The origin of pilgrimage in the Arabian Peninsula.

Trade fair markets - Pre

Islamic Hajj - Construction of the KABA.
The origin of pilgrimage in the Arabian Peninsula
The concept of pilgrimage can be traced in all the ancient Semitic
languages, especially in Hebrew. It means solemn procession towards a
religious center, the city of Jerusalem, for example.
Prior to Islam, the pilgrimage in the Arabian Peninsula was the
convergence of people to a celebration point. Beside the purposes of
worship, the primary intent of pilgrimage assembly was the trade and
commerce in annual fair markets, similar to the remembrance festivals of
patrons, held everywhere.
The Islamic Hajj is not an exception to that concept.
(Sura II, v. 125) And [mention] when We made the House a place of
return (MATHABA) for the people and [a place of] security..
The word MATHABA means a site or point of assembly.
Arabic worship places prior to Islam.
In contrast to the Jews, Assyrians, Babylonians or the Egyptians who had
written and oral traditions, the pre-Islamic Arabs were the least literates
among the peoples of the Middle East. They left almost nothing in writing.
The Arabians never developed even an oral epic.
Before the advent of Islam, the Arabs, like all the pagan peoples, erected
simple worship buildings, mostly cubic shape, hence called KABAs, i.e.
cube, a form commensurate with the lake civilization of the Arabs.
The Arabic chroniclers stated that there were 24 KABAs in the Arabian
Peninsula, each dedicated to a deity, to which the faithful made specific
days to perform rituals including among others a circular stroll and
sacrifices. The pagans believed that one or more of their deities lived in
those shrines.
According to the narration of Diodorus and Photius, nearby the gulf of the
Laeanites (Gulf of Aqaba), i.e. near Petra, there was a very sacred temple,
which is highly revered by all the Arabs. It seems to be the most important
of the KABAs, together with those of SANA' and Najran in Yemen,
besides the one in Mecca.
Anyhow, Arabs performed pilgrimage to all these KABAs.
Pre-Islamic beliefs held by the Arabs.

Whatever we know about the account of the religion of the ancient Arabs
comes to us through isolated statements of Greek writers and from Semitic
inscriptions. Some information are known from polemical allusions in the
Koran, or from the few anecdotes and traditions embedded in Islamic
literature, written 2 centuries after Muhammad by few early Muslim
scholars, specially the historian Ibn al-Kalbi (819-920 C.E.), the author of
The Book of Idols (Kitab al-Asnam).
Prior to Islam, the Arabs believed in myriad demons, jinns, in which Islam
still believing! Their polytheistic culture included tribal gods and other
deities; among those there was Allah.
In pre-Islamic Arabia, Allah was used by people of Mecca as a reference to
a creator god, possibly a supreme deity. Allah was considered the creator
of the world and the giver of rain, but He was not considered the sole
divinity. Allah was associated with companions, whom pre-Islamic Arabs
considered as subordinate deities. Allah was thought to have had
offsprings, al-LAT was his wife, and the local deities al-Uzza, Manat
were his daughters. These three deities were the chief goddesses of People
of Mecca. (Remember the Satanic Verse?).
(Sura LXXI, v. 23) They also said, 'Never leave your gods and never
leave Wadd or Suwa' or Yaghuth and Ya'uq and Nasr..
This verse of the Koran mention five pre-Islamic pagan deities: Wadd,
Suw`, Yagth, Yaq and Nasr.
1. Wadd, Shaped as a Man, represented Manly Power, the idol of the tribe
of Kalb.
2. Suw, Shaped as a Woman represented Mutability, Beauty, the idol of
the tribe of Hudhayl.
3. Yagth, Shaped as a Lion (or Bull) represented Brute Strength, the idol
of the tribe of Murad, then the people of Ghutayf.
4. Yaq, Shaped as a Horse represented Swiftnes, the idol of the people of
Hamdans.
5. Nasr, Shaped as an Eagle or Falcon, represented Sharp Sight, Insight,
the idol of the people of Himyar.
(Bukhari) - (Book of Idols).
Before Islam, the main purpose of pilgrimage in the Arabic peninsula was
the assembly in a pagan-like annual fair, similar to the current local patron
festivals, to trade and gaining profit.
The Islamic pilgrimage disclosed no exception to that commercial concept.

