ABSTRACT
Every generous mind is the most readily delighted and incited to great deeds by novel events. Wherefore, in order to satisfy many of this disposition, I will add concisely the custom which is observed in their sacrifices. Every man and woman kills at least two or three, and some four and some six sheep; so that I really believe that on the first day more than 30,000 sheep are killed by cutting their throats, facing the east. Each person gives them to the poor for the love of God,1 for there were about 30,000 poor people there, who made a very large hole in the earth, and then put in it camels’ dung, and thus they made a little fire, and warmed the flesh a little, and then ate it.3 And truly, it is my opinion, that these poor men came more on account o f their hunger than for the sake of the pardon; and as a proof that it was so, we had a great number of cucumbers, which came from Arabia Felix, and we ate them all but the rind, which we afterwards threw away outside our tent. And about forty or fifty of the said poor people stood before our tent, and made a great scrambling among themselves, in order to pick up the said rinds, which were full o f sand. By this it appeared to us
They then return to the valley o f Muna, where their tents are pitched, and sacrifice the victims. On the 10th, the tents are struck, and the pilgrims re-enter Meccah.”
