Page 178 - Arabian Studies (I)

162 Arabian Studies I

(viii) Muhtasib al-Rakb. Among the officials of the caravan who
received robes of honour (khiVah) on the occasion of the procession
of the Mahmil, Qalqashandl mentions al-Muhtasib.9 9 Al-JazarT also
refers to one Qadi Fakhr al-DTn as having acted in 735/1335 as
Muhtasib al-Rakb in the Egyptian pilgrimage.1 00 Apart from these
two references we have no information about al-Muhtasib or his
function in the caravan. However, since the administrations of Cairo
and Damascus included the Muhtasib among their officials it seems
possible that this official in the pilgrim caravan performed a similar
function. According to Qalqashandl, the Muhtasib was in charge of
business in the markets, and supervised public morality, with the
authority to inflict punishment when required. 1 0 I
(ix) Mubashshir al-IIdjj. Upon the arrival of the pilgrims at Mina after
they had concluded the ceremonies at ‘Arafat, the Egyptian Amir
al-Hdjj usually dispatched a special messenger, known as Mubashshir
al-Hdjj, to convey to Cairo a report on the pilgrimage and matters
connected with it. His departure from Mecca always took place
regularly on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah, and he arrived at Cairo ten to
fifteen days later.102 His report usually consisted of information
concerning the general situation at Mecca, its weather, market prices,
the attitude of the Sharlfs towards the Egyptian Amir al-Hdjj, the
position of the ‘Iraqi and Yemeni caravans and the general condition
of the Egyptian pilgrimage.1 03 Al-SuyutI states that the custom of
sending the Mubashshir al-Hdjj had been a practice since the days of
the Orthodox Caliphs, and gives an interesting explanation of why it
had been established. The Mubashshir was, according to him, sent
because the coming forth of the Dabbah, i.e. ‘The Beast’, which is
one of the omens heralding the hour of resurrection,1 04 will take
place during the pilgrims’ stay at Mina, when it will emerge from the
mountain of Ajyad. Therefore the Mubashshir was sent to announce
the safety of people. 1 0 5
The Mubashshir was, as a rule, chosen from among the Mamluk
troopers in the service of the Amir al-Hdjj.' 0 6 In 856/1452 the Amir
al-Hdjj sent as Mubashshir his first Dawddar who was also the leader
of the advance caravan, appointing in his place his second Dawa-
dar.' 07 In 855/1451-52 the Mubashshir was the son of the Amir
al-Hdjj.1 0 8
According to Al-Jazlrl, the sum of 200 dinars, which was known
as ‘adat al-Mubashshir, was demanded from the amir of Yanbu‘ to be
given annually to the Mubashshir. The latter, in his turn, had to
distribute this amount among certain tribes who guarded the various
sections of the Egyptian pilgrim route. 1 0 9
. There was no such Mubashshir sent to Damascus by the Syrian