(Sura XXII, Hajj, v. 27-28) And proclaim to the people the Hajj
[pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they
will come from every distant pass - That they may obtain benefits for
themselves .
In some English translations of the Koran, they substitute the word
obtain by witness, which is a literal translation, which do not express
the real meaning.
Benefits are intended profits of trade.
(Sura II, v. 198) There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from
your Lord [during Hajj]. But when you depart from 'ARAFAT, remember
Allah at al- Mash'ar al-Haram.
(QURTOBI) The intent of Arabs when performed pilgrimage was to meet,
boast, strife, repel and fulfill their needs attending the markets; and all that
was without obedience of divinities, or visiting intent; nothing was related
to the belief. So Allah ordered pilgrimage with the intent of visit, then
allowing to trade. (Interpretation of the Koran).
(Abu SALIH, the slave of Omar) I said: Oh Commander of the Faithful,
you traded during pilgrimage? He said: from were you think was our
livelihoods, but during the Hajj? (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, referring to Tabari).
In narrative traditions describing Arabia before Islam, we find the
sequence of markets or fairs called MAWASIM (singular: mawsim).
Note that even nowadays, the pilgrimage to Mecca is called MAWSIM.
(SAID of Afghanistan) Arabs established seasonal markets .. Those
markets in the peninsula were held to meet local Arabs living necessities
dictated by the nature of the dispersion in the peninsula. (Arab markets
before and after Islam).
The pre-Islamic Arabian calendar resembled the Jewish calendar, in that it
began each year in early autumn and made use of intercalation to bring the
lunar year into harmony with the seasonal patterns of the solar year.
The Arabic seasonal markets, MAWASIM, were held in coincidence with
the pagan pilgrimage.
Sequence and timing of markets (years. 600610 aD).
- DOUMA, On the borders of Syria. This fair took place during
NovemberDecember each year. Traders coming from Iraq and Syria
frequented it.
- HAJR in Bahrain. It was the market of January, in which various goods

from Persia and India were treated.

- Mushaqqar, on the Persian Gulf. Held between the months of February
and March. This was subject to Persian control, while the management of
the market was entrusted to the tribe TAMIM.
- !u"#r & Dab#, in Oman zone, , on the seashore. The two consequent
fairs were held in March and April, treating Indian products.
-Shi"r on the southern coast of the Arabian Peninsula between Oman and
Aden. Held between the months of April and May. Goods treated were the
products of the Arabic peninsula.
- Adan and !an#, two markets of the Arabic month of Ramadan, between
the months of May and June. Merchandises treated were from Ethiopia
and local Yemenite goods.
- Najran fair.
- Hubasha Market, south to Mecca.
- Markets near Mecca, during pilgrimage time:
1- Uk#$, held between JuneJuly
2- Majanna, [JulyAugust]
3- Dh% l-Maj#z l[AugustSeptember]
4- Min# and ARAFA [AugustSeptember]
- Nut# &t Khaybar, northern of Yathrib. In this market, Jews offered their
handcraft and agricultural products on September and October.
The Orientalists noted that these markets were uniformly distributed
geographically to form a clear circle, starting from the north heading to the
east, and descend south along the Persian gulf to the Arabian Peninsula
southern coast and then going west to Yemen, to start the trend towards the
north again parallel to the Red Sea to complete the course during the year.
We quote from Bonners Cycles and Spirals,
Since the annual series of markets and fairs recurs in a fixed order, it
seems reasonable to describe it as a cycle. When viewed on a map,
however, it takes the form of an inwardly directed spiral. It begins in
northern Arabia, at a point roughly equidistant from the heads of the Red
Sea and Persian Gulf, and then skirts around the eastern and southern
edges of the peninsula, before moving northward and inland to Ukaz and
its neighbors. From there the series connects westward to the pilgrimage
sites, before turning northeast to conclude at Khaybar ...
Many people visited these markets of the Arabs, following the
prescribed, clockwise order. This does not necessarily mean that any
individual ever traveled the entire sequence, but rather that significant

