The sword of Islam (1905) (14598056198)

Identifier: swordofislam00woll (find matches)
Title: The sword of Islam
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Wollaston, Arthur Naylor, Sir, 1842-1922
Subjects: Islam -- History
Publisher: New York : E.P. Dutton and Co.
Contributing Library: Princeton Theological Seminary Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive



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the Hindus wander to Egypt, to Thibet, and tothe inhospitable Caucasus; the classic philosophersvisited Egypt, the Jews annually flocked to Jerusalem,and the Tartars and Mongols (Buddhists) journey todistant Lama serais. The spirit of pilgrimage waspredominant in mediaeval Europe, and the processionsof the Roman Catholic Church are, according to hervotaries, modern memorials of the effete rite. Before entering upon any description of the modein which the pilgrimage is carried out, it may be wellto notice some incidental matters, not only in them-selves worthy of attention, but in regard to which aclear understanding is necessary to make intelligiblethe account of the Hajj which will follow :— The temple of Mecca, is an oblong square en-closed in a great wall, the measurement of which isvariously estimated. Burckhardt reckons it at 440yards long, by 352 broad, while Burton gives thedimensions as 452 yards by 370. None of the sidesare quite in a straight line, though a casual observer
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CHAP. XI.) TEMPLE OF MECCA 345 would not detect the irregularity. On the easternside the open square is enclosed by a colonnade,round which are pillars in a quadruple row, beingthree deep on the other sides; these are united bypointed arches, every four of which support a domeplastered and whitened on the outside. These domesare 152 in number. The pillars are about 20 feet inheight, and generally from one foot and a half to onefoot and three quarters in diameter, being more orless irregular. Some are of white marble, graniteor porphyry, but the greater number are of commonstone from the mountains of Mecca. Between everythree or four columns stands an octagonal pillarabout four feet in thickness. On the east side aretwo shafts of reddish grey granite in one piece, andone of fine grey porphyry, with slabs of white felspar.On the north side is one red granite column, aswell as a pillar of fine grained red porphyry. Someparts of the walls and arches are gaudily painted instripes of yellow