Critique de Choice

Among the duties incumbent on every able-bodied Muslim is that of making the hajj, or the pilgrimage to Mecca, once in a lifetime. In Islam, however, as Peters points out in the introduction, pilgrimage is not only a ritual filled with deep religious meaning but also a cultural, social, and commercial phenomenon. Peters draws on travelers' firsthand accounts and, by weaving these accounts into a connected narrative, provides a literary history of this central Islamic institution, from its inception in the pre-Islamic era to the modern period. The texts forming the bulk of this work have been selected with care and organized into a richly detailed narrative that highlights the characteristic features of the pilgrims' experience over time. The author makes no claim to be exhaustive or comprehensive in his treatment. Although some readers will need to read the work in conjunction with more specialized treatments of the hajj, it provides an overall perspective that is both unique and compelling, and its does so gracefully and with a sense of respect for those who have been the actors in the history here recounted. Essential reading for those who wish to view the institution in historical perspective; detailed notes and an extended bibliography for those who wish to delve further. Maps and drawings; a large number of photographs. Highly recommended to all academic libraries supporting Islamic studies, anthropology, and the history of religion. General; lower-division undergraduate through graduate. M. Swartz; Boston University