TEHRAN -- Author Hassan Reza-Rafiei is convinced that Iranians are the most active people among the nations of the world in writing travelogues on the hajj pilgrimage that contain in-depth texts.

“As far as I know, Iranians have made significant efforts in writing literary works on the central theme of the hajj,” he told the Persian service of MNA.
“The attention paid by Iranians to the hajj originates in historical literature and spans to the present. A good example can be seen in a travelogue penned by the Persian poet and philosopher Naser Khosrow (1004-1088),” he remarked.
“The focus on the hajj has increased over the past 3 decades. Of course, there are fewer texts written in poetry and fiction on the hajj, which may be because the hajj is a subject more appropriately discussed in a travelogue than in a work of fiction,” he said.
“Contemporary writers Ali Shariati and Jalal Al-e Ahmad have significant works on the hajj which have the potential to turn the hajj into an international topic.”
Translated works written on the hajj are necessary. “We can carry our message on the hajj to the world through translation. There are several publishers active in this field that could publish translated texts for a worldwide audience.
“Arabic is the language of the world of Islam while English is an international language. It would be preferable to translate Persian texts on the hajj into both of these languages,” he suggested.
hajj is a journey that brings new feelings and sensations if even it is repeated. It is a journey that never gets old and anybody will receive his or her own unique impressions from the journey, he said
“Even reading a travelogue on the hajj is an enjoyable experience and that is why these types of travelogues are read and reread several times over without loosing their enchantment,” he said.
The Travelogue “Dark City of Lights and a Mosque without Mihrab” is among the books written by Reza-Rafiei.