Page 162 - Arabian Studies (I)

THE PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA IN

MAMLUK TIMES
by ABDULLAH CANKAWI

Cairo and Damascus as Centres of the Pilgrim Caravans to Mecca
The assumption of power by the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt, Baybars
(658/1260), marked a turning-point for the Egyptian and Syrian
pilgrimages. The Syrian caravan, which had suffered a period of
interruption during the last years of Ayyubid rule, was again placed
on an annual footing, whilst certain necessary reforms were carried
out in the Egyptian pilgrimage, including the re-institution of the
overland route via ‘Aqabah in 664/1266 or 666/1268. In con­
sequence, the position of Cairo and Damascus as the starting points
of the two pilgrimages was greatly strengthened. From now on they
developed as centres at which pilgrims from all over the Mamluk
empire, as well as from other parts of the Muslim world, assembled
to set out for Mecca under the patronage of the sultan.
Cairo, besides being the only centre for the Egyptian pilgrimage,
was also the rendez-vous for the pilgrim caravans from North Africa
and the Muslim regions of West Africa. By the beginning of the
month of Shawwal the pilgrim caravan from North Africa (Rakb
al-Magharibah) and that of West Africa (Rakb al-Takrur) arrived in
Cairo where the Egyptian pilgrims were already assembled to await
the departure of the official caravan.
The Rakb al-Magharibah was organized under the auspices of the
independent rulers of North Africa and started from either Tlemcen
or Tunis.1 From there it made its journey eastwards along the
African coast of the Mediterranean to Alexandria and eventually
reached Cairo.2 Along its journey this caravan was joined by all the
North African pilgrims. In 704/1304 the pilgrim caravan of the
Magharibah set out from Tlemcen in the month of RabT‘ al-Awwal,
seven months before the departure of the Egyptian caravan from
Cairo.3 In 725/1325, according to the traveller Ibn Battutah, the
pilgrim caravan departed from Tunis towards the end of Dhu al-Qa‘dah
and arrived at Alexandria on the first day of Jumada al-’Ula,

146