Islam has the great advantage of offering not only a religious
doctrine, but a social and cultural tradition separate from, and equal
or superior in many respects to, that of Christian Europe. Centuries
of theological and artistic achievement can be drawn upon. Pilgrims making the journey to Mecca (usually by jet airliner rather than camel train) will be greeted by the spectacle of vast assemblies of the faithful from all over the world with whom to exchange experiences.