The Pilgrimage From Mecca To Medina And Its Impact On The History Of Islam

The pilgrimage from Mecca to Medina is one of the most significant things to happen within the Islamic world. It is an individual’s effort to show their devotion to the religion of Islam. But the pilgrimage is not just for religion alone, the pilgrimage is also used to give those who follow Islam, legitimacy within the lands they control. The pilgrimage, AKA ‘Hajj’, started even before Islam was created. Within Mecca is a house of worship known as the “Kaaba”, it is the house of worship that was built by Abraham and his son Ishmael. The “Kaaba” would be known as a place of worship and many people from all different kinds of religions would make a pilgrimage to the “Kaaba”. This would change once the religion of Islam would come to flourish within the Arabian Peninsula. The pilgrimage from Mecca to Medina or “hijra”, which is a 220 mile trek from Mecca to Medina, would end up being a very significant part of the religion of Islam as the Prophet Muhammad himself would end up making this remarkable pilgrimage. The Prophet Muhammad during this time would be most sought after as he was the closest and messenger of Allah. So it would only be natural for those that believed in his teaching to want to follow in his footsteps and make the pilgrimage themselves. The fact that people would want to follow in his footsteps is a testament to their belief in him and his teachings. This act would also become one of the pillars of Islam. This act would also grow beyond its religious confines into the areas culture as well as politically with its own system of law.

So to best illustrate this we must look at the history of the area that is considered the birthplace of Islam. Beginning with the conquests of Muhammad in the Arabian Peninsula, and continuing with the Four Caliphs, Muslim states began to expand against the Persians in the Middle East and modern-day Iran, and against the Byzantine Empire in North Africa and the Levant. Conquest would continue into Spain, Central Asia, and modern-day Pakistan under the second caliphate: the Umayyad Caliphate. The third caliphate, the Abbasid Caliphate was ruled by the Abbasids, a dynasty of Meccan origin which founded its capital of Baghdad which became a major scientific, cultural and art center, as did the territory as a whole. From the 10th century, Abbasid rule became confined to an area around Baghdad. The Abbasid Caliphate came under Seljuq Turk military control. A non-Arab army created by the Abbasids called the Mamluks came to power in Egypt. In 1258, the Mongol Empire sacked Baghdad, ending the Abbasid Caliphate, and then the Mamluks in Egypt would re-established the Abbasid Caliphate in Cairo. Though lacking in political power, the Abbasid dynasty continued to claim authority in religious matters until the Ottoman conquest of Mamluk Egypt in 1517. These Muslim states established new forms of government known as caliphates and sultanates. Caliphates were primarily run by Arabs, and sultanates by non-Arabs. While both adhered to Islamic law politically, only the caliphs of a caliphate held any religious authority or rights to interpret religious doctrine, whereas the sultans of sultanates had the authority only to interpret or change political law. While the Abbasid Caliphate ruled for over 500 years, much of the Muslim world ruled itself relatively autonomously, declaring loyalty to the Abbasids, but functioning regionally under sultans.

Islam is a religion that was spread primarily by force in the previously-mentioned regions, with the notable exceptions of other ‘people of the book,’ such as the Christians, as well as Jews. Jews and Christians were tolerated and protected by the state, but were incentivized to convert to Islam through state policies. Such polices were status as dhimmis, which were a form of second-class status that prohibited military and political participation, as well as limited economic activity. In addition, dhimmis were subject to the jizya tax or head tax, and thus, some encouraged to at least outwardly convert to avoid such policies. Conversion to Islam became a primary feature of the initial Arab, and subsequent Turkish expansion, spreading Islam to North Africa, the Middle East, Spain, Central Asia, Persia, and the Indus region by conquest, and the later regions of West & East Africa, as well as Southeast Asia and Indonesia by trade.

Merchants, missionaries, and mosques were established along trade routes in the Indian Ocean, and conversion to Islam became an appealing feature in order to gain trading rights and privileges with the Arabs and Turks. This was particularly appealing due to the vast amount of wealth and goods traded and produced by the Muslim states, as they were centrally located in Afro-Eurasia, and controlled or were connected to all large-scale Afro-Eurasian trade routes. Muslim state benefited highly from exchange, gaining access to Greek, Indian, and Chinese ideas and sciences, and developed their own, such as the expansion and refinement of algebra, medical diagnoses, hospitals, and traveling clinics. They were also influential in establishing caravansary—which inns or towns were located along remote portions of trade routes to promote commercial activity and travel in Asia and North Africa. Additionally, they connected the Trans-Saharan trade routes of Sub-Saharan Africa to North Africa with the domestication of camels and use of caravans to ensure safe travel with plenty of goods.

The West Africans of the empires of Ghana (700-1240 CE), and especially Mali (1230-1670), converted largely due to the presence and perks of trading with Arab merchants. Rulers and elites of the West African kingdoms benefited from the riches and goods of trading with the caliphates, as the Arabs received from West Africa gold, copper, and slaves. Converting mainly for economic regions, West Africa uniquely did not enforce Islam or Sharia Law on its subjects, leaving many non-elites to not convert or only loosely convert to Islam (i. e. , many of the primitive religious and non-Islamic cultural practices remained intact). From the Arabs, West Africa Kingdoms also obtained administrative and technological knowledge and products, and trade cities such as Timbuktu flourished, expanding its wealth, power, population, and establishing many Quranic schools that educated and converted higher-class West Africans. One of the more notable West African rulers was Mansa Musa of Mali (1280-1337), who converted to Islam and recognized the Hajj, traveling to Mecca, and spreading his gold and riches along the way.

As we look at the history of how Islam has spread throughout history we can see how the spread of ideas would all flow from the cities of the first pilgrimage in Islam, Mecca to Medina. These lands were of the upmost value to civilizations during these times. If you look at it from a political standpoint, having control of these cities would give the rulers of the areas more legitimacy. If we look at it from a cultural standpoint, you can see how the cultures that originated from in Mecca and Medina spread to the far reaches of the world. The importance of these two cities cannot be overstated. These cities are of extreme value to Islamic cultures throughout the world. The pilgrimage tells an ancient story, one that many believe to this day. A story of reverence that will continue to lay the foundation of a religion that pulls those from all over the world to walk in the footsteps of a prophet.