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Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah
Impelled by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure and aided by an extraordinary facility in Eastern languages, Sir Richard Burton (1821-90) was one of the great traveler-explorers of history. He was the first European to enter the capital of Somaliland and the first to discover the Great Lakes of Central Africa. He was also an Orientalist of the first rank.
But it is for his pilgrimage in 1853 to Mecca and Medina and the most sacrosanct shrines of Islam that Burton is best known — and for his celebrated book that recorded his experiences during the journey. Successfully posing as a wandering dervish, he gained admittance to the holy Kaabah and to the Tomb of the Prophet at Medina and participated in all the rituals of the Hadj (pilgrimage). He is still one of the very few non-Moslems to visit and return from Mecca.
Above all, Burton was a sharp observer — of character, customs, and physical surroundings. These pages contain a treasury of material on Arab life, beliefs, manners and morals; detailed descriptions of religious ceremonies, mosques, temples, etc.; and a variety of ethnographic, economic, and geographical information. Whether telling of the crowded caravan to Mecca, engaging in minute analysis of Bedouin character, waxing lyrical about a desert landscape, or reporting conversations with townsfolk or fellow pilgrims, Burton gives us a vivid picture of the region and its people.
Along with his thorough familiarity with the cultures and languages of the Middle East, Burton exhibited a resourcefulness and presence of mind that were to serve him well along the way. These qualities saw him through many a taut situation in a country where violence was easily kindled. And they permitted him to get to and into places a man with less enterprise would never have dreamed of going.
This book’s value to historians of culture and religion, Orientalists, and other scholars is obvious. Yet it is as a great classic of travel that it has attracted such a wide audience. Burton’s highly personal style, vigorous opinions, and his matter-of-fact humor against a backdrop of constant hazard and possible exposure have delighted tens of thousands of readers for more than a century. This reprint gives today’s readers an opportunity to enjoy this unique work.
But it is for his pilgrimage in 1853 to Mecca and Medina and the most sacrosanct shrines of Islam that Burton is best known — and for his celebrated book that recorded his experiences during the journey. Successfully posing as a wandering dervish, he gained admittance to the holy Kaabah and to the Tomb of the Prophet at Medina and participated in all the rituals of the Hadj (pilgrimage). He is still one of the very few non-Moslems to visit and return from Mecca.
Above all, Burton was a sharp observer — of character, customs, and physical surroundings. These pages contain a treasury of material on Arab life, beliefs, manners and morals; detailed descriptions of religious ceremonies, mosques, temples, etc.; and a variety of ethnographic, economic, and geographical information. Whether telling of the crowded caravan to Mecca, engaging in minute analysis of Bedouin character, waxing lyrical about a desert landscape, or reporting conversations with townsfolk or fellow pilgrims, Burton gives us a vivid picture of the region and its people.
Along with his thorough familiarity with the cultures and languages of the Middle East, Burton exhibited a resourcefulness and presence of mind that were to serve him well along the way. These qualities saw him through many a taut situation in a country where violence was easily kindled. And they permitted him to get to and into places a man with less enterprise would never have dreamed of going.
This book’s value to historians of culture and religion, Orientalists, and other scholars is obvious. Yet it is as a great classic of travel that it has attracted such a wide audience. Burton’s highly personal style, vigorous opinions, and his matter-of-fact humor against a backdrop of constant hazard and possible exposure have delighted tens of thousands of readers for more than a century. This reprint gives today’s readers an opportunity to enjoy this unique work.
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1857
42 people are currently reading
804 people want to read
About the author
Richard Francis Burton
1,619 books245 followersCaptain Sir Richard Francis Burton KCMG FRGS was a British geographer, explorer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, cartographer, ethnologist, spy, linguist, poet, fencer and diplomat. He was known for his travels and explorations within Asia, Africa and the Americas as well as his extraordinary knowledge of languages and cultures. According to one count, he spoke 29 European, Asian, and African languages.
Burton's best-known achievements include travelling in disguise to Mecca, an unexpurgated translation of One Thousand and One Nights (also commonly called The Arabian Nights in English after Andrew Lang's adaptation), bringing the Kama Sutra to publication in English, and journeying with John Hanning Speke as the first Europeans led by Africa's greatest explorer guide, Sidi Mubarak Bombay, utilizing route information by Indian and Omani merchants who traded in the region, to visit the Great Lakes of Africa in search of the source of the Nile. Burton extensively criticized colonial policies (to the detriment of his career) in his works and letters. He was a prolific and erudite author and wrote numerous books and scholarly articles about subjects including human behaviour, travel, falconry, fencing, sexual practices, and ethnography. A unique feature of his books is the copious footnotes and appendices containing remarkable observations and unexpurgated information.
He was a captain in the army of the East India Company serving in India (and later, briefly, in the Crimean War). Following this he was engaged by the Royal Geographical Society to explore the east coast of Africa and led an expedition guided by the locals and was the first European to see Lake Tanganyika. In later life he served as British consul in Fernando Po, Santos, Damascus and, finally, Trieste. He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and was awarded a knighthood (KCMG) in 1886.
Burton's best-known achievements include travelling in disguise to Mecca, an unexpurgated translation of One Thousand and One Nights (also commonly called The Arabian Nights in English after Andrew Lang's adaptation), bringing the Kama Sutra to publication in English, and journeying with John Hanning Speke as the first Europeans led by Africa's greatest explorer guide, Sidi Mubarak Bombay, utilizing route information by Indian and Omani merchants who traded in the region, to visit the Great Lakes of Africa in search of the source of the Nile. Burton extensively criticized colonial policies (to the detriment of his career) in his works and letters. He was a prolific and erudite author and wrote numerous books and scholarly articles about subjects including human behaviour, travel, falconry, fencing, sexual practices, and ethnography. A unique feature of his books is the copious footnotes and appendices containing remarkable observations and unexpurgated information.
