Page 168 - Arabian Studies (I)

152 A rabian Studies I

The first was the authority to conduct the pilgrims through their
rituals and to supervise the ceremonies of the pilgrimage. This office,
which seems to have been purely religious, required certain qualifica­
tions generally applied to the Imams or leaders of prayers, as well as
an intimate knowledge of the pilgimage and its ceremonial. During
the Orthodox, Umayyad and ‘Abbasid Caliphates, the post was
apparently held by the Caliph and in the event of his absence, as
often happened during the latter two Caliphates, seems to have been
filled by the Amir al-Hajj, who led the pilgrims from the capital of
the Caliphate. As the leaders of the Egyptian and Syrian pilgrimages
during Mamluk times were selected from among the military order
and seem not to have possessed any religious qualifications, the duty
of conducting the pilgrims through their rituals seems to have been
carried out by the Qddls of the caravans and of Mecca, all of whom
were subject to the Egyptian Amir al-Hajj, representative of the
Mamluk Sultan.
The second type of leadership was the authority to conduct the
pilgrims from their respective countries to and from the Holy Cities.
This office, which has always been known as the office of ihc Amir
al-Hajj, required, according to Al-MawardT, certain personal qualifica­
tions, such as strength of character, bravery, dignity and piety. The
duties of this office are enumerated by Al-MawardT as: —
(i) To keep the pilgrims together during the journey and at the
stations along the route in order to prevent their being dispersed over
the desert, consequently losing track of the main body of the
caravan.
(ii) To assign specific places to each group of pilgrims along the line
of the caravan to prevent confusion or disputes.
(iii) To travel easily and slowly so that the weak and the stragglers
may catch up with the caravan.
(iv) To proceed by the easiest and most fertile route.
(v) To look for watering places and pasture along any section of the
pilgrim route where these are scarce.
(vi) To protect the pilgrims from robbers.
(vii) To defend the pilgrims against anyone who might attempt to
hinder their progress to the Holy Cities. In carrying out this function
the Amir al-Hajj might either use force and fight for the pilgrims or,
if incapable of fighting, he might collect tolls from the pilgrims to
pay the attackers to allow the pilgrims a free passage. However,
under no circumstances is the Amir al-Hajj entitled to force a pilgrim
who may be reluctant, to pay any amount as an escort-fee (khifarah).
(viii) To mediate between pilgrims in the case of dispute. If passing
judgment the Amir al-Hajj must first have been authorised to act as

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