From Ibn Battuta to Malcolm X: the Hajj As Described by Six Major Writers in France

The hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, has been a transformative journey for millions of Muslims over the centuries. Six major writers, from the 14th-century traveler Ibn Battuta to the 20th-century civil rights leader Malcolm X, have left vivid accounts of their experiences. For Muslims, the hajj is considered an opportunity for a fresh start and can be the most transformative — even transcendent — experience of a lifetime.

While a version of the ritual was practiced in Arabia before the Prophet Mohammed began preaching his message, the Islamic rite dates to 628 CE, the year the prophet and his followers were allowed to perform the pilgrimage after a treaty with the Meccan clans ended years of conflict. The following year, in 629, Muslim armies conquered Mecca and removed all idols from the Kaaba and its surroundings — an event that marked the end of polytheistic practices in Mecca and the beginning of exclusively monotheistic worship. The earliest descriptions of the hajj are largely third-person accounts mentioned in the hadiths, which recount the acts and words attributed to the Prophet Mohammed. Malcolm X performed the hajj less than a year before his assassination (Library of Congress).