He was a captain in the army of the East India Company serving in India (and later, briefly, in the Crimean War). Following this he was engaged by the Royal Geographical Society to explore the east coast of Africa and led an expedition guided by the locals and was the first European to see Lake Tanganyika. In later life he served as British consul in Fernando Po, Santos, Damascus and, finally, Trieste. He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and was awarded a knighthood (KCMG) in 1886.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 14, 2022
Richard Francis Burton was a multi-talented man - linguist, swordsman, explorer, proto-anthropologist - yet one talent he sorely lacked was editing. His journey disguised as an Afghan dervish setting out from Egypt to do the Hajj to Al Madinah and Meccah was a high risk, fascinating adventure filled with punishing terrain, colorful characters, dangerous bandits, and the constant possibility of being unmasked as an infidel and killed. So this book could have been an absolutely thrilling tale. Parts of it are. When he is describing his interactions with those he meets in Egypt, or his travels with his fellow pilgrims the book is first rate. Yet those passages make up all too little of this book.
Burton had a burning curiosity for knowledge about cultures other than his own. He amassed impressive amounts of information on dress, customs, superstition, history, legends, food, terrain, disease, etc. — there was simply nothing about the cultures that Burton observed that did not catch his interest. The problem with his book is that he included it all. After commenting on some dates he ate, he takes multiple pages to describe all the various kinds of dates that can be found in the region, the different names by which they are called, their medicinal uses, and various ways that the natives prepare them. Ditto multiple pages on diseases, and many other items where a peek rather than an exhaustive examination would have made for more interesting reading.
I appreciate the breadth of knowledge that Burton displayed. His interest and dogged logging of cultural information made him a forerunner of the modern discipline of anthropology. But I regret that his writing falls far short of being as interesting as his actual life.
Burton had a burning curiosity for knowledge about cultures other than his own. He amassed impressive amounts of information on dress, customs, superstition, history, legends, food, terrain, disease, etc. — there was simply nothing about the cultures that Burton observed that did not catch his interest. The problem with his book is that he included it all. After commenting on some dates he ate, he takes multiple pages to describe all the various kinds of dates that can be found in the region, the different names by which they are called, their medicinal uses, and various ways that the natives prepare them. Ditto multiple pages on diseases, and many other items where a peek rather than an exhaustive examination would have made for more interesting reading.
I appreciate the breadth of knowledge that Burton displayed. His interest and dogged logging of cultural information made him a forerunner of the modern discipline of anthropology. But I regret that his writing falls far short of being as interesting as his actual life.
July 3, 2007
As a huge fan of Sir Richard Burton, I've snapped up every book of his I can get my hands on. The two volumes detailing his 1853 pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina is the perfect place to start. Burton is most famous for this pilgrimage and his account does not disappoint if you are interested in Arab life of the time period, exploration, ethnography, or details of the Hajj itself. This is a must-read for anyone curious about one of the greatest explorers in history.
January 22, 2020
If there has been any true James Bond on Her Majesty's Secret Service, it is Sir Richard Burton. This is only a small sample of his genius and dare in the form of a fascinating and highly informative adventure dairy from his pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, sometimes disguised as a Persian dervish, other times as an Afghan doctor educated in Burma:). Appointed by the Royal Geographical Society, he is one o the first from the western world to come back with a detailed picture of routes, rites, sites and cultures of a part of the world, hitherto blocked from the 'infidels'. A great read. As in his other writings, the footnotes and appendices are gleaming with his erudition.
July 1, 2020
In part one of his Personal Narrative, Richard Burton, famed for his fencing and racy translations, dresses up as a Persian and/or Afghan pilgrim and travels from Alexandria to Medina. It's not clear to what extent he fooled anyone -- certainly everyone suspects him of being an infidel -- but he managed to avoid getting stoned, and so left us a delightful account of his journey.
While a contemporary travelogue is one of the most insipid things imaginable, an outdated one has to be one of my favourite genres, mainly because of layered the content is. We, of course, get the account of the trip itself, and it turns out a camel voyage through the desert makes for better reading than booking a plane on Google flights. There are the historical aspects, where we get a picture of how Egypt and Arabia looked like in the middle of the nineteenth century -- how the cities looked, how the people lived, how the forces of history (e.g., Mohammed Ali's Sisyphean task to modernise Egypt) actually reflected on the ground. Perhaps most interesting, is what the books tells us about the traveller and the world he comes from -- this is completely lost in a modern narrative, where the author typically hails from more or less the same cultural milieu as ourselves, but here not only do we see the nineteenth century orient, but we see it through the eyes of a nineteenth century Brit. As a result, it's a book with very little dead space. Even the little things tell a story: the fact that Burton prefaces his translations with "anglice" tells us about what kind of education he received, the liberal spattering of French mots tells us about who was on the winning side of the cultural war, the fact that he carried pounds, marks, piastres, gives us an indication of what international commerce was like. To top it off, Burton was not merely an adventurer and charlatan, but also a noted scholar, and he expands his account with detailed footnotes giving us linguistic and historic details which further give us a glance into what was the state of nineteenth century historiography.
The only downside is that the thick prose of the period becomes unwieldy in unskilled hands. Most of the time Burton handles it well, but occasionally it becomes a slog.
