Within the course of this paper, three readings will be analyzed. The first is the Quran, specifically the verses 26-29 of chapter 22 (The Pilgrimage) and the verses 125, 158, 189, 196-203 of chapter 2 (The Cow). The second source is the chapter The Month of Jumada ‘l-Ula in The Travels of Ibn Jubayr by Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad Ibn Jubayr. It was written in Ayyubid Sultanate at the end of the twentieth century. The topic of Ibn Jubayr’s writing is his Pilgrimage to Mecca before the Third Crusade. The third source is Islam: The Straight Path by John L. Esposito. It was written in the United States in 1988. It is the presentation of Islam religion to Western students.
The Quran verses relate to the Pilgrimage to Mecca, which ought to be accomplished by all adult men at least once in a life. The text describes rules regulating the Pilgrimage, which Allah imposed on the Muslims. Mostly, the pilgrims should experience restrictions and difficulties while regularly praying and remembering God. Particular importance is attributed to the Sacred Mosque, which is the target of the Pilgrimage. These themes resurface in Ibn Jubayr’s writing, much of which is dedicated to the description of the Sacred Mosque. Ibn Jubayr describes in detail the rituals and prayers of imams, as well as the Quran readings.
The main theme of Ibn Jubayr’s detailed account of his time in Mecca is the effort and spiritual resilience needed to complete the Pilgrimage. It is further explored in Esposito’s Islam: The Straight Path, which explains the significance of the Pilgrimage in Islam’s history. Although the growth of Islam’s influence was rapid, it was achieved through war and conquest. Nevertheless, Mohammad preached piety and called upon Muslims to have virtuous lives. Esposito notes that there is a common misconception about Islam as an inherently violent religion because of Jihad. In reality, it is not even an official pillar of Islam, but rather a moral obligation to have a personal struggle. The most important struggle is overcoming one’s flaws and temptations in following God.
Overall, it is possible to connect each reading to Muhammad’s hadith. Whereas the Quran is the undisputed word of Allah, the hadith represents the teachings and actions of Muhammad himself. The Quran verses represent the source of all Islam, which were written word by word by Muhammad. Ibn Jubayr’s writing contains numerous references to Muhammad’s life, which are known due to his hadith. Esposito analyzes the religion, which is based on both the Quran and Muhammad’s hadith. Hadith provided the needed interpretation and explanation of the Quran.
An overarching theme of adherence to a life of struggles and restrictions in the name of Allah. They may take the form of the Pilgrimage, which takes a lot of effort to complete by Islamic traditions. However, the Pilgrimage to Mecca is a part of a larger struggle, which each Muslim endures. It is seen in Ibn Jubayr’s devotion to the Quran and Mohammad’s teachings. Islam is a demanding religion, requiring exhausting faith from its followers. The subsequent question is: if Muhammad and his followers preached about peace, the virtues of life, and the importance of personal restrictions, where did the stereotype of Islam as an inherently aggressive and violent religion originate?