raising both hands for prayer and facing the Qiblah; then he went to the second Jamrah and after throwing stones there again proceeded a little further, then stood for a long time raising both hands for prayer facing the Qiblah, and last of all he came to the last Jamrah and departed after throwing stones there (Bu. 25:142). It is true that in the ḥajj many pre-Islamic practices were retained, but as has been shown above, the origin of these practices is traceable to Abraham, and every one of them carries with it a spiritual significance. The whole atmosphere of ḥajj is a demonstration of the greatness of God and the equality of man. The ḥajj is, as it were, the final stage in man’s spiritual progress. Yet in spiritual advancement the temptations of real life must not be forgotten, and the throwing of stones draws attention to the temptations of the Evil one. To live in perfect peace is the message of Islām, but there is no peace of mind for the man who is tempted by evil. The throwing of stones teaches the lesson that man must learn to hate evil and that the Evil one should be kept distant a stone’s throw. The nearer a man gets to temptations, the more likely he is to yield, and the best way of avoiding them is to keep them at a distance. The throwing of stones is, moreover, a reminder of the spiritual fight which man must wage against evil.

Other activities allowed in pilgrimage

Though ḥajj is meant to bring about an ascetic experience in man’s practical life, yet so closely combined are the ascetic and secular experience in Islām, that the utilizing of the pilgrimage to Makkah for secular purposes is not excluded. The Holy Qur’ān, while enjoining the making of sufficient provision for the ḥajj journey, adds: “It is no sin for you that you seek the bounty of your Lord” (2:198). The seeking of bounty is accepted here by all commentators as meaning the seeking of increase in one’s wealth by means of trade in the pilgrimage season. Explaining this verse, Ibn ‘Abbās says that Dhu-l-Majāz and ‘Ukāẓ were markets for trade in the pre-Islamic times. The Muslims however did not like the idea of mixing up the spiritual lessons of Pilgrimage with material advantages, until this verse was revealed which allowed the carrying on of trade in the pilgrimage season (Bu. 25:150). These markets were held in or near ‘Arafāt, from