The holy city Medina

These illustrated pages probably originate from a manuscript that functioned as a guide for Muslims who desired to perform the pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina (the Hajj). All Muslims who have the physical and material means to do so are encouraged to visit Mecca at least once in their lifetimes. The focus of the pilgrimage is the structure known as the Kaaba, the most sacred site in Islam. It is located at the center of the courtyard of the Great Mosque in Mecca (in Saudi Arabia). This page shows the Mosque of the Prophet in the city of Medina.

In addition to representing a map, guides such as this one would include prayers for different stages of the journey and traveler's advice. Guides for pilgrims to Mecca and Medina were often produced for and by communities that lived a considerable distance away, many of whom would never have been able to visit. Of interest here, the artist incorporated architectural features—the bulbous domes, the intricately carved marble screens, and the pagoda-like minarets—that were more characteristic of the south central region of the Indian
subcontinent than of Mecca.