numbers of persons and quantities of goods moved from each point in the
sequence to the next. At the same time, there is also no doubt that other
people went in different directions and visited other markets that were not
part of the sequence at all. (Unquote).
These annual markets, called seasons, were held at specific intervals
during the solar year, considering climatic conditions. For instance, the
yearly sequence of markets was tied to the annual rhythm of the winds in
the Indian Ocean, as the ships from India arrived in Uman each year in
late March and early April.
(MAQRIZI) The pilgrimage of the Arabs was in different times allover the
entire year. (KHOTAT).
This means that all the fairs (MAWASIM) were for pilgrimage.
The Prophet said: Islamic pilgrimage is to stand in ARAFA site.
ARAFA, or ARAFAT, is a barren and plain site 22 kilometers east of
Mecca.
The fairs and markets were called seasons (MAWASIM), even the Islamic
pilgrimage (Hajj) was and still called season so far.
Thus, we have to examine the pre-Islamic fairs (seasons) around Mecca to
understand pilgrimage.
Markets in that zone were Ukaz, Mijanna, Dh% l-Maj#z, then Min# with
ARAFA. These fairs together were the season of what is currently called
the Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage.
Ukaz was southeast to Mecca, near TAIF.
Majanna, was distant one stage south Mecca.
Dh% l-Maj#z, is an outskirts of ARAFA.
(AZRAQI) The Hajj was in the Arabic month of Dhu al-Hijja. People went
out with their goods and they ended up in Ukaz on the day of the new
moon of the Arabic month preceding that of pilgrimage, Dh% l-Qada.
They stayed there twenty nights during which they set up in Ukaz their
market of all colors and all goods in small houses. People planted their
banners, called upon one another in their tents, and bought and sold in the
marketplace. The leaders and foremen of each tribe oversaw the selling
and buying among the tribes where they congregate in the middle of the
market.
After twenty days they leave for Majanna, to held their market for the last

ten days of the month.

When they see the new moon of the month of pilgrimage, Dh% l-'ijja,
they leave for Dhu al-Majaz, where they spend eight days and nights in its
markets. Then, i.e. after these eight days, on the day of watering (yawm
al-Tarwiya), they proceeded to the pilgrimage rites of ARAFA. The "day
of Tarwiya so called because they depart for ARAFA after they have taken
water (on their camels) from Dhu al-Majaz. They do this because there is
no drinking water in ARAFA or in MUZDALFA.
... The people who were present at these markets were merchants and those
who wanted to trade; and even those who had nothing to sell and buy
because they can go out with their families (just as attendance of the fairs).
The non-merchants from Mecca left Mecca on the "day of Tarwiya.
(History of Mecca).
Then, Mecca was not a part of the yearly sequence of Markets of the
Arabs, although assertion of some tendentious sources.
Ukaz was a market, an element of the rites of Hajj.
(MAQRIZI) The pilgrimage of the Arabs was in different times allover the
entire year. (KHOTAT, MAWASIM, i.e. seasons of Arabs).
The tribes of TAMIM created Ukaz, Mijanna and Dhu al-Majaz to be
rituals of the Hajj, blessing the idols by slaughtering sacrifices, and
circumambulation around sacred rocks. The religious aspects aimed to
convince the Arabs to pay visits to these sites.
The people of Mecca and TAIF benefited from the establishment of such
rituals to trade and make money by securing the needs of pilgrims: food,
drink and so on.
And prove that those markets were really the Arabic pilgrimage.
(Ibn Habib) There was an idol in Ukaz called "JAHAR" due to the tribe of
HAWAZIN, worshipers of idol NASR. The pre-Islamic Arabs roam around
the sacred rocks and make pilgrimages to them. The Arabs visited
JAHAR as they do the Islamic pilgrimage the Hajj, reciting the formula
of TALBIYYA, i.e. answering the religious call, shouting "Here Im Oh
Allah, Make our sins vanished oh powerful (JIABAR), guide us to a
clearer illumination (MANAR), comfort us through JIHAR.
(Muhabbar).
Ukaz was a season of pilgrimage, visited before going to MINA.
(YAQUT) ASMA'I (an eminent traditionalist, lived before abolishing the
market of Ukaz) said: Ukaz is in a valley near TAIF, three nights ride to
Mecca ... There were rocks to which Arabs did the pilgrimage, and