While a contemporary travelogue is one of the most insipid things imaginable, an outdated one has to be one of my favourite genres, mainly because of layered the content is. We, of course, get the account of the trip itself, and it turns out a camel voyage through the desert makes for better reading than booking a plane on Google flights. There are the historical aspects, where we get a picture of how Egypt and Arabia looked like in the middle of the nineteenth century -- how the cities looked, how the people lived, how the forces of history (e.g., Mohammed Ali's Sisyphean task to modernise Egypt) actually reflected on the ground. Perhaps most interesting, is what the books tells us about the traveller and the world he comes from -- this is completely lost in a modern narrative, where the author typically hails from more or less the same cultural milieu as ourselves, but here not only do we see the nineteenth century orient, but we see it through the eyes of a nineteenth century Brit. As a result, it's a book with very little dead space. Even the little things tell a story: the fact that Burton prefaces his translations with "anglice" tells us about what kind of education he received, the liberal spattering of French mots tells us about who was on the winning side of the cultural war, the fact that he carried pounds, marks, piastres, gives us an indication of what international commerce was like. To top it off, Burton was not merely an adventurer and charlatan, but also a noted scholar, and he expands his account with detailed footnotes giving us linguistic and historic details which further give us a glance into what was the state of nineteenth century historiography.
The only downside is that the thick prose of the period becomes unwieldy in unskilled hands. Most of the time Burton handles it well, but occasionally it becomes a slog.
December 12, 2012
Burton is one of the great characters of the Victorian age. Brave and adventurous like many of his contemporaries but with a personal attitude that was very different from the hypocritical and puritanical attitude commonplace in Victorian society.
This book tells of how Burton made the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, in disguise. A thoroughly dangerous undertaking as any Non-Muslims entering the holy cities would likely have been killed if discovered. Burton tells his story with an eye for detail and a great sense of humour. His descriptions of the characters, savoury and unsavoury, he meets on the way are excellent. He very much comes across as an intelligent man with a great thirst for knowledge. If you are interested in Islam, Arab life or Burton himself then I couldn't recommend this book enough.
This book tells of how Burton made the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, in disguise. A thoroughly dangerous undertaking as any Non-Muslims entering the holy cities would likely have been killed if discovered. Burton tells his story with an eye for detail and a great sense of humour. His descriptions of the characters, savoury and unsavoury, he meets on the way are excellent. He very much comes across as an intelligent man with a great thirst for knowledge. If you are interested in Islam, Arab life or Burton himself then I couldn't recommend this book enough.
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November 15, 2016I recognize no man`s right to interfere between a human being and his conscience.
"In rice strength, in Indian manliness" - in the Arabic muruwwat - generosity, noble part of human nature.
Caste in India arises from peculiarly sociable nature of the native mind..nothing can be more terrible to a man than expulsion from caste...
The Blessed month upon true believers is to darken their tempers into positive gloom...
(stroll through old Cairo by night) ..briefly the whole view is so strange, fantastic, ghostly, that it seems preposterous to imagine that in such places human beings like ourselves can be born, and live through life, and carry out command "increase and multiply" and die.
It is not to be believed that in a town garrisoned by Turkish troops full of travelled Hajjis, the primitive virtues of the Arabs could exist. The Meccans, dark people, say of the Madani, that their hearts are black as their skins are white. This is of course exaggerated.
...to assert that pride, pugnacity, a peculiar point of honor and a vindictiveness of wonderful force and patience, are the only characteristic traits of Arab character which the citizens of Medinah habitually display.
"Amongst the men of Madinah I remarked a considerable share of hypocrisy. Their mouth were as full of religious salutations, exclamations and hackneyed quotations from the Koran, as of indecency and vile abuse - a point in which they resemble Persians."
"The Madani are like the Meccans, a curious mixture of generosity and meanness, of profuseness and penuriousness. But the former quality is the result of ostentation, the latter is characteristic of the Semitic race, long ago made familiar to Europe by the Jew. The citizens will run deeply in debt, expecting a good season of devotees to pay off their liabilities, or relying upon the next begging
trip to Turkey; and such a proceeding, contrary to the custom of the Moslem world is not condemned by the public opinion. " Above all their qualities, personal conceit is remarkable. They show it in their strut, in their looks and in almost every word.
At length in the reign of AlWalid AH90 the cupola, niche and the minaret made their appearance, what is called Saracenic style became forever the order of the Moslem world. The Hindus I believe to have been the first who symbolised by an equilateral triangle their peculiar cult, Yoni Linga - in their temple architecture it became either conoid or perfect pyramid.
The Hindus paint their pagodas inside and outside, and rub vermillion in token of honour over their deities
Origin of Arabesque ornament must be referred to one of the principles of al Islam
The Arabs are the strictest of Misiconists
Perhaps no Eastern city affords more numerous or more accessible specimens of Mosque architecture than Cairo. 300-400 places of worship....
Hijaz in particular has been inundated with books from Egypt.
The Azhar is the grand collegiate mosque of this city - the Christ Church in fact of Cairo - once celebrated throughout the world of AlIslam. It gradually increased by Wakf (entailed bequests) of lands, money and books and pious rulers made point of adding to its size and wealth.
After learning to read the holy volume, some savans are ambitious enough to wish to understand it - under these circumstances they must dive into the Ilm alTafsir.
Al Mantic (logic) is little valued. Hikmat (philosophy) once so ardently cultivated by Moslem savans, indeed it is now all but impossible to get books upon these subjects.
I cannot agree with the Dr Bowring when he harshly says upon the subject of Moslem education: The instruction given by the Doctors of Law in the religious schools for the formation of the ;Mohammedan priesthood is of the most worthless character. " His opinion is equally open to objection with that of those who depreciate the law itself because it deals rather in precepts than in principle, in ceremonies and ordinances rather than in ethics and aesthetics. Both are what Eastern faiths and training have ever been - eminently adapted for the Oriental mind.
