Upon This
Passage Mr. W. Muir (Life Of Mahomet, Vol.
I, p. cclviii.) remarks that
“the flavour of stale water bottled up for months would not be a
criterion of the same water freshly drawn.” But it might easily be
analysed.
The water is transmitted to distant regions in glazed
[p.164] earthern jars covered with basket-work, and sealed by the
Zemzemis. Religious men break their lenten fast with it, apply it to
their eyes to brighten vision, and imbibe a few drops at the hour of
death, when Satan stands by holding a bowl of purest water, the price
of the departing soul. Of course modern superstition is not idle about
the waters of Zemzem. The copious supply of the well is considered at
Meccah miraculous; in distant countries it facilitates the
pron[o]unciation of Arabic to the student; and everywhere the nauseous
draught is highly meritorious in a religious point of view.
We then advanced towards the eastern angle of the Ka’abah, in which is
inserted the Black Stone; and, standing about ten yards from it,
repeated with upraised hands, “There is no god but Allah alone, Whose
Covenant is Truth, and Whose Servant is Victorious. There is no god but
Allah, without Sharer; His is the Kingdom, to Him be Praise, and He
over all Things is potent.” After which we approached as close as we
could to the stone. A crowd of pilgrims preventing our touching it that
time, we raised our hands to our ears, in the first position of prayer,
and then lowering them, exclaimed, “O Allah (I do this), in Thy Belief,
and in verification of Thy Book, and in Pursuance of Thy Prophet’s
Example—may Allah bless Him and preserve!
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