circumambulated around. (Geography of countries) - (The Complete

History, Ibn ATHIR) - (Book of the Arab countries, by ASFAHANI).
(AZRAQI) ... Allah revealed in his book...
... (Sura II, v. 198) "There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from
your Lord [during Hajj]. But when you depart from 'ARAFA t, remember
Allah at al- Mash'ar al-Haram." .
In reading Ibn-KAB (N.d.A.: One of authors of the Koran) there were
added words during the pilgrimage seasons, which means: MINA,
ARAFA , Ukaz, MAJANNA, and Dhu al-Majaz, these were pilgrimage
sites. (History of Mecca).
(AZRAQI) The Arabs believed that the most evil act is performing Umrah
in the months of Hajj. The people of Mecca and other Arabs said: Do not
visit Ukaz, MINA or Dhu al-Majaz but in state of sacredness (IHRAM)
for the pilgrimage. They never did non-legal acts, or attacked each other in
the sacred months of pilgrimage.... (History of Mecca).
Ukaz was a season of pilgrimage, before ARAFA, a commercial market to
a large congregation of pilgrims. (See also: Ibn-ASAKER - ALUSSI Arab markets of SAID from Afghanistan).
This was the origin of the Hajj, the pilgrimage was not called, but it was a
trade seasons in the markets, which were sometimes associated worships
and pagan ritual.
... The people who were present at these markets were merchants, and
those who wanted to trade, and even those who had nothing to sell and
buy, but they went out with their families (just as attendance of the fairs).
The non-merchants from Mecca left Mecca on the "day of Tarwiya i.e.
watering. (AZRAQI)
(Ibn Abbas) Before Islam, Ukaz, Mijanna, Dh% l-Maj#z, were the fairs of
the people. (Bukhari).
The rebuilding of the KABA after the creation of the fair of Ukaz.
(Jubair Ibn-MUTAM) The "Messenger of Allah" was born in the year of
the elephant, the fair of Ukaz was established after fifteen years, while
and the House (i.e. the Kaba) was built at the beginning of the twentyfifth year after of the elephant. The "Messenger of Allah" started his
mission forty years after that of the elephant. (Signs of prophethood, by
Bayhaqi).

Muhammad was born on 570 AD, Muslims believe that it was the year of
the elephant, and associate that year with the alleged campaign of
ABRAHA, and we have proved previously that this assertion is wrong.
We note that the building of the KABA was after the establishment of fair
of Ukaz.
We believe that the Ukaz market had been established long time before.
Because the seasons have existed since the time of QUSSAY (400-480
aD), the second-grandfather of Shaybah Ibn Hashim known as Abd-elMuttalib, a fourth great-grandfather of the Prophet Mohammad.
We repeat:
QUSSAY imposed on the tribes of Mecca a contribution to be paid in each
season to the hands of QUSSAY himself, to offer food for poor pilgrims.
(The Sealed Nectar).
The Messenger of Allah said: Hajj is to stand in ARAFA . (Ahmad in his
Musnad) - (Abu Dawoud) - (Tirmidhi).
ARAFA or ARAFAT, is the main site of the nowadays Islamic pilgrimage
stations, distant about 22 km from Mecca, and is outside the boundaries of
the sanctuary.
The beginning was from the tribe of TAMIM.
('Abbad) A man from SUFA [tribe] used to allow the people going away
from ARAFA and to give them permission to depart from Mina. When the
day of departure [from MINA] arrived they used to come to throw pebbles,
and a man of SUFA used to throw before the men, none throwing until he
had thrown. Those who had urgent business used to come and say to him:
'Get up and throw so that we may throw with you, and he would say, No,
by Allah, not until the sun goes down; and those who wanted to leave
quickly used to throw stones at him to hurry him, saying Confound you,
get up and throw. But he refused until the sun went down and then he
would get up and throw while the men threw stones with him. (Biography
of the Prophet, by Ibn Hisham).
SUFA was a branch of TAMIM tribe.
The TAMIM tribe was one of the main tribes of Arabia; it was an
extremely large tribe. They were mostly localized in NAJD (Saudi Arabia)
in Pre-Islamic era, but had extensions everywhere in Arabian Peninsula in
pursuit of the Islamic Conquests.

