The most refined and intelligent Mohammedans are not of opinion, that God is the author of all good and evil; but maintain that every man who follows the direct or good way, has the protecting eye of God upon him, and that God is with him; but that, if he withdraw his influence from any one, then evil or misfortune ensues; not actively from God, but passively from the withdrawing of that protecting influence; that this is an act of the Almighty, which cannot be easily comprehended by our weak reason: and that it is not willed by him with approbation, but necessarily. The Mohammedan thinks himself unworthy to prostrate himself before God, until he be clean and undefiled: this opinion makes ablutions so necessary; of which there are three kinds: the first is El gasul (the g pronounced guttural), which is an immersion of the whole body, and is performed by the affluent, or those in easy circumstances; the second is El woden, which is a washing of the hands, fingers, and arms, up to the elbows, the feet, face, and head, the sexual parts, the mouth and nostrils, the toes, separately and singly; and this should be repeated three times: the third mode of purification is practised only in the Desert, where the difference is the substitution of sand for water, as the latter can seldom be procured there. Charity is considered a cardinal virtue, and an indispensible duty: those, however, who possess not five camels, or thirty sheep, and 200 pieces of silver, are not considered as obligated to give alms; for it is held, that the alms-giver should not injure himself. It is expected that a person of good property ought to give a muzuna[161] in a mitkal, which is equivalent to 6_d._ in the pound, to the poor, out of his annual profits, which being calculated at the end of the sacred month of Ramadan, the people have ten days to prepare their donations, when the feast of L’ashora commences, and the poor go about to the inhabitants to collect their respective donations, which they call (mtâa Allah) _God’s property_.[162] During the fast of the moon, or month of Ramadan (which, from their years being lunar, happens at various periods of the year), they are very rigorous; it is necessary that the fast should be begun with an intention in the heart to please God: during this month they do not eat, nor even smell food, drink, smoke, nor communicate with women, from the rising to the setting sun; but at night they eat plentifully. Even those who indulge in wine at other times, refrain from it in the sacred month of Ramadan.