Even in the 7th century Omar forbade Amru to cut the Isthmus of Suez for fear of opening Arabia to Christian vessels.
VII
You are bound also to meet even your enemies in the most friendly way
I wonder that it is not made universal in the cities of India where so much iniquity is perpetrated under the shadow of night.
Now the native powers have no jurisdiction over strangers, nor can the police enter their houses.
He shows signs of over wisdom.
But the sequel will prove how der Mensch denkt und Gott lenkt, and as the boy Mohammed, eventually did become my companion throughout the Pilgrimage.
Meccah taught him to speak excellent Arabic, understand literary dialect, to be eloquent in abuse, and to be profound at Prayer/Pilgrimage.
Turks/Egyptians always go pilgrimage with a large outfit as notably as East Indian cadet of the present day
Suez was place of obstacles to pilgrims I was obliged to look elsewhere for protection.
The Consular dragoman is one of the greatest abuses I know.
I lost my reputation by a little misfortune that happened in this wise.
Khan is a title assumed in India and other countries by Afghans/Pathans, descendants simple as well as gentle
Conceal, says Arab proverb "Thy Tenets, thy Treasure and Thy Travelling"
VIII
It is strange how the mind can be amused by scenery that presents so few objects to occupy it.
Desert views are eminently suggestive, they appeal to the future not to the past, they arouse bc they are by no means memorial.
To the solitary wayfarer there is an interest in the wilderness unknown to Cape seas and Alpine glaciers,even to the rolling Prairie - its effect of continued excitement on the mind stimulating its powers to the pitch.
Man`s heart bounds in his breast at the thought of measuring his puny force with Nature`s might, of emerging triumphant from the trial. This explains Arab proverb: Voyaging is victory.
Wildness and sublimity of the scenes around you stir up all the enrgies of your soul whether for
exertion, danger or strife. Morale improves, you become frank/cordial, hospitable/single-minded. Senses are quickened, they require no stimulant but air/exercise
Sand heaps are found in every desert, sand plains are local feature, not the general face of the country.
Nature returns to a man, however unworthily he has treated her. Once your tastes have conformed to tranquility of such travel, you will suffer pain returning to turmoil of civilization. You will anticipate bustle/confusion of artificial life, luxury/false pleasures, with repugnance. Depressed in spirits, for a time, will feel incapable of mental/bodily exertion. Air of cities will suffocate you, care-worn/cadaverous countenances of citizens will haunt you like a vision of judgment.
Incredible Indian improvidence.
I sat for an hour admiring charms of Desert. Eye never tires of such loveliness of hue, memory of hideousness of this range, when a sun in front exposed each gunt/barren feature supplied evening view with another element of attraction.
IX - Shaykh Nur, my Hindi servant played me false.
Egyptian with all his good humour, merriment/nonchalance, is notorious for doggedness when as the popular phrase is his "blood is up". When the head, not hands is required, he notably fails
X - Voyage is intolerably slow.
As is the case under all despotic governments nothing can be more intentionally offensive than the official manners of a superior to his inferior in Egypt. Indians charge their European fellow subjects with insolence of demeanour/coarseness of language.
Eastern shore was dotted with little grove of palm-tress which clusters around Uyun Musa/Moses Walls
Sea of Sedge is Hebrew name of this part of Red Sea.
XI -With one look at certain little star to north under which lies all that makes life worth living through - surely it is a venial superstition to sleep with your eyes towards that Kiblah - you fall into oblivion.
He called himslef Pathan/Afghan settled in india. These fellows are always good detectors of an incognito.
Word Jabal is applied by Arabs to any rising ground/heap of rocks, must not always be translated Mountain. Gibraltar is Jabal alTarik.
XII
Miyani is Hindustani word for Sir
I would silver my dagger - in idiomatic Hijazi means I would raise myself in the world.
XIII - Recognising traveler`s guest-right to call milk gratis. No one will at present day even at civilized Meccah sell this article for consumption, except
Egyptians people supposed to be utterly without honor. General rule in Hijaz, milk abounds in spring, at all other times it is difficult to be procured.
Arabic Misyal is Indian Nullah, Sicilian Fiumara.
He indulges in sweet recollections of Indian lakes beautiful with Lotus, Persian plains upon which Narcissus is the meanest of grasses.
Nothing renders the Arab thief so active as the chance of stealing a good weapon.
It is a silly practice to salve the wound which requires the knife
IX -Samum never kills a man.
Duke of Wellington`s dictum about healthiness of India to an abstemious man does not require to be quoted.
He who renders warfare fatal to all engaged in it will be the greatest benefactor the world has yet known.
Old Arabic proverb is "A greater wiseacre than the goat of Akhfash" it is seldom intelligible to the vulgar.
Al-Harratayn is a holy ground - for the Apostle spoke of it. Ibn Jubayr considers the Harim or sacred precincts of al Madinah is the space enclosed by three points: Zul Halifah, Mount Ohod, Mosque of Quba. To the present day pilgrims doff their worldly garments at Zul Halifah.
Arabs divide the world in two great bodies: themselves/Ajami (all that are not Arabs). Similar are Hindus/Mlenchhas, Jews/Gentiles, Greeks/Barbarians.
I now understand full value of the phrase in the Moslem ritual: And when his (pilgrim) eyes shall fall upon the Trees of Madinah, let him raise his Voice/bless the Apostle with the choicest of blessings"
XV - In the most Easterly part of the city remarkable from afar, is the gem of Madinah, 4 tall substantial towers/flashing green Dome under which the Apostle`s remains rest.
foully dirty as an Indian en voyage always is
To the plague of strangers succeeded that of children.
He left me to the society I most desired - my own.