ARAFA was the start point of pilgrimage, and then people flew to Mina.
It is clear from the text that TAMIM tribe dominated the season in ARAFA
and Mina, and controlled the launch throw pebbles. This indicates that the
Arab pilgrimage was their affair.
Nothing had to do the Hajj with Mecca or its Ka'ba.
Furthermore, TAMIM tribe never sanctified the Kaba of Mecca.
Hundred and fifty years before Islam, the tribe TAMIM attacked the
Kaba, and plundered the Sanctuary. (AGHANI, vol. 19, p. 10).
TAMIM Why?
TAMIM was the major of Arab tribes. It has been said that TAMIM would
have dominated all the Arabs if Islam arrived little bit later, due to the
strength and predominant force.
To show the power of that tribe:
(Ibn ISHAQ) A delegation from the tribe TAMIM went to see the Prophet.
They entered the mosque and called the Prophet, who was in his private
apartment: Oh Muhammad, come out to meet us. Their shouting annoyed
the Prophet, and so he came out to see them. They said: Oh Muhammad,
we have come to brag to you. Allah revealed verses of Koran about them
(Wahidi, Asbab al-Nuzul).
For that reason, Muhammad managed to reveal verses of Koran.
(Sura IL, v. 1-5) O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before
Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah . do not raise your voices above
the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of
some of you to others, Indeed, those who call you, [O Muhammad],
from behind the chambers - most of them do not use reason. And if they
had been patient until you [could] come out to them, it would have been
better for them..
This happened only one year before Mohammads death, when he was in
his full power.
The TAMIM tribes comprised many branches, their main land was in
NAJD region, far from the routes of trade and markets, Thus, the tribe
began inventing pilgrimage in the western Arabian Peninsula, specifically
in ARAFA, near TAIF, on the trade corridor with Byzantine Syria to the
north and Yemen to the south.
Lets now take a moment to talk about the old trade routes
The trade in the Arabian Peninsula run basic routs:

I- The oldest rout, on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula.

Goods from India, Persia and Yemen, were transported from Oman
ports to Gerrha (now Al-AHSA). From Gerrha started 2
ramifications. The first to Mesopotamia through Gerrha-Babylonia
route, while the second leaded to the Syrian markets traveling on the
route linking Gerrha, crossing The Wadi Sirhan, communicated
directly with Damascus, passing by DOUMA and BOSTRA.
The intensification of hostilities between Byzantium and Sassanian
Persia; and between their confederates, the Ghassanids and the
Lakhmids, made the caravan trade in the eastern corridor unsafe.
That is why the Romans, and hence after the Byzantines tried to find al
alternative routes.
II- The Seaway.
The Indian and Chinese goods reached the sea of Oman and Yemen,
together with goods of East Africa, were transferred to Egypt through
the Red Sea. About 120 B.C., the Greeks began to coast to India
(Poseidonius in Strabo) Ships sailed from Southern Asia directly to
Egypt along this maritime route.
During the Roman era, the piracy of South Arabs against the Roman
ships in the Gulf of Aden induced the Romans to make an expedition
to the western Arabian Peninsula, under the command of Aelius
Gallius to punish Aden.
This Red Sea route started to loose its importance by the end of the
third century AD, and subdue a big drop in the fourth century due to
the fall of the Roman Empire.
III- The Incense Route ran along the western edge of Arabias central
desert. The Roman Historian Pliny the Elder described its stages and
halts. The Incense Route served as a channel for trading of Indian,
Arabian and East Asian goods. Using of the incense trade started from
the era of the Roman Emperor Philippus Arabs, (244 to 249 aD).
The Incense Route flourished due to the reduced fleet navigating the
Red Sea, which can be attributed to weakness of the Roman Empire in
the last era, and to the engagement of the Byzantine Empire in
conflicts against Persian Sassanid Empire.
Anyhow, The scholar Patricia Crone proved that Arabic trade through
the Incense Route was really limited, while the Red Sea Route was

