1), based upon the
taste of Zemzem, are unfounded.
In these days a critic cannot be
excused for such hasty judgments; at Calcutta or Bombay he would easily
find a jar of Zemzem water, which he might taste for himself. 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! O Allah, I extend my Hand to
Thee, and great is my Desire to Thee! O accept Thou my Supplication,
and diminish my Obstacles, and pity my Humiliation, and graciously
grant me Thy Pardon!” After which, as we were still unable to reach the
stone, we raised our hands to our ears, the palms facing the stone, as
if touching it, recited the various religious formulae, the Takbir, the
Tahlil, and the Hamdilah, blessed the Prophet, and kissed the
finger-tips of the right hand. The Prophet used to weep when he touched
the Black Stone, and said that it was the place for the pouring forth
of tears. According to most authors, the
[p.165] second Caliph also used to kiss it. For this reason most
Moslems, except the Shafe’i school, must touch the stone with both hands
and apply their lips to it, or touch it with the fingers, which should
be kissed, or rub the palms upon it, and afterwards draw them down the
face. Under circumstances of difficulty, it is sufficient to stand
before the stone, but the Prophet’s Sunnat, or practice, was to touch it.
Lucian mentions adoration of the sun by kissing the hand.
Then commenced the ceremony of Tawaf,[FN#6] or circumambulation, our
route being the Mataf—the low oval of polished granite immediately
surrounding the Ka’abah. I
[p.166] repeated, after my Mutawwif, or cicerone,[FN#7] “In the Name of
Allah, and Allah is omnipotent! I purpose to circuit seven circuits
unto Almighty Allah, glorified and exalted!” This is technically called
the Niyat (intention) of Tawaf. Then we began the prayer, “O Allah (I do
this), in Thy Belief, and in Verification of Thy Book, and in
Faithfulness to Thy Covenant, and in Perseverance of the Example of the
Apostle Mohammed—may Allah bless Him and preserve!” till we reached the
place Al-Multazem, between the corner of the Black Stone and the Ka’abah
door. Here we ejaculated, “O Allah, Thou hast Rights, so pardon my
transgressing them.” Opposite the door we repeated, “O Allah, verily the
House is Thy House, and the Sanctuary Thy Sanctuary, and the Safeguard
Thy Safeguard, and this is the Place of him who flies to Thee from
(hell) Fire!” At the little building called Makam Ibrahim we said, “O
Allah, verily this is the Place of Abraham, who took Refuge with and
fled to Thee from the Fire!—O deny my Flesh and Blood, my Skin and Bones
to the (eternal) Flames!” As we paced slowly round the north or Irak
corner of the Ka’abah we exclaimed, “O Allah, verily I take Refuge with
Thee from Polytheism, and Disobedience, and Hypocrisy, and evil
Conversation, and evil Thoughts concerning Family, and Property, and
Progeny!” When fronting the Mizab, or spout, we repeated the words, “O
Allah, verily I beg of Thee Faith which shall not decline, and a
Certainty which shall not perish, and the good Aid of Thy Prophet
Mohammed—may Allah bless Him and preserve! O Allah, shadow me in Thy
Shadow on that Day when there is no Shade but Thy Shadow, and cause me
to drink from the Cup of Thine Apostle Mohammed—may Allah bless Him and
preserve!—that pleasant Draught after which is no Thirst to all Eternity,
O Lord of Honour and Glory!” Turning the
[p.167] west corner, or the Rukn al-Shami, we exclaimed, “O Allah, make
it an acceptable Pilgrimage, and a Forgiveness of Sins, and a laudable
Endeavour, and a pleasant Action (in Thy sight), and a store which
perisheth not, O Thou Glorious! O Thou Pardoner!” This was repeated
thrice, till we arrived at the Yamani, or south corner, where, the
crowd being less importunate, we touched the wall with the right hand,
after the example of the Prophet, and kissed the finger-tips. Finally,
between the south angle and that of the Black Stone, where our circuit
would be completed, we said, “O Allah, verily I take Refuge with Thee
from Infidelity, and I take Refuge with Thee from Want, and from the
Tortures of the Tomb, and from the Troubles of Life and Death.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 56 of 170
Words from 56427 to 57458
of 175520
