to fall upon a Friday. This is a most auspicious occasion. M. Caussin
de Perceval and other writers, departing from the practice of (modern?)
Islam, make “Hajj al-Akbar” to mean the simple pilgrimage, in opposition to
the Umrah, which they call “Hajj al-Asghar.”

The following compendium of the Shafe’i pilgrim-rites is translated from
a little treatise by Mohammed of Shirbin, surnamed Al-Khatib, a learned
doctor, whose work is generally read in Egypt and in the countries
adjoining.

CHAPTER I.—OF PILGRIMAGE.[FN#5]

“Know,” says the theologist, with scant preamble, “that the acts of Al-Hajj,
or pilgrimage, are of three kinds:—

[p.282]
“1. Al-Arkan or Farayz; those made obligatory by Koranic precepts, and
therefore essentially necessary, and not admitting expiatory or
vicarious atonement, either in Hajj or Umrah.
“2. Al-Wajibat (requisites); the omission of which may, according to some
schools,[FN#6] be compensated for by the Fidyat, or atoning sacrifice:
and—
“3. Al-Sunan (pl. of Sunnat), the practice of the Prophet, which may be
departed from without positive sin.

“Now, the Arkan, the ‘pillars’ upon which the rite stands, are six in
number,[FN#7] viz.:—

“1. Al-Ihram (‘rendering unlawful’), or the wearing pilgrim garb and avoiding
certain actions.