still in usage.
The Nabateans exercised control over the routes along the Incense
Route.
The Incense Route may be broken up into three stages:
The first part of which runs from Palmyra to Egra (now Mada'in
Salih). It was indicated clearly by Ptolemy.
This track lost a great deal of its importance by the 1st century A.D.,
when goods from southern Arabia began going directly to Egypt, bypassing Nabataea, via Leukos-Limen to Coptos and up to Alexandria.
Diminishing role of Petra seems to have been due to the enfeeblement
of this track. Trade that formerly passed northward through Petra to
Gaza was going more and more to the Egyptian coast and thence north
to the Mediterranean. This track was no longer in use by the beginning
of the Islamic era, but.
A second track on the eastern cost of Red Sea, from Egra to Nagran,
was passing by BADR, near Yathrib, and Jeddah. TAIF was an
appropriate stop for the caravans.
Mecca was established in dependency of seasonal fairs and the Arabic
pilgrimage the instituted by the tribe of TAMIM, as being on beaten
tracks.
The continuation of this Incense Route, was the way from Nagran to
Yemen. Most of tits stages are well identified.
Secondary Routes.
1 - The route along the southern coast of the Arabian Peninsula
towards Oman.
2 - A route starting from the south of the Arabian Peninsula to Gerrha,
hence to the old eastern route to continue on to Babylonia, either by
land, either in boats up the Arabian Gulf and Euphrates River.
3 - A track starting from KHAYBAR, northern of actual Mecca,
crossing the desert of Arabian Peninsula through Wadi BATN, to
Gerrha, hence, towards north to Kuwait, arriving in Mesopotamia.
This track was heavily frequented in the Islamic era.
4 - A track starting near Yathrib, passing by TAYMA and DOUMA up
to Babylon.
Later, On the 6th century, the Byzantine Empire allied with Abyssinia.

After invasion of Yemen, Axum kingdom extended its influence on the

trade routes in the Red Sea, recouping some of the importance of the
old Sea Route of the commerce between Asia and Africa from one side
and Syria and Egypt from the other one. This caused a gradual
abandonment of the incense road of the West Arabian Peninsula at the
rise of Islam.
Axum remained a strong, though weakened, empire and trading power
until the rise of Islam in the 7th century.
Eventually, the Islamic Empire took control of the Red Sea and most
of the Nile, forcing Axum into economic isolation.
***
As said upwards, the pilgrimage in the Arabian Peninsula prior to Islam
was a congregation of people in celebration points. The primary intent of
pilgrimage assembly was the trade and commerce in annual fair markets,
similar to the remembrance feasts of patrons, held everywhere.
The TAMIM tribe had a prominent role at Uk#$ fair. The responsibility
for admission to the fair was allotted to fractions of the tribe.
(Al-KALBI) It was claimed that the control over the fairs (MAWASIM)
and the judgeship of Uk#$ fair belonged to the tribe of Tam(m, through its
various fractions, with one of them exerting control over the fair, while
[another] exerted control over the judgeship. Someone of them combined
both functions (Marz%q(, Times and Places).
Although the pilgrimage is connected to the sequence of markets of the
Arabs, it was actually peripheral to it.
(AZRAQI) When they had finished the stoning with pebbles and wanted
to leave Mina, SUFA held both sides of the hill and kept the men back. No
one left until they had gone first. When SUFA left and had passed on, men
were left to go their own way and followed them. This was the practice
until they were cut off. After them the next of kin inherited. It was
SAFWAN [fraction] who gave permission to the pilgrims to depart from
ARAFA, and they maintained this right up to Islam. (History of Mecca).
(KISTER) The duties entrusted to TAMIM in Mecca and in the markets of
Mecca are a convincing evidence of the important role played by TAMIM
in establishing of the economic power of Mecca.
(Ibn Habib) The leaders of the tribes in the MAWASIM and their judges at

