In “The Adventures of Ibn Battuta: A Muslim Traveler of the 14th Century” (translated by Ross E. Dunn), the sacred rite of Hajj is described with particular emphasis on pilgrimage as a spiritual journey, and it is shown that the experience of traveling to Mecca is nearly as important as being in Mecca itself. For example, Dunn writes that officials were appointed to Cairo and Damascus caravans so that order was kept and special needs were addressed. This small detail highlights a spiritual responsibility within Islam of keeping and maintaining fellowship, despite the natural conflicts that arise with travel. It also sets up the recurring theme of a spiritual community that arises within Islamic scholarship as a whole and this reading specifically.
Dunn makes a lot of references to the presence of nature throughout the piece, at one point saying, “…the Meccan wilderness possessed a pure and terrifying beauty… that hinted at the workings of the infinite. I immediately connected this line to statements made in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Nature”, which also hints that there is a sense of divine presence that can be found within nature. While transcendentalism sees nature as a source of individual empowerment, the reading shows that Islam views nature as a means of acknowledging God’s power and presence. These differences are to be expected between these two philosophies, but I was nevertheless intrigued to see that nature has been used as a trope in Islam as well as American spiritual traditions.
While the spiritual aspects of the Hajj are shown to be extremely important, Dunn does not negate the fact that “they also came, incidentally, to trade”(71). While this commerciality of the Hajj is historically relevant considering the history of pre-lslamic, why wasn’t it more widely considered offensive to the holiness of the pilgrimage? I realize that trade was economically crucial in order for Mecca to survive, but to trade While performing rituals of the Hajj seems openly sacrilegious. Regardless, the role of cosmopolitanism in the pilgrimage to Mecca shows an interesting parallel between economics and religion within the Islamic context.
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Dunn acknowledges that the Hajj was not solely a spiritual journey but also had commercial aspects. He notes that pilgrims came to Mecca for trade purposes as well. While the commerciality of the Hajj might appear sacrilegious in the context of its holiness, it is historically relevant considering Mecca’s pre-Islamic history. The economic significance of trade was crucial for Mecca’s survival. Despite the potential tension between commerce and religion, the role of cosmopolitanism in the pilgrimage to Mecca reveals an interesting parallel between economics and religion within the Islamic context.
“The Adventures of Ibn Battuta: A Muslim Traveler of the 14th Century” sheds light on the Hajj pilgrimage as a spiritual journey, emphasizing the significance of the travel experience itself. The presence of nature throughout the narrative reinforces the acknowledgement of God’s power and presence in Islam. Additionally, the inclusion of trade within the pilgrimage, while potentially conflicting with its holiness, reflects the historical and economic realities of Mecca. The intersection of commerce and religion in the context of Hajj demonstrates the multifaceted nature of Islamic traditions and the complex relationship between economics and spirituality.
