ABSTRACT
One of the most interesting phenomena for the student of the three monotheistic religions is that of their absorption and adaptation of ancient pagan material. Pre-Islamic heritage and attempts to interpret it are abundant in Islam as well as in Judaism and Christianity, but perhaps nowhere to such an extent as in Islam. The Ḥadjdj is doubtless a pre-Islamic heritage, and not only is scholarly research fully aware of this, but also classical Islamic tradition, which nonetheless accepts its central position in Islam. The Qurᐣān's prohibition against idolaters participating in the Ḥadjdj should be considered as a basic step in the way of cutting the ties that linked the pre-Islamic Ḥadjdj with that of the Muslim. However, al-Ghazzālī was well aware that in fact he would not be able to sublimate all the rites of the Ḥadjdj by interpreting them in various ways.