Ukaz were the members of TAMIM.

(Ibn al-Kalbi) Every Arabic Patrician was attending his local market, but
only in Ukaz market, all of them were gathered, as it was the greatest of
those markets. (FAKIHI, History of Mecca).
This was the origin of the Hajj, the pilgrimage was not called, but it was a
trade seasons in the markets, which were sometimes associated worships
and pagan ritual.
(Zubayr ibn Bakkar) Ukaz market was held for twenty days starting from
the day of the new moon of the Arabic month preceding that of pilgrimage.
And then market Majanna was held for the last ten days of the month.
With the new moon of the month of pilgrimage, the market of Dhu alMajaz was held for eight days. Then people went to Mina and ARAFA for
the pilgrimage (Hajj). (Book of Genealogies).
Also the famous orientalist Julius Wellhausen, on the basis of evidence,
argued that the fairs of Uk#$, Majanna and Dh% l-Maj#z originally existed
apart from Mecca. (Remains of Arabian Paganism).
At an earlier time, People of Mecca would only trade with merchants who
frequented the markets of Dh% l-Maj#z and Uk#$ during the sacred
months.
Muhammad went often to those markets.
(Ibn Abbas) The Prophet, accomplished with some of his Companions,
went deliberately to Ukaz market. (Narrated within the fantastic story of
the JINNs).
(JABIR) For ten years, the Prophet followed by people in their homes and
in the seasons (MAWASIM) in Majanna and Uk#$, to announce the
messages of his Lord. (Narrated by Ahmad and others).
In fact Muhammad practiced pagan pilgrimage.
(RABIA) I saw the "Messenger of Allah" standing on ARAFA with the
infidels during the pre-Islamic era, and I saw him standing in Islam in
same position.
(Ibn MUTAM) During the pre-Islamic era, on the day of ARAFA
pilgrimage, I lost a camel. I went to research for it within ARAFA , as I
saw Muhammad attending the pilgrimage in ARAFA, I said to myself:
That man is from Mecca, why he is here?

Tirmidhi and also demonstrates in his SUNAN from the presence of

Muhammad in pagan pilgrimage, at least twice.
(JABIR) The Prophet performed pilgrimage three times, two of which
before his emigration to Yathrib, and once more combined with lesser
pilgrimage after the conquest of Mecca. (Tirmidhi).
(Ibn al-JAWZY) The Prophet of Allah performed pilgrimage (to
ARAFA) many times before and after his [alleged] prophesy. No body
knows the real number of pilgrimage performed by him, but all were done
voluntarily.
(Ibn-ATHIR) The Prophet performed pilgrimage [to ARAFA] every year
before emigrating to Yathrib.
Therefore, the Prophet introduced pilgrimage in his Islam.
Muslims are trying to appeal according to another tradition.
(QATADA) I said to Anas ibn Malik (N.o.A: He was the servant of
Muhammad): How many times did the Prophet performed pilgrimage? He
said: Only one, but he performed lesser pilgrimage (UMRA) four times:
Once during the month preceding that of pilgrimage (Sic! when?), the
second time at HUDAYBIYYA, the third time was the Umrah of
JURANA after distributing the booty of HUNIEN, and the last one when
combined with his pilgrimage (Hajj). (Tirmidhi).
Considering HUDAYBIYYA as a lesser pilgrimage cannot be accepted.
We will see also that the Umrah of JURANA is a big lie.
Anyhow, this tradition regards the pilgrimage to Mecca only, coined by
Muhammad himself. Mecca was outside the range of the pre-Islamic
pilgrimage.
By a text of Koran, Islam maintained the concept of trade in seasons for
the Arabs.
(Sura II, v. 198) There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from
your Lord [during Hajj]. But when you depart from 'ARAFA, remember
Allah at al-Mash'ar al-Haram..
The supreme interpreter of the Koran, Ibn Abbas, added to the above text
"in the seasons of Hajj" (an integration of the verse which is deleted from
the actual Koran). Ubay ibn-KAB recited the verse in the same way.
Provisions or Bounty means earnings or profits by commerce. (Bukhari) (Tabarani) - (History of Mecca, AZRAQI ).
The concept was the profit, not that of religious visit in the
Mohammedans tradition.

