is likely that they will be
more used in the future. The only cross-desert car tracks yet
officially approved for pilgrims are—
[a) that from Najaf, in 'Iraq, via Hail to Medina.
{b) the tracks from Najaf and from Kuwait via Riyadh to Mecca.
The pilgrimage numbers vary widely, but an average annual
influx by sea might be put at 40,000 persons. All go to Mecca, but
only about a third go on to Medina. Not all, however, arrive at once
for the season of the Great Pilgrimage (Hajj).
Besides the possibility of making a minor pilgrimage (’umra) at
any time of the year, many pilgrims are induced to arrive early, more
than two months before the Great Feast (Td al Adha or Td al Kabir),
which marks the pilgrimage proper, and perform “ ‘umra ” daily, thus
accomplishing “ Tammatti ” (possession) and enhancing their merit.
The Hejazis have developed a regular organization for main
taining and increasing the supply of pilgrims, as well as for exploiting
them on arrival. In the early months of the year, their agents are
busy in all parts of the Moslem world, preaching the necessity of
pilgrimage and offering (on commission) to arrange the journey,
provide for lodging in Hejaz, and see the pilgrims through the
obligatory ceremonies. When the time comes, some of these agents
personally conduct parties or rich individuals to Hejaz, while at the
ports or places of arrival, ciceroni (metawwafin) await unaccompanied
pilgrims, or such parties as are too large for their conductors. These
ciceroni are organized under Shaikhs, represent different Islamic
countries, and wear a special dress of bright colours and a straw cap.
Since they speak various languages, and many of them are travelled
men, they offer, with the consular and customs agents, the main
obstacle which non-Moslems in disguise, or foreign Moslems desirous
to conceal their identity, have to face if they wish to perform the
Hajj. They are all prepared to place the pilgrim, according to his
nationality, in lodgings belonging either to themselves or others,
ilecca in particular containing houses and apartments much in
excess of the needs of its permanent inhabitants. Medina, owing to
its more exclusive population and its smaller number of visitors,
o ei s greater risks than Mecca, and its metawwafin are more difficult
to evade.
who before entering the haram (sacred vicinity of
lecca), must have discarded the razor and his head and foot gear
and assumed the ihram (a primitive dress consisting of two towel-like
cotton cloths fastened round the body without the aid of knots or
pms), spends the first seven days in circumambulating the Ka’bah
seven times (fawaf), walking and running seven times between two