XVI - Wahabbis rejecting Intercession of the Apostle on the Day of Judgment, considering grave of mere mortal unworthy of notice, highly disgusted by idolatrous respect paid to it by certain foolish Moslems, plundered the sacred building with sacrilegious violence, forbade visitors from distant countries to enter Madinah (1807). we entered celebrated spot called Al-Rauzah after saying of the Prophet: Between my tomb and my pulpit is a Graden of Gardens of Paradies.
I only admire how al-Islam does not follow Wahabbi example and summarily consign them to oblivion. Rauzah is the holiest spot.
None but the Prophet and Ali entered it when ceremonially impure without being guilty of deadly sin
Performed single Sajdah in gratitude to Allah for making it my fate to visit so holy a spot.
The Garden is the most elaborate part of the mosque. Little can be said in its praise by day when it bears the same relation to a second-rate church in Rome as an English chapel of ease to W.Abbey.
In Moslem theology, Salat from Allah means mercy, from the angels intercession for pardon, from mankind blessing. When a Moslem blesses Mohammed at Madinah his sins are not written 3 days allowing ample margin for repentance by the recording angel.
"May Allah`s wrath fall heavy upon the People who make the Tombs of their Prophets places of prayer"
Wahabis consider it blasphemy to assert that a mere man can stand between the Creator and the creature on the last day
It is said that Mohammed prayed long for conversion of Omar to Al-Islam knowing his sterling qualities
spare place-single grave is reserved for Isa bin Maryam after his second coming
Mahbat Jibrail is place of descent of the Archangel Gabriel with the Heavenly Revelations or simply Al-Malaikah
"People of garment" the Apostle wrapped his cloak around himself/daughter/son-in-law,2 grandsons, thereby separating them in dignity from other Moslems
as we began with the worship of the Creator..
Tradition of the Apostle declares that "Acceptable is Devotion in the Garden and the Orchard"
Stoa/Academia/Prophet`s city
Arabs, like all orientals, are exceedingly curious about water
In offering the above remarks, I am far from wishing to throw a doubt upon an established point of history.
XVII - when describing Ohod, I shall have occasion to allude to Aron`s dome which occupies the highest part. Few authorities believe that Aron was buried there; his grave under a small stone cupola, is shown over the summit of mount Hor in Sinaitic Peninsula, much visited by devotees.
Israelites fell away from worshiping one God who raised up against them Arab tribes Aus/Khazraj, progenitors of modern Ansar.
It is popular boast in Hijaz that with exception of Jeddah there is not a town in the country harboring an infidel.
It is also related to prove how Madinah was predestined to high fate, nearly 3 centuries before siege of town by Abu Jubaylah
XVIII
celebrated Khandak, Moat or Torres Vedas of Arabian History
The best kind of date tree is Al-Shelebi, packed in skins sent as presents to remotest parts of the Moslem world
Ajwah date is eaten but not sold, tradition of Prophet declares that whoso break fast with 6/7 of these fruits need neither poison nor magic.
Third kind is Al-Hilwah large date, derives name from its exceeding sweetness: of this palm the Moslems relate that the Prophet planted a stone which ina few minutes grew up and bore fruit.
Next comes Al-Birni of which was said: It causes sickness to depart and there is no sickness in it.
One of the reasons for the excellence of dates in Madinah is quantity of water they obtain: each garden/field has well, even in the hottest weather Persian wheel floods the soil every 3rd day
Mosque of Al-Kubba was the first place of public prayer in Al-Islam. Mohammed laid the first brick, and with Anzah marked out direction of prayer
The first assures all Muslims that prayer at Kuba is equal to a Lesser Pilgrimage at Mecca at religious efficacy
XX
Moslem divines be it observed, ascribe to Mohammed miraculous authority over animals, vegetables, minerals, as well as over men, jinns and angels.
According to old Persians, the sphere has an active soul
Hamzah - Lord of Martyrs
On topmost pinnacle, Kubbat Harun, dome erected over Aron`s remains (upon pinnacle of 7 hills)
"The man must be a ruffian who climbs up to Aaron`s dome"
Hamzah`s Mosque like Harim Al Madinah is a Mausoleum as well as fane
I quoted the verses: "He is a man who benefits his fellow men,
Not he who says why? and wherefore? and how much?"
I was Forced to take part in stuff that totally contradicts my heart
Narok village
keep studying the school of life
get into the groove of something basic
Sensible substitutions are more sustainable than drastic behavior changes. Giving up long-established habits is difficult, but modifying habits to promote health can be a useful strategy
"In rice strength, in Indian manliness" - in the Arabic muruwwat - generosity, noble part of human nature.
Caste in India arises from peculiarly sociable nature of the native mind..nothing can be more terrible to a man than expulsion from caste...
The Blessed month upon true believers is to darken their tempers into positive gloom...
(stroll through old Cairo by night) ..briefly the whole view is so strange, fantastic, ghostly, that it seems preposterous to imagine that in such places human beings like ourselves can be born, and live through life, and carry out command "increase and multiply" and die.
It is not to be believed that in a town garrisoned by Turkish troops full of travelled Hajjis, the primitive virtues of the Arabs could exist. The Meccans, dark people, say of the Madani, that their hearts are black as their skins are white. This is of course exaggerated.
...to assert that pride, pugnacity, a peculiar point of honor and a vindictiveness of wonderful force and patience, are the only characteristic traits of Arab character which the citizens of Medinah habitually display.
"Amongst the men of Madinah I remarked a considerable share of hypocrisy. Their mouth were as full of religious salutations, exclamations and hackneyed quotations from the Koran, as of indecency and vile abuse - a point in which they resemble Persians."
