THE PILGRIMAGE
Performing the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in one's lifetime is one of the religious obligations of every Muslim. This pilgrimage is accompanied by numerous rituals: circumambulation around the Kaaba, stoning of Satan, walking back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwa, not to mention the famous Black Stone that pilgrims rush to touch and kiss. In this section, we will question the origins of these rituals: Muslim tradition claims they were instituted by Abraham during his supposed stay in Mecca, but as we will see, the evidence supporting this hypothesis is actually nonexistent. On the other hand, archaeological and literary data from the time show that there are many similarities between the rituals of the pilgrimage in Mecca and pre-Islamic pagan rites that existed throughout Arabia…
