Richard Burton – A Secret Pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina

Preface

When it first appeared in 1855, Richard Francis Burton’s memoir of travelling disguised as a Muslim to Islam’s most sacred places stunned readers.  A combination of groundbreaking anthropology and hair-raising devil-may-care adventure, the book was unlike any they’d read. It also introduced a man unlike any seen before — or since. A fearless soldier, spy and explorer, brilliant linguist and scholar, compulsive provocateur and libertine, and prolific writer and translator (most famously of the Arabian Nights and the Kama Sutra), Burton emerged as one of the most famous, infamous and fascinating figures of his age.

Now, The Folio Society is proud to present Sir Richard Francis Burton’s Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah.

The greatest real-life adventure of a larger-than-life adventurer.

Burton conceived his project during his military service in India, where he absorbed the local cultures and often travelled disguised as a native.  Knowing he would certainly be killed if the pilgrims entering Meccah learned he was European, Burton meticulously studied the intricate details of Muslim traditions and manners — and even had himself circumcised.  One of the few non-Muslims to ever participate in the Hajj, the holy pilgrimage to Meccah, Burton’s keen, detailed observations of the people, culture, places and rituals remain invaluable to scholars, while his inimitable personal voice, vivid storytelling, provocative insights, scathing wit and effortless resourcefulness in the face of constant danger have thrilled readers for generations.

The Edition Sir Richard Francis Burton’s Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah features the complete and unabridged text of Burton’s dazzling account.

First published: London: Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans, 1855-6 under the title “Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to El-Medinah and Meccah”. “The text of this edition follows that of the 1879 edition published by William Mullan & Son, with minor emendations, and with the omission from the Appendices of A. Sprenger’s ‘Notes on My Journey’.

The British explorer Sir Richard F. Burton (1821-90) was a colourful and often controversial character.  A talented linguist and keen ethnologist, he worked in India during the 1840’s as an interpreter and intelligence officer for General Sir Charles Napier and published several books about his experiences in 1851-2.  He first gained celebrity, however, for his adventurous 1853 trip to Mecca, under the disguise of a pilgrim, which is described in this lively three-volume publication (1855-6).  Few Europeans had ever visited the Muslim holy places.  This book vividly describes the heat and dangers Burton underwent during his journey to Medina, the behaviour and conversation of the pilgrims from many different tribes and nations, and the mosques, tombs and other sights of the bustling city, complete with traders and beggars.

This book vividly describes the heat and dangers Burton underwent during his journey to Medina, the behaviour and conversation of the pilgrims from many different tribes and nations, and the mosques, tombs and other sights of the bustling city, complete with traders and beggars.