2 Preface وَلَيالٍ عَشرٍYusuf AliBy the Nights twice five;1By the Ten Nights are usually understood the first ten nights of Dhu al Hijjah, the sacred season of Pilgrimage. From the most ancient times Mecca was the centre of Arab pilgrimage. The story of Abraham is intimately connected with it; see 2:125-127 and notes, also first n. to 2:197. In times of Paganism various superstitions were introduced, which Islam swept away. Islam also purified the rites and ceremonies, giving them new meaning. The ten days specially devoted to the Ḥajj introduce a striking contrast in the life of Mecca and of the pilgrims. Mecca, from being a quiet secluded city, is then thronged with thousands of pilgrims from all parts of the world. They discard their ordinary dress—representing every kind of costume—to the simple and ordinary Iḥrām (first n. to 2:197); they refrain from every kind of fighting and quarrel; they abstain from every kind of luxury and self-indulgence; they hold all life sacred, however humble, except in the way of symbolical and carefully-regulated sacrifice; and they spend their nights in prayer and meditation.