A ‘Mahmal’ was an empty, richly decorated carriage, which was mounted on a camel and journeyed annually from Cairo to accompany the Hajj pilgrim caravan to Mecca. On his journey toward Mecca in year 1326, Ibn Battuta was lucky enough to witness the illustrious mahmal procession ceremony in the bustling streets of Cairo. In this episode, we try to unfold the meaning of this devotional object and associated practices.

Professor Richard J. A. McGregor explores religion at the intersections of philosophy, theology, aesthetics, and embodiment. His latest book Islam and the Devotional Object: Seeing Religion in Egypt and Syria published by Cambridge University Press traces the turbulent lives of key religious objects: the precious dress sewn for the Ka’ba: Kiswa, and large colorful sedan chairs mounted on camels: the Hajj Mahmal.

What we cover in this episode

• What is the Hajj mahmal 
• The role of Egypt in dispatching annual Hajj Mahmal to Mecca
• The historic, social, and political context of Hajj Mahmal 

Conversation key insights

•  Mahmal guards its secrets; there are plenty of outstanding questions that we have never been able to answer.  
• The guiding structure of the Islamic calendar is pilgrimage. 
•  Making a Kiswah, the dress covering the Ka’ba, happens every year, from pre-Islamic era up until today.
• The political story of producing and dispatching both Kiswa and Mahmal has been always an inextricable part of the ritual.
• We can mark middle of the 13th century to the early of 20th for the Egyptian Mahmal, we can call it Cairene Egyptian Mahmal Parades. With the rise of the House of Saud, inspired by Wahhabi version of Islam, mahmal ritual entered the last chapter of its 700 years life.
• Mahmal was not simply a symbol of a royal authority, instead it had a rich interpersonal life with Muslims all along its life at each stage.
• The energy of mahmal ceremony was contagious, whether you are Egyptian, Copt, Muslim, or non-Muslim, the Mahmal would get you.

Terms

• Barakah: Blessing
• Zovvar: plural for Zaer, pilgrim 

A passage from the book

This is the day of the procession of the Mahmil round the city, a festival day. Their ceremonial on this day is as follows. The four Grand jurists, the Intendant of the Treasury, and the Muhtasib, all are mounted, and along with them ride the principal jurists, the syndics of the heads of corporations, and the officers of state. They all proceed together to the gate of the citadel, the residence of al-Malik al-Nasir, whereupon the mahmil comes out to meet them, borne on a camel,  and preceded by the amir who has been designated for the journey to the Hijaz in that year. All classes of the population, both men and women, assemble for this ceremony, then they go in procession with the mahmil round the two cities of al-Qahira and Misr.... This takes place in Rajab, and thereupon resolves are inflamed, desires are excited, and impulses are stirred up, and God Most High casts into the heart of whom He will of His servants the determination to set out upon the Pilgrimage, so they start to equip themselves and to make preparations for it. [The Travels of Ibn Battuta, Translated by Hamilton Gibbs,  Hakluyt Society]

Recommended reading
 Islam and the Devotional Object: Seeing Religion in Egypt and Syria, Richard J. A.

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