"The Madani are like the Meccans, a curious mixture of generosity and meanness, of profuseness and penuriousness. But the former quality is the result of ostentation, the latter is characteristic of the Semitic race, long ago made familiar to Europe by the Jew. The citizens will run deeply in debt, expecting a good season of devotees to pay off their liabilities, or relying upon the next begging
trip to Turkey; and such a proceeding, contrary to the custom of the Moslem world is not condemned by the public opinion. " Above all their qualities, personal conceit is remarkable. They show it in their strut, in their looks and in almost every word.
At length in the reign of AlWalid AH90 the cupola, niche and the minaret made their appearance, what is called Saracenic style became forever the order of the Moslem world. The Hindus I believe to have been the first who symbolised by an equilateral triangle their peculiar cult, Yoni Linga - in their temple architecture it became either conoid or perfect pyramid.
The Hindus paint their pagodas inside and outside, and rub vermillion in token of honour over their deities
Origin of Arabesque ornament must be referred to one of the principles of al Islam
The Arabs are the strictest of Misiconists
Perhaps no Eastern city affords more numerous or more accessible specimens of Mosque architecture than Cairo. 300-400 places of worship....
Hijaz in particular has been inundated with books from Egypt.
The Azhar is the grand collegiate mosque of this city - the Christ Church in fact of Cairo - once celebrated throughout the world of AlIslam. It gradually increased by Wakf (entailed bequests) of lands, money and books and pious rulers made point of adding to its size and wealth.
After learning to read the holy volume, some savans are ambitious enough to wish to understand it - under these circumstances they must dive into the Ilm alTafsir.
Al Mantic (logic) is little valued. Hikmat (philosophy) once so ardently cultivated by Moslem savans, indeed it is now all but impossible to get books upon these subjects.
I cannot agree with the Dr Bowring when he harshly says upon the subject of Moslem education: The instruction given by the Doctors of Law in the religious schools for the formation of the ;Mohammedan priesthood is of the most worthless character. " His opinion is equally open to objection with that of those who depreciate the law itself because it deals rather in precepts than in principle, in ceremonies and ordinances rather than in ethics and aesthetics. Both are what Eastern faiths and training have ever been - eminently adapted for the Oriental mind.
Even in the 7th century Omar forbade Amru to cut the Isthmus of Suez for fear of opening Arabia to Christian vessels.
VII
You are bound also to meet even your enemies in the most friendly way
I wonder that it is not made universal in the cities of India where so much iniquity is perpetrated under the shadow of night.
Now the native powers have no jurisdiction over strangers, nor can the police enter their houses.
He shows signs of over wisdom.
But the sequel will prove how der Mensch denkt und Gott lenkt, and as the boy Mohammed, eventually did become my companion throughout the Pilgrimage.
Meccah taught him to speak excellent Arabic, understand literary dialect, to be eloquent in abuse, and to be profound at Prayer/Pilgrimage.
Turks/Egyptians always go pilgrimage with a large outfit as notably as East Indian cadet of the present day
Suez was place of obstacles to pilgrims I was obliged to look elsewhere for protection.
The Consular dragoman is one of the greatest abuses I know.
I lost my reputation by a little misfortune that happened in this wise.
Khan is a title assumed in India and other countries by Afghans/Pathans, descendants simple as well as gentle
Conceal, says Arab proverb "Thy Tenets, thy Treasure and Thy Travelling"
VIII
It is strange how the mind can be amused by scenery that presents so few objects to occupy it.
Desert views are eminently suggestive, they appeal to the future not to the past, they arouse bc they are by no means memorial.
To the solitary wayfarer there is an interest in the wilderness unknown to Cape seas and Alpine glaciers,even to the rolling Prairie - its effect of continued excitement on the mind stimulating its powers to the pitch.
Man`s heart bounds in his breast at the thought of measuring his puny force with Nature`s might, of emerging triumphant from the trial. This explains Arab proverb: Voyaging is victory.
Wildness and sublimity of the scenes around you stir up all the enrgies of your soul whether for
exertion, danger or strife. Morale improves, you become frank/cordial, hospitable/single-minded. Senses are quickened, they require no stimulant but air/exercise
Sand heaps are found in every desert, sand plains are local feature, not the general face of the country.
Nature returns to a man, however unworthily he has treated her. Once your tastes have conformed to tranquility of such travel, you will suffer pain returning to turmoil of civilization. You will anticipate bustle/confusion of artificial life, luxury/false pleasures, with repugnance. Depressed in spirits, for a time, will feel incapable of mental/bodily exertion. Air of cities will suffocate you, care-worn/cadaverous countenances of citizens will haunt you like a vision of judgment.
Incredible Indian improvidence.
I sat for an hour admiring charms of Desert. Eye never tires of such loveliness of hue, memory of hideousness of this range, when a sun in front exposed each gunt/barren feature supplied evening view with another element of attraction.
IX - Shaykh Nur, my Hindi servant played me false.
Egyptian with all his good humour, merriment/nonchalance, is notorious for doggedness when as the popular phrase is his "blood is up". When the head, not hands is required, he notably fails
X - Voyage is intolerably slow.
As is the case under all despotic governments nothing can be more intentionally offensive than the official manners of a superior to his inferior in Egypt. Indians charge their European fellow subjects with insolence of demeanour/coarseness of language.
Eastern shore was dotted with little grove of palm-tress which clusters around Uyun Musa/Moses Walls
Sea of Sedge is Hebrew name of this part of Red Sea.
XI -With one look at certain little star to north under which lies all that makes life worth living through - surely it is a venial superstition to sleep with your eyes towards that Kiblah - you fall into oblivion.
He called himslef Pathan/Afghan settled in india. These fellows are always good detectors of an incognito.
