Why did pilgrims wear ritual clothing and avoid bloodshed at ancient Arabian sanctuaries?

In ancient Arabian religion, sanctuaries were designated as a haram—a sacred, inviolable enclosure set apart from the mundane world. Pilgrims were required to wear specific ritual clothing and abstain from bloodshed to maintain the sanctity of these spaces and ensure their own ritual purity.12

These practices were governed by an ancient code of ritual cleanliness. By entering the haram in ritual dress and remaining unarmed, pilgrims demonstrated their transition into a holy state, separating themselves from the violence and impurities of everyday life. Throughout pre-Islamic Arabia, these rules were supported by "truces of God," which allowed people from various tribes to attend annual pilgrimages in security. This state of consecration ensured that the sanctuary remained a focal point of divine blessing, free from the conflicts that might otherwise occur in the secular landscape. These customs were so foundational that they continue to form the core of the modern Islamic hajj.21