The “Talbiyat” Is Allowed In Any Language, But Is Preferred In
Arabic.
It has a few varieties; the form above given is the most common.
[FN#21] The object of these
Ordinances is clearly to inculcate the
strictest observance of the “truce of God.” Pilgrims, however, are allowed
to slay, if necessary, “the five noxious,” viz., a crow, a kite, a
scorpion, a rat, and a biting dog.
[FN#22] The victim is sacrificed as a confession that the offender
deems himself worthy of death: the offerer is not allowed to taste any
portion of his offering.
[FN#23] The reason why this “ugly” must be worn, is, that a woman’s veil
during the pilgrimage ceremonies is not allowed to touch her face.
[FN#24] The Sharifs are born and bred to fighting: the peculiar
privileges of their caste favour their development of pugnacity. Thus,
the modern diyah, or price of blood, being 800 dollars for a common
Moslem, the chiefs demand for one of their number double that sum, with
a sword, a camel, a female slave, and other items; and, if one of their
slaves or servants be slain, a fourfold price. The rigorous way in
which this custom is carried out gives the Sharif and his retainer
great power among the Arabs. As a general rule, they are at the bottom
of all mischief. It was a Sharif (Hosayn bin Ali) who tore down and
trampled upon the British flag at Mocha; a Sharif (Abd al-Rahman of
Waht) who murdered Captain Mylne near Lahedge. A page might be filled
with the names of the distinguished ruffians.
[FN#25] In these lines of Labid, the “Mina” alluded to must not, we are
warned by the scholiast, be confounded with “Mina” (vulg. “Muna”), the Valley
of Victims. Ghul and Rayyan are hills close to the Wady Laymun. The
passage made me suspect that inscriptions would be found among the
rocks, as the scholiast informs us that “men used to write upon rocks in
order that their writing might remain.” (De Sacy’s Moallaka de Lebid, p.
289.) I neither saw nor heard of any. But some months afterwards I was
delighted to hear from the Abbe Hamilton that he had discovered in one
of the rock monuments a “lithographed proof” of the presence of Sesostris
(Rhameses II.).
[FN#26] The “balsamon” of Theophrastus and Dioscorides, a corruption of the
Arabic “balisan” or “basham,” by which name the Badawin know it. In the valley
of the Jordan it was worth its weight in silver, and kings warred for
what is now a weed. Cleopatra by a commission brought it to Egypt. It
was grown at Heliopolis. The last tree died there, we are told by
Niebuhr, in the early part of the seventeenth century (according to
others, in A.D. 1502); a circumstance the more curious, as it was used
by the Copts in chrisome, and by Europe for anointing kings. From Egypt
it was carried to Al-Hijaz, where it now grows wild on sandy and stony
grounds; but I could not discover the date of its naturalisation.
Moslems generally believe it to have been presented to Solomon by
Bilkis, Queen of Sheba. Bruce relates that it was produced at Mohammed’s
prayer from the blood of the Badr-Martyr. In the Gospel of Infancy
(book i. ch. 8) we read,—“9. Hence they (Joseph and Mary) went out to that
sycamore, which is now called Matarea (the modern and Arabic name for
Heliopolis). 10. And in Matarea the Lord Jesus caused a well to spring
forth, in which St. Mary washed his coat; 11. And a balsam is produced
or grows in that country from the sweat which ran down there from the
Lord Jesus.” The sycamore is still shown, and the learned recognise in
this ridiculous old legend the “hiero-sykaminon,” of pagan Egypt, under
which Isis and Horus sat. Hence Sir J. Maundeville and an old writer
allude reverently to the sovereign virtues of “bawme.” I believe its
qualities to have been exaggerated, but have found it useful in
dressing wounds. Burckhardt (vol. ii. p. 124) alludes to, but appears
not to have seen it. The best balsam is produced upon stony hills like
Arafat and Muna. In hot weather incisions are made in the bark, and the
soft gum which exudes is collected in bottles. The best kind is of the
consistence of honey, and yellowish-brown, like treacle. It is
frequently adulterated with water, when, if my informant Shaykh
Abdullah speak truth, it becomes much lighter in weight. I never heard
of the vipers which Pliny mentions as abounding in these trees, and
which Bruce declares were shown to him alive at Jeddah and at Yambu’. Dr.
Carter found the balm, under the name of Luban Dukah, among the Gara
tribe of Eastern Arabia, and botanists have seen it at Aden. We may
fairly question its being originally from the banks of the Jordan.
[FN#27] This being one of the “Muharramat,” or actions forbidden to a
pilgrim. At all times, say the Moslems, there are three vile trades,
viz., those of the Harik al-Hajar (stone-burner), the Kati’ al-Shajar
(tree-cutter, without reference to Hawarden, N.B.), and the Bayi’
al-Bashar (man-seller, vulg. Jallab).
[FN#28] This attire was customary even in Al-Idrisi’s time.
[FN#29] From India to Abyssinia the umbrella is the sign of royalty:
the Arabs of Meccah and Sena’a probably derived the custom from the
Hindus.
[FN#30] I purposely omit long descriptions of the Sharif, my
fellow-travellers, Messrs. Didier and Hamilton, being far more
competent to lay the subject before the public. A few political remarks
may not be deemed out of place. The present Sharif, despite his
civilised training at Constantinople, is, and must be a fanatic,
bigoted man. He applied for the expulsion of the British Vice-Consul at
Jeddah, on the grounds that an infidel should not hold position in the
Holy Land.
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