Word Jabal is applied by Arabs to any rising ground/heap of rocks, must not always be translated Mountain. Gibraltar is Jabal alTarik.
XII
Miyani is Hindustani word for Sir
I would silver my dagger - in idiomatic Hijazi means I would raise myself in the world.
XIII - Recognising traveler`s guest-right to call milk gratis. No one will at present day even at civilized Meccah sell this article for consumption, except
Egyptians people supposed to be utterly without honor. General rule in Hijaz, milk abounds in spring, at all other times it is difficult to be procured.
Arabic Misyal is Indian Nullah, Sicilian Fiumara.
He indulges in sweet recollections of Indian lakes beautiful with Lotus, Persian plains upon which Narcissus is the meanest of grasses.
Nothing renders the Arab thief so active as the chance of stealing a good weapon.
It is a silly practice to salve the wound which requires the knife
IX -Samum never kills a man.
Duke of Wellington`s dictum about healthiness of India to an abstemious man does not require to be quoted.
He who renders warfare fatal to all engaged in it will be the greatest benefactor the world has yet known.
Old Arabic proverb is "A greater wiseacre than the goat of Akhfash" it is seldom intelligible to the vulgar.
Al-Harratayn is a holy ground - for the Apostle spoke of it. Ibn Jubayr considers the Harim or sacred precincts of al Madinah is the space enclosed by three points: Zul Halifah, Mount Ohod, Mosque of Quba. To the present day pilgrims doff their worldly garments at Zul Halifah.
Arabs divide the world in two great bodies: themselves/Ajami (all that are not Arabs). Similar are Hindus/Mlenchhas, Jews/Gentiles, Greeks/Barbarians.
I now understand full value of the phrase in the Moslem ritual: And when his (pilgrim) eyes shall fall upon the Trees of Madinah, let him raise his Voice/bless the Apostle with the choicest of blessings"
XV - In the most Easterly part of the city remarkable from afar, is the gem of Madinah, 4 tall substantial towers/flashing green Dome under which the Apostle`s remains rest.
foully dirty as an Indian en voyage always is
To the plague of strangers succeeded that of children.
He left me to the society I most desired - my own.
XVI - Wahabbis rejecting Intercession of the Apostle on the Day of Judgment, considering grave of mere mortal unworthy of notice, highly disgusted by idolatrous respect paid to it by certain foolish Moslems, plundered the sacred building with sacrilegious violence, forbade visitors from distant countries to enter Madinah (1807). we entered celebrated spot called Al-Rauzah after saying of the Prophet: Between my tomb and my pulpit is a Graden of Gardens of Paradies.
I only admire how al-Islam does not follow Wahabbi example and summarily consign them to oblivion. Rauzah is the holiest spot.
None but the Prophet and Ali entered it when ceremonially impure without being guilty of deadly sin
Performed single Sajdah in gratitude to Allah for making it my fate to visit so holy a spot.
The Garden is the most elaborate part of the mosque. Little can be said in its praise by day when it bears the same relation to a second-rate church in Rome as an English chapel of ease to W.Abbey.
In Moslem theology, Salat from Allah means mercy, from the angels intercession for pardon, from mankind blessing. When a Moslem blesses Mohammed at Madinah his sins are not written 3 days allowing ample margin for repentance by the recording angel.
"May Allah`s wrath fall heavy upon the People who make the Tombs of their Prophets places of prayer"
Wahabis consider it blasphemy to assert that a mere man can stand between the Creator and the creature on the last day
It is said that Mohammed prayed long for conversion of Omar to Al-Islam knowing his sterling qualities
spare place-single grave is reserved for Isa bin Maryam after his second coming
Mahbat Jibrail is place of descent of the Archangel Gabriel with the Heavenly Revelations or simply Al-Malaikah
"People of garment" the Apostle wrapped his cloak around himself/daughter/son-in-law,2 grandsons, thereby separating them in dignity from other Moslems
as we began with the worship of the Creator..
Tradition of the Apostle declares that "Acceptable is Devotion in the Garden and the Orchard"
Stoa/Academia/Prophet`s city
Arabs, like all orientals, are exceedingly curious about water
In offering the above remarks, I am far from wishing to throw a doubt upon an established point of history.
XVII - when describing Ohod, I shall have occasion to allude to Aron`s dome which occupies the highest part. Few authorities believe that Aron was buried there; his grave under a small stone cupola, is shown over the summit of mount Hor in Sinaitic Peninsula, much visited by devotees.
Israelites fell away from worshiping one God who raised up against them Arab tribes Aus/Khazraj, progenitors of modern Ansar.
It is popular boast in Hijaz that with exception of Jeddah there is not a town in the country harboring an infidel.
It is also related to prove how Madinah was predestined to high fate, nearly 3 centuries before siege of town by Abu Jubaylah
XVIII
celebrated Khandak, Moat or Torres Vedas of Arabian History
The best kind of date tree is Al-Shelebi, packed in skins sent as presents to remotest parts of the Moslem world
Ajwah date is eaten but not sold, tradition of Prophet declares that whoso break fast with 6/7 of these fruits need neither poison nor magic.
Third kind is Al-Hilwah large date, derives name from its exceeding sweetness: of this palm the Moslems relate that the Prophet planted a stone which ina few minutes grew up and bore fruit.
Next comes Al-Birni of which was said: It causes sickness to depart and there is no sickness in it.
One of the reasons for the excellence of dates in Madinah is quantity of water they obtain: each garden/field has well, even in the hottest weather Persian wheel floods the soil every 3rd day
Mosque of Al-Kubba was the first place of public prayer in Al-Islam. Mohammed laid the first brick, and with Anzah marked out direction of prayer
The first assures all Muslims that prayer at Kuba is equal to a Lesser Pilgrimage at Mecca at religious efficacy
XX
Moslem divines be it observed, ascribe to Mohammed miraculous authority over animals, vegetables, minerals, as well as over men, jinns and angels.
