Meccans' practice in the month of Rajab

Meccans' practice in the month of Rajab, which is dedicated to the Lesser Pilgrimage, the ʿumra.

وإذا هَلَّ هلال رجب أمر أمير مكة بضرب الطبول والبوقات إشعارًا بدخول الشهر، ثم يخرج في أول يوم منه راكبًا ومعه أهل مكة فرسانًا ورجالًا على ترتيب عجيب، وكلهم بالأسلحة يلعبون بين يديه، والفرسان يجولون ويجرون، والرجالة يتواثبون ويرمون بحرابهم إلى الهواء ويلقفونها، والأمير رميثة والأمير عطيفة معهما أولادهما وقوادهما مثل محمد بن إبراهيم وعلي وأحمد ابني صبيح وعلي بن يوسف وشداد بن عمر وعامر الشرق ومنصور بن عمر وموسى المزرق وغيرهم من كبار أولاد الحسن ووجوه القواد، وبين أيديهم الرايات والطبول والدبادب وعليهم السكينة والوقار، ويصيرون حتى ينتهوا إلى الميقات، ثم يأخذون في الرجوع على معهود ترتيبهم إلى المسجد الحرام، فيطوف الأمير بالبيت والمؤذن الزمزمي بأعلى قبة زمزم يدعو له عند كل شوط على ما ذكرناه من عادته، فإذا طاف صلى ركعتين عند الملتزم وصلى عند المقام وتَمَسّحَ به وخرج إلى المسعى فسعى راكبًا والقواد يَحُفّون به والحرابة بين يديه، ثم يسير إلى منزله، وهذا اليوم عندهم عيد من الأعياد، ويلبسون فيه أحسن الثياب ويتنافسون في ذلك. [١١٥-١١٦]

When the new moon of Rajab appears, the amīr of Mecca orders the drums [ṭubūl] and coiled trumpets [būqāt] to be sounded, announcing the entry of the month. Following this he goes out on the first day of the month, mounted on horseback, and accompanied by the citizens of Mecca, on horse and on foot, in marvellous procession. They all engage in games with their weapons before him—the horsemen wheeling and racing, the footmen attacking one another [in sham fighting] and throwing their javelins in the air and catching them again. The amīr Rumaytha and the amīr ʿUṭayfa are accompanied by their sons and their officers, such as Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm, ʿAlī and Aḥmad sons of Șabīḥ, ʿAlī b. Yūsuf, Shaddād b. ʿUmar, ʿĀmir al-Shariq, Manṣūr b. ʿUmar, Mūsā al-Muzraqq, and others of the principal descendants of al-Ḥasan and of the chief officers. Preceding them are the standards, drums [ṭubūl], and cylindrical drums [dabādib], and they present grave and dignified figures. They proceed thus until they reach the appointed place, when they begin on the return journey to the Sacred Mosque in their accustomed order. The amīr then makes the circuit of the House, while the muezzin of Zamzam, on the top of the pavilion of Zamzam, prays for him at the end of every circuit, according to the ceremonial observed by him as we have related it above. When he finishes the sevenfold circuit, he makes a prayer of two bowings at the Multazam, prays at the Station and touches it, and goes out to the Masʿā, where he performs the course riding on horseback, with his officers on either side and his guard of spearmen in front of him. After this he returns to his residence. This day is regarded by them as one of their great feasts, and on it they dress in their finest garments, outrivalling one another in this respect.

234

1326 circa