Russell: Guess where the most trodden-upon place on earth is.
拉塞尔:猜猜世界上最多人到过的地方是哪里?
Lindsey: A big city like New York, perhaps?
林赛:是像纽约这样的大城市吗?
Russell: Maybe. But one of the most trodden-upon places is Mecca, because every Muslim, whatever his or her ethnicity, social position and culture are, must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his lifetime. That's a religious duty.
拉塞尔:可能吧,但麦加是最多人到过的地方之一,因为每个穆斯林,不论他或她的种族、社会地位和文化背景,一生都至少要到麦加朝拜一次。那是一种宗教责任。
Lindsey: I see what you are driving at. Every year there is a gathering of pilgrims before the Kaaba in Mecca. It's called the Hajj.
林赛:我明白你想说什么了。每年在麦加的克尔白前,都有朝圣者的集会,这是穆斯林的朝觐。
Russell: Is it an annual event?
拉塞尔:这是每年都要进行的吗?
Lindsey: Yes, it is. It occurs in the last month of the Islamic calendar. During the week of the Hajj, processions of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims could be seen going towards Mecca. They would all wear Ihram. What a scene that would be. But non-Muslims are not allowed to enter Mecca.
林赛:是的。时间是伊斯兰教历的最后一个月。在朝觐的那个星期,可以看到成千上万人的朝圣者队伍朝着麦加前进。他们都会穿朝圣服。那一定是个壮观的场景。但是非穆斯林不准进入麦加。
Russell: This thing sounds very devout.
拉塞尔:听起来好虔诚。
Lindsey: It's an important way for Muslims to promote the bond of Islamic brotherhood and sisterhood, and to strengthen their faith in Allah.
林赛:朝觐对穆斯林来说,是一种增强教徒间情谊的方式,也是坚定他们对安拉的信仰。