It
Commences With The Formula Pronounced At The Beginning Of Their
Reading On All Occasions Whenever An Animal Is Slaughtered For Food,
And Upon The Undertaking Of All Important Actions Whatever:
"In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate.
Praise
be to God, the Lord of the Creation, the all-merciful, the
all-compassionate! Ruler of the day of reckoning!
"Thee we worship, and Thee we invoke for help. Lead us in the straight
path - the path of those upon whom thou hast been gracious, not of
those that are the objects of wrath or that are in error."
The Moslem faithful pray five times in the twenty-four hours: in the
morning before sunrise, at noon, before sunset, after sunset, and
before the first watch of the night: and that these observances were
not originally instituted merely that their prayers might be seen
before men, would appear from the injunction which lays down that
"what is principally to be regarded in the duty of prayer, is the
inward disposition of the heart, which is its entire life and spirit,
the most punctual observance being of no avail if performed without
devotion, reverence, attention, and hope."
Prayer was held by Mahomet to be the "pillar of religion" and the
"key of paradise," and in the performance of it, his disciples are
enjoined to lay aside their ornaments and costly habits, and all that
might savour of either pride or arrogance.
Its observance, however, at five stated times appears to be nowhere
mentioned in the Koran, although the custom is now an essential part,
and the most noticeable and characteristic feature of Mahomedanism.
Saints and sinners join equally in the form. A crime just committed,
or one in immediate contemplation, in no way interferes with the
"five-time prayers," and the neglect of them amounts to an abnegation
of the Faith. The summons to prayer was originally only one sentence,
"To public prayer." Mahomet, however, afterwards bethought himself
that a more elaborate and striking call would be an improvement,
and the present "Azzan," or call to prayer, was introduced.
While the matter was under discussion, Mahomet being unable to decide
upon any suitable form, a certain Abdallah dreamed that he met a man
arrayed in green raiment carrying a bell. Abdallah sought to buy it,
thinking it would just suit the Prophet for assembling together the
Faithful. The stranger, however, replied, "I will show you a better
way than that; let a crier call aloud -
"Great is the Lord! great is the Lord!
I bear witness that there is no God but the Lord;
I bear witness that Mahomet is the Prophet of God!
Come unto prayer, come unto happiness -
God is great! God is great! There is no God but the Lord!"
Mahomet, learning the particulars of Abdallah's dream, believed it to
have been a vision from on high, and sent his servant forthwith to
execute the Divine command. Ascending to the top of a lofty house,
this first of established Muezzins, on the earliest appearance of
light, startled all around from their slumbers with the newly-adopted
call, adding to it, "Prayer is better than sleep! Prayer is better
than sleep!" And ever since, at the customary five hours, have his
successors thus summoned the people to their devotions.
Concerning the future state, the Mahomedan believes that all will
be examined at the day of Judgment as to their words and actions in
this life.
"Their time, as to how they spent it; their wealth, by what means they
acquired it, and how they employed it; their bodies, wherein they
exercised them; their knowledge and learning, what use they made of
them," &c. "They enter Paradise, however, not by their own good works,
but by the mercy of God. At that day each person will make his defence
in the best manner he can, endeavouring to find excuses for his own
conduct by casting blame on others; so much so, that disputes shall
even arise between the Soul and Body. The Soul saying, "Lord, I was
created without a hand to lay hold with, a foot to walk with, an eye
to see with, or an understanding to apprehend with, until I came and
entered the Body : therefore punish it, but deliver me." The Body,
on the other side, will make this apology, "Lord, thou createdst me
like a stock of wood, being neither able to hold with my hand, nor to
walk with my feet, till this Soul, like a ray of light, entered into
me, and my tongue began to speak, my eye to see, and my foot to walk:
therefore punish it, but deliver me." Then shall the following parable
be propounded: - "A certain king having a pleasant garden, in which
were ripe fruits, set two persons to keep it, one of whom was blind,
and the other lame - the former not being able to see the fruit,
nor the latter to gather it. The lame man, however, seeing the fruit,
persuaded the blind man to take him on his shoulders; and by that means
he easily gathered the fruits, which they divided between them. The
lord of the garden coming some time after, and inquiring after the
fruit, each began to excuse himself; the blind man said he had no eyes
to see it with, and the lame man that he had no feet to approach the
trees. Then the king, ordering the lame man to be set on the blind,
passed sentence on them both, and punished them together.
"In like manner shall be judged the Body and the Soul."
Such are some few of the religious tenets of those among whom one's
lot is cast while wandering in the East. Sunk for the most part in
ignorance, and held as infidels for wanting faith in what they never
heard, they nevertheless attract attention chiefly by their Faith,
and by their zealous worship of the Being, whom, although in darkest
ignorance as to His attributes and laws, their original creed would
teach them to believe the one Eternal God.
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