Pelerinage à la Mecque

Lausanne; Paris: La Bibliothèque des Arts, 1980. First French-language edition. Hardcover. g. Folio. 216pp. Original photo-illustrated dust-jacket over white leatherette with gold lettering on spine and front cover. Pictorial endpapers. This remarkable photography book follows the journey of hundreds of thousands of Muslims arriving in the holy city of Mecca for the annual hajj pilgrimage, one of the world’s largest human assemblies. The hajj, is one of the five pillars of Islam, and a religious duty which must be carried out by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so at least once in his or her lifetime. The state of being physically and financially capable of performing the Hajj is called istita'ah and a Muslim who fulfils this condition is called a mustati. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God (Allah in the Arabic language). The word Hajj means “to intend a journey,” which connotes both the outward act of a journey and the inward act of intentions. The striking color photographs taken by Abdelaziz Frikha takes us to an incredible journey filled with fervor, and emotion. Minor shelf wear. Text pages partly annotated in ink and highlighted. Minor age-toning along paper margin. Text in French. DJ, binding and interior in overall good condition.