(Ibn Abbas) The people of Yemen made pilgrimage without provisions,

saying: We are on reliance. They used to beg the people of Mecca, so
Allah "revealed":
... (Sura II, v. 197) no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you
do, Allah knows it. And take provisions, . (Bukhari, vol. 2 - n. 598) (Reasons of Revealing, Wahidi).
We have to remember that in the period preceding Islam, the importance of
the commercial route had waned, and therefore the importance of Mecca
decreased considerably.
See the book Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam, by Patricia Crone.
The above-mentioned markets vanished due to two main reasons:
- Amendments of Muhammad on the solar calendar.
The lunar calendar is not appropriate for the time of convening those
markets. The chief effect of the transformation of the calendar was the
disappearance of the old fairs and markets.
- Arab control large parts of Persia, Syria and Egypt.
Arabs dominated both the eastern and southern shores of the
Mediterranean; only northern shores were left to Byzantium. All historians
agreed that the new situation led to the splitting of the commerce across
the sea into two sections, with no connection in-between, especially in the
beginning of the eighth century AD, thus modifying the entire system of
trade. The trade with the Byzantines was reduced to a very large extent.
For instance, the export of papyrus from Egypt to Constantinople was
stopped, while the Arabs continued to import timber from Anatolia. As for
wheat, which was sent from Egypt to Constantinople, now found its way
to the Arabian Peninsula.
Arabian traders continued transporting goods to Constantinople through
the Persian Gulf to Anatolia to Twabzon port on the Black Sea, and then to
Constantinople, out of reach of the Umayyad, since the early eighth
century AD, at least.
Trade of Arab Muslims was directed toward the Far East.
As a result, Syria and Egypt suffered an economic drop since the thirties of
the eighth century and a complete stop since about the year 750 AD.
And, of course, that was not done suddenly, but it was little bit gradual.
(AZRAQI) These markets in Ukaz, Majanna and Dh% l-Maj#z continued
to be held under Islam in its initial times. Ukaz was abandoned in the year

129 of Hijra (746 aD), during the rebellion of some Islamic groups.
Majanna and Dh% l-Maj#z were abandoned soon after. The people made
trade in markets held in Mecca, Min# and ARAFA. (History of Mecca).
The last of the markets of the pre-Islamic era to be abandoned was S%q
'ub#sha, where Ethiopian goods were treated.
The term MAWASIM now refers to the pilgrimage sites themselves;
meanwhile, the fairs of Ukaz, Majanna and Dh% l-Maj#z went into
oblivion.
In fact, Muhammad subtracted the control of Hajj from TAMIM in favor
of the people of Mecca.
... Aktham ibn al-SAYFI said: Oh members of TAMIM tribes! If Allah
wanted to establish a state, He would have created people like these of
Mecca; they are created by Allah, not by men. (MUNAMAQ, The News of
People of Mecca).
This clearly demonstrates the People of Mecca were inherited the rituals
that belonged to TAMIM.