Funding and impact of pilgrimage to Mecca in western Africa (XIe –XVIe century)

Abstract

The pilgrimage as the fifth pillar of Islam has been and still remains a major factor in the relations between sub-Saharan Africans and the populations of the Arab world. Between the 12th and 16th centuries, many kings, emperors and free men made the pilgrimage to Mecca. Much expense was incurred by the pilgrims of Western Sudan throughout their journey. These pilgrimages were made possible thanks to public and private financial resources. Beyond its purely religious dimension, the pilgrimage generates political, social, cultural and economic effects. The combination of pilgrimage with commercial activities is experienced by the Muslim populations of Western Sudan and even Central Sudan, throughout the history of their contact with the Arab-Muslim world.

Keywords: pilgrimage, finance, expenditure, mosque, Middle Ages, state