In this module, we will focus on how religion was celebrated on a daily basis in the Medieval Middle East. This was a very diverse world, both in terms of religion and ethnicity. We find people of different religions or belonging to creeds of the same religion living alongside each other and sharing many rituals. One of these shared rituals was the visiting of holy places and shrines. Muslims and Non-Muslims, could travel long ways to honor the memorial of a holy man's achievements or death. You will hear how they did so, often together at the same place, and how they also shared holy objects. Sometimes acquired as memoranda of such visits. For Muslims to Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca was of course the journey of all journeys, and that is why we start here. We will do this by taking you along the Darb Zubayda. Probably the most famous pilgrimage trail in the history of Islam. It will show you the impact of the Hajj on the life of individual Muslims, the organization of society, and even the landscape. The Darb Zubaydah leads from Kufa in Iraq to the Hejaz. That is to say, the cities Mecca and Medina in Arabia. It is named after Zubaydah, the wife of the famous Abbasid Caliph, Harun al-Rashid. The same Caliph who appears in many of the stories of a 1001 Nights. Darb simply means roads. Thus, Darb Zubayda means the road of Zubayda. During the Abbasid reign, the center of the empire was in the area that is now Iraq, both in terms of trade or economics and in terms of intellectual life, this was the place to be. Since making the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in your lifetime, is an obligation for every Muslim man and woman. It is not surprising that the roads from Kufa to Mecca was an important one. On the road, we also find another important city, namely Najaf. In Najaf, we find the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the nephew and son-in-law of the prophet Muhammad. Especially for Shia Muslims, Ali is one of the most important people of their religion. The word Shia, derives from Shia at Ali, the party of Ali. But also for Sunni Muslims, Ali is an important religious historical figure. Thus both in medieval times and nowadays, Najaf is an important pilgrimage destination. In fact, after Mecca and Medina, Najaf receives most pilgrims. Though Darb Zubayda existed since the early days of Islam, and probably has pre-Islamic routes. It was Queen Zubayda who really devoted herself to making the road outstanding. She invested in large water stations where caravans replenished and water supplies, and in smaller water points for the poorer pilgrims who traveled on foot. There were milestones along the road and fire beacons. There were fortresses, dams, palaces, and hostels. Moreover, she appointed the superintendent, who was in charge of keeping the roads safe. Many names of these road attendance have been preserved. Keeping the pilgrims safe both on their journey towards Mecca and while performing the Hajj, was a matter of great prestige. Within the Islamic world, the role of protector of the Pilgrims and the pilgrimage sites, remains until this day a very important one. Pilgrimage would not be an easy two week trip with older luxury that modern pilgrims enjoy. It really was a journey of a lifetime. It was expensive, took a long time, and was full of dangers. One medieval writer informs us about a lady traveling with 120,000 camels. But most pilgrims, traveled a much more modest circumstances. The pilgrimage was not just a religious obligation. It was also an opportunity for trade and for what we would now call, networking. For many medieval writers, it becomes clear that not only people and goods, but also ideas traveled along these pilgrimage roads. We have accounts of travelers, who took years to get to Mecca. Along the way, they would stop at mosques, universities, or libraries, staying for many months to receive teaching or debate their viewpoints on topics ranging from religion to science and politics. Others would use to opportunity for commercial purposes. Though for many Muslims to journey to Mecca, would never become more than a dream. The Islamic obligation to travel, shape trade, knowledge transfer, and ultimately society. The Hajj formed an annual rhythm of Muslims moving in and out of Mecca, and even for those staying at home, the pilgrimage season was noticeable. They too celebrated the sacrifice feast at the end of the annual Hajj. After the fall of Baghdad in 1258, Darb Zubayda lost its status it once had. Already under the ambassador, tribal rates formed a problem. But with the central administration in Baghdad gone, this became even more of an issue. So, other pilgrimage routes became popular. This had always been the case. When there was war or political troubles, some trails would be preferred over others with people making extensive detours to avoid certain areas. However, Darb Zubayda never disappeared. Even in the 19th century, European travelers noted that the road was still used as a pilgrimage trail. In 2015, a proposal has been filed to include Darb Zubayda as UNESCO World Heritage. Indeed, the remains of the forts, the palaces, and the water wells that are still present, are historical witnesses of what life must have been like along Darb Zubayda in medieval times. It also gives us an indication of the efforts that people undertook and still undertake to make this journey. Darb Zubayda and Hajj, is one example of how religion was celebrated on a daily basis. In this case, by Muslims of different denominations. Further on in this module, we will examine how this worked at a local level and including inter-religious encounters.