Joseph Pitts (author) facts for kids

Joseph Pitts (born 1663, died around 1735) was an English traveler. When he was about 14 or 15 years old, in 1678, pirates captured him in Algiers, Algeria. He was taken as a slave.

Joseph Pitts spent over 15 years as a slave. During this time, he had three different masters. He traveled with them to places like Cairo and Alexandria. He managed to escape between 1693 and 1694.

In 1704, Pitts published a book about his experiences. It was called A True and Faithful Account of the Religion and Manners of the Mohammetans. This book described his capture and his life as a slave. It also gave some of the first English descriptions of Islamic customs.

While he was a slave, Pitts became a Muslim. He was the first Englishman to write about the hajj, which is a special pilgrimage. Pitts also wrote about the people of North Africa in the 1600s. He described their food, clothes, religious customs, marriages, and how their economy worked. His book was the first detailed description of Islam by a European in the 17th century.

Pilgrimage to Mecca

Joseph Pitts made a journey to Mecca to complete the hajj. This happened when he was with his third master. He had become a Muslim under his second master, Ibrahim. Pitts left for the hajj around 1685.

His book described many parts of the Islamic pilgrimage. This included the large groups of travelers called caravans. He also wrote about the special rites in Mecca. And he described the traditional visit to Medina.

First Steps of the Hajj

As a pilgrim, Pitts took part in the first rites when he arrived in Mecca. This time included the pilgrims' first tawaf, which is walking around the Kaaba. They also cleaned themselves and drank water from the Zamzam Well. Then they completed the sa'i.

Today, the sa'i is done inside the Masjid al-Haram mosque in Mecca. But in Pitts's time, and until the 1950s, this part of the pilgrimage was done on the street.

Mount Arafat Visit

In his book, Pitts wrote about leaving Mecca to visit a hill. He called it “Gibbel el orphat,” which is now known as Mount Arafat. He saw pilgrims performing a special prayer called wuquf at Arafat.

Pitts explained that this is where pilgrims earn the respected title of hajji. He described how pilgrims prepared for their prayers and rites on the hill. They would "beg earnestly for the remission of their sins." They would also "promise newness of life." This would continue for about four or five hours.

Life with His Masters

Joseph Pitts served three different masters during his time as a slave. Each master treated him differently. We don't know much about his first master. However, his second master, Ibrahim, treated him very badly.

When Pitts was first captured, he mentioned that he and other slaves were given very little food. Many slaves saw others being beaten and hurt.

Pitts's story then talks about slaves being pressured to change their religion. He wrote that some people claimed slaves were never forced to become Muslim. However, even after Pitts became a Muslim, Ibrahim still treated him cruelly. He would beat Pitts until he bled.

Pitts described his third and final master as treating him like a son. This master had no children or relatives. Even after Pitts was given his freedom, he chose to stay with him. In Islamic teachings, freeing a slave was seen as a very good and religious act. It was believed that this act could help a master be forgiven for their sins.

When Pitts decided to leave and return to England, he felt torn. He wondered if he should leave his kind master. His master had even promised to leave all his belongings to Pitts after his death.