Semi-weekly herald., 1910-04-11
kHeplvE OF EGYPT AIDS isLAM's
SWAY BY VISIT TO MECCA.
CBy William f. Curtis, Correspondent
of the Chicago Record-Herald)

| WASHINGTON.-An event OF great
Significance in the Mohammedan world
was the recent pilgrimage of the khe-
dive of Egypt TO Mecca and other holy
places. He had never been there be-
fore, and his piety was, therefore un-
der a. certain degree OF suspicion, be-
cause 1t is not only the duty of all
faithful Moslems to visit the tomb of
the prophet. but it is considered the
highest privilege that can be enjoyed
oil earth and secures for the pilgrim a
rank among believers, and n place in
heaven TO which every one aspires.
The pilgrimage was made with great
ceremony. The khedive reached Jed.
dab, the seaport of Mecca, by way of
the Suez canal and the Red sea, wear
ing the pilgrims dress called hiram
He thus humbled himself in order that
he might be exalted. On his journey
from Jeddah to Mecca under the es-
cort of the grand sheriff. ell Islam, or
archbishop. at that point, he was at
tended by group of Bedouin sheiks,
in their picturesque dress, and enter
ed the Holy City before daybreak. The
khedive, like the sultan of Turkey
sends to the Holy City every year
sacred carpet for the Gaaba, the
mosque which is the object of the
pilgrimage, and large sums of money
for charity and for the religious schools
which were endowed by his illustrious
ancestors. and on this occasion he
brought the carpet with him. Before
daylight he made the prescribed cir
cult of the House of God, kissed the
Black Stone. which is believed to have
been the pillow of Jacob on the night
when the angels descended to him,
and drank of the water of the sacred
tZemzem we'll, like all other pilgrims.
At sunrise his presence was an
lnounced to the inhabitants of Mecca
and TO some 100000 foreign pilgrims
who were eagerly awaiting his arrival
by a salute of twenty-one guns fired
from the Turkish fort, and from that
time his movements were attended
with publicity.
A special service was held in the
prophets mosque, at which all of the
Moslem dignitaries were present. and
as many pilgrims as could be crowd
ed into the courtyard and the cloisters
which surround It, 1t was an imposing
spectacle, and the khedive rendered
special reverence to the Kaaba or the
Sacred Stone, which stands in the cen
ter of the court yard, draped with a
cloth of spun gold, the symbol of the
grandeur of the One Idea which has
been the soul and the life of Islam
Throughout the ages.
The khedive made all the pilgrim
ages that are required of the faithful.
He visited all the houses of charity
and left large sums of money at each,
and received an ovation from the as
sembled pilgrims whenever he appear
ed in public.
His visit has been of special signin-
canoe because it is the first pilgrim
age that has been made TO Mecca by
a representative of his house since the
days of Mehemet Ali, his great-great-
grandfather, and by venerating the
tomb of the prophet he has not only
. strengthened himself in the respect
and affections of the Mohammedans,
but has revived and stimulated the
loyalty of others. Since the overthrow
of the sultan of Turkey, who is the
nominal head of the church, and the
shah OF Persia, and the sultan of
Morocco. both of whom have been
loyal and generous in their support OF
Mohammedism. there has been rapid
decline in the influence of the mullahs
and other ecclesiastics, who have been
unable TO explain TO the satisfaction
of their congregations why these SOW
ereigDs who We're supposed to he un-
: der the special protection of the proph.
ct. should suffer disaster like ordi
} nary infidels. The faith of the intelli
gent has thus been rudely shaken, and
thoughtful Moslems have reached the
conclusion that the time has come fo.
them 70 discard ancient traditions and
follow the example of the infidels, by
educating their people and adopting
the habits and customs of modern
; times.
As has already been stated in these
letters, a convention of delegates from
all the Moslem world is to assemble
at Cairo in 1911 for the purpose of
discussing this momentous question
and its conclusions are awaited with
interest by the statesmen of Europe
because of the. consequences upon the
future development of civilization In
Turkey. Arabia, Persia. India. Turkes.
tan. Egypt. Morocco and other coun.
tries. where there is large Moham.
medan population.
The visit of the khedive was no
doubt intended to stimulate the faith
OF believers. in anticipation of the pan.
Islam congress which is to be held at
his capital. While every good Moslem
endeavors to earn the coveted title of
Pilgrim OF the Faith" and the priyi.
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