Books About Hajj

A coffee table photography book: Mecca the Blessed, Medina the Radiant

There are a lot of books available about making the journey to hajj.  Rihla is the classical Arabic term used for the genre of travel writing, particulary for the sake of Allah. Works by hajjis (male) and hajjas (female) abound. The earliest of these works are nearly a thousand years old.  There are travelogues, highly personal meditations, scholarly collections, and books barely disguising various political or religious agendas.  The vast majority of books come from Muslims from many times and many countries. Yet some of the writing comes from non-Muslims who entered Mecca by deception and surprisingly, by Muslims who seem ambiguous about their intentions for making hajj in the first place (e.g. modern authors making hajj for the sake of a book contract)  There is also a hajj traveler or two out there who never definitively say if they even are Muslim.   Nonetheless, by doing a little investigating, you may find a book or two on the hajj experience that truly resonates with you, and helps you to prepare mentally for the journey you want to undertake.  The recollections of others–with their hardships, rewards and insights–may help you to keep your own difficulties in perspective and inspire you to try just a little bit harder for your own successful hajj.

For Muslims who would like to add to their personal, school or mosque libraries and Muslims who  purchase or want to recommend purchases to academic or public libraries, here is a small selection among the many available titles.  Sources for the commentaries are linked to each title.