According to old Persians, the sphere has an active soul
Hamzah - Lord of Martyrs
On topmost pinnacle, Kubbat Harun, dome erected over Aron`s remains (upon pinnacle of 7 hills)
"The man must be a ruffian who climbs up to Aaron`s dome"
Hamzah`s Mosque like Harim Al Madinah is a Mausoleum as well as fane
I quoted the verses: "He is a man who benefits his fellow men,
Not he who says why? and wherefore? and how much?"
I was Forced to take part in stuff that totally contradicts my heart
Narok village
keep studying the school of life
get into the groove of something basic
Sensible substitutions are more sustainable than drastic behavior changes. Giving up long-established habits is difficult, but modifying habits to promote health can be a useful strategy
September 27, 2020
It was interesting, and very detailed, tho I didn't realize it was part 1 of 2, and he only got to Medina in part 1.
It was hard to read for a couple of reasons tho; Burton expected the reader to be able to read, besides English, also French, Latin, Italian, and I think I remember German showing up; his transliterations of Arabic aren't what I'm used to (he uses 'Darwaysh' for the modern 'Dervish'); but most importantly, it's so hard to get past his casual racism, classism, and general feelings of superiority to everyone he meets. He relies on physiognomy and crass stereotypes to make his generalizations, and looks down on absolutely everyone he meets.
I want to read part 2, but not soon.
It was hard to read for a couple of reasons tho; Burton expected the reader to be able to read, besides English, also French, Latin, Italian, and I think I remember German showing up; his transliterations of Arabic aren't what I'm used to (he uses 'Darwaysh' for the modern 'Dervish'); but most importantly, it's so hard to get past his casual racism, classism, and general feelings of superiority to everyone he meets. He relies on physiognomy and crass stereotypes to make his generalizations, and looks down on absolutely everyone he meets.
I want to read part 2, but not soon.
June 6, 2023
What a story. Sir Richard Francis Burton disguises himself as a pilgrim on the Haj in order to be the first westerner (not of the faithful) to experience the annual mass event and tell the story to other westerners in terms presumably they could understand. It's a fascinating mix of presumption, racism, willful blindness, and penetrating insight. Burton was a truly remarkable human being, at once a prisoner of his position, ethnicity, and era, and also in some ways transcendent of those limitations. This is not an easy or comfortable read, mostly because of his racism, but readers who persevere will learn all manner of strange things.
June 2, 2020
A very detailed one. If anyone wants to discover how life looked like in 19th century Arabia, this is it.
December 4, 2022
An extremely knowledgeable, observant and intelligent man Burton.
He has knowledge of botany, religion, geography, ethnography and economics.
He speaks ( it looks like ) all languages.
He is a chameleon in camouflage.
An exciting story of a nonbeliever going on pilgrimage.
A journey of the most primitive kind, as he wishes to experience and describe how a typical pilgrim would experience this journey.
He has knowledge of botany, religion, geography, ethnography and economics.
He speaks ( it looks like ) all languages.
He is a chameleon in camouflage.
An exciting story of a nonbeliever going on pilgrimage.
A journey of the most primitive kind, as he wishes to experience and describe how a typical pilgrim would experience this journey.
December 23, 2025
This work is one of the most renowned travel accounts of the nineteenth century about the Arabian Peninsula. It documents the journey undertaken by the British explorer Richard Francis Burton to Al-Madinah and Mecca in 1853, published later in three volumes (1855–1856).
Its significance lies not merely in being an early European description of the two holy cities, but in the fact that Burton recorded his experiences from within the pilgrimage itself. Having mastered Arabic and studied Islamic customs for years, he entered the region disguised as a Muslim pilgrim, performed the rituals alongside the pilgrims, and observed the world around him with the combined eye of a traveler, linguist, geographer, and orientalist.
Its significance lies not merely in being an early European description of the two holy cities, but in the fact that Burton recorded his experiences from within the pilgrimage itself. Having mastered Arabic and studied Islamic customs for years, he entered the region disguised as a Muslim pilgrim, performed the rituals alongside the pilgrims, and observed the world around him with the combined eye of a traveler, linguist, geographer, and orientalist.
June 17, 2012
Very engaging and extremely detailed and informative. I enjoyed this book very much. Except for his usage of phrases and quotes in languages other than English, I never felt clueless about anything he wrote of, thanks to his footnotes and descriptions. I wish more travel/adventure books were like this, allowing the reader to get a higher degree of immersion and to come out of a book with a new understanding of people, places, cultures and so much more.
November 28, 2011
It tells us more about Richard Burton and the era in which he lived, than it does about the Hajj (the pilgrimage that all Muslims are supposed to take once during their lifetimes, if they can)--although it's still worth reading to learn about both of those things.
February 22, 2009
So interesting. Written in diary format with the occasional sketch.
April 29, 2009
Humans on earth are interesting
Read
September 1, 2013Vol. 1
June 22, 2014
Very detailed and informative.
Read
September 16, 2014I have it, read it, time to read again
Read
June 30, 2017Actually, I'm stalled in the middle. Probably won't finish.
May 16, 2018
Had high hopes of this classic, unfortunately the Penguin abridged version I'd read had all the best parts without the dull obsession with race and architecture characteristic of 19th century travel writing. Maybe I'll come back to it one day when I'm feeling more patient with Burton's style which drops narrative in order to focus on the informing the 19th century reader of an Arab world completely new to them but relatively known to us
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