Presentation of the book Spanish Muslim Pilgrims to Mecca

The Spanish Mecca-Medina High Speed Rail Consortium presented this work, published with the cooperation of of the Spanish Geographic Society and Casa Árabe, on January 22 at the Casa Árabe headquarters in Madrid. 

This is a historical work intended for general audiences which describes the legacy of the most notable travelers, scientists and sages from Al-Andalus who complied with the Islamic precept of making the pilgrimage to Mecca.

In all, it includes 15 great names that contributed in one way or another to the development of science, culture and geographic knowledge in Al-Andalus and brought East and West closer together.

Participating in the event held at Casa Árabe were the president of Renfe, Isaías Táboas; the president of the Mecca-Medina High Speed Rail Consortium, Jorge Segrelles; the Vice-President of the Spanish Geographic Society, Javier Gómez-Navarro, and the General Director of Casa Árabe, Pedro Martínez-Avial.

Amongst the historical profiles figures profiled in  Spanish Muslim Pilgrims to Mecca are:

Al-’Udhrī. Geographer and chronicler of his homeland and his time
Abū Ḥāmid al-Garnāṭī. A tireless traveler and prodigious writer
Ibn al-Shayj. An architect fascinated by the Lighthouse in Alexandria
Ibn Jubayr. A Rhila who went down in History
Ibn al-Bayṭār. A doctor and botanist who was a great sage in the Muslim world
Al-Shushtarī. Creator of the mystical Zéjel
Ibn Sa’īd al-Magribī. Poet, geographer and traveler
Ibn ‘Arabī. The greatest of all the masters
Ibn Sab’īn. A controversial personage
Al-Sāḥilī. The poet of Architecture
Ibn Khaldoun. The Father of Modern History
Al-Qalaṣādī. The master of mathematical thought
Ibn aṣ-Ṣabbāḥ. A Mudéjar pilgrim
Omar Patun. Of Castilian origin but with a Muslim soul
The Pilgrim of Puey Monçon. Beauty and courage in “aljamiado” poetry

Attending the presentation of the work were collaborators and representatives of the companies which form part of the Haramain high-speed train project, the Spanish Geographic Society and Casa Árabe.