This study examines, from a historical-critical perspective, the alleged pilgrimage to Mecca and Hajj undertaken by the German traveler Heinrich Freiherr von Maltzan in the 19th century. The research first considers Western travelers who visited Mecca for various purposes before Maltzan; then, Maltzan's journey, undertaken under a Muslim identity, is evaluated in detail within the framework of his route and observations. The narrative, progressing through Alexandria, Cairo, the Nile Valley, Qena, Qusayr, Yanbu, Jeddah, and Mecca, highlights the social, cultural, religious, and ethnographic dimensions of the Hajj journey. Maltzan's observations on Hajj sites and practices such as the Kaaba, the Masjid al-Haram, the Black Stone, Zamzam, Tawaf, Sa'i, Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Mina are critically analyzed. One of the main discussions of the study is the question of the authenticity of Maltzan's journey. In this context, Ulrike Freitag's research evaluates the inconsistencies and verifiability problems in travel narratives. The work also examines Maltzan's approach to interpreting religious traditions through a historical-critical and intuitive method; his Eurocentric, orientalist, and at times biased assessments. Finally, the Western interest in pilgrimage and the Holy Land is discussed within the context of colonialism and applied orientalism, using the example of Christian Snouck Hurgronje.
Keywords: Heinrich Freiherr von Maltzan; Hajj; Mecca; Historical-Critical Method; Orientalism
German Traveler von Maltzan's Visit to Mecca and the Hajj
-A Historical-Critical Evaluation-
This study examines, from a historical-critical perspective, the visit to Mecca and the Hajj that the German traveler Heinrich Freiherr von Maltzan claimed to have undertaken in the nineteenth century. It first discusses Western travelers who visited Mecca before Maltzan for various purposes and then analyzes Maltzan's journey, during which he assumed a Muslim identity, with particular attention to his itinerary and observations. His route through Alexandria, Cairo, the Nile Valley, Qina, Qusayr, Yanbu, Jeddah, and Mecca provides the framework for examining the social, cultural, religious, and ethnographic dimensions of the pilgrimage. Particular attention is given to Maltzan's descriptions of the Kaʿba, al-Masjid al-Haram, the Black Stone, Zamzam, circumambulation, saʿy, ʿArafat, Muzdalifa, and Mina. A central issue addressed in the study is the authenticity of Maltzan's pilgrimage narrative. In this context, Ulrike Freitag's research, inconsistencies in Maltzan's account, and the question of historical verification are critically assessed. The study further analyzes Maltzan's historical-critical and intuitive approach to religious traditions as well as his Eurocentric, Orientalist, and occasionally prejudiced judgments. Finally, Western interest in the Hajj and the Holy Cities is discussed within the broader framework of colonialism and applied Orientalism, particularly through the example of Christian Snouck Hurgronje.
Keywords: Heinrich Freiherr von Maltzan; Hajj; Mecca; Historical-Critical Method; Orientalism
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