┌───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┐ │ d │ w │ w │ a │ w │ o │ h │ a │ b │ h │ ├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤ │ i │ o │ i │ s │ o │ t │ d │ t │ t │ w │ ├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤ │ w │ o │ a │ a │ a │ i │ e │ n │ i │ i │ ├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤ │ t │ s │ d │ n │ t │ h │ i │ a │ a │ e │ ├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤ │ o │ t │ t │ n │ t │ u │ w │ t │ d │ h │ ├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤ │ t │ i │ a │ e │ s │ f │ l │ i │ n │ u │ ├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤ │ e │ l │ n │ j │ c │ a │ d │ t │ o │ c │ ├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤ │ r │ o │ h │ y │ e │ o │ w │ y │ p │ e │ ├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤ │ f │ r │ w │ e │ d │ i │ o │ i │ a │ e │ ├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤ │ l │ n │ s │ c │ t │ l │ g │ h │ e │ h │ └───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┘ For an example, suppose the finger to be placed on the letter _e_ in the sixth line: we take, from the table, the letters _e n j o y p e a c e a b s t a i n a n d_ which compose this sentence: “Abstain, and enjoy peace;” the sentence always commencing with the first of the letters taken from the uppermost line. It will be seen that the table gives only five answers; and that, if we proceed as above directed, we must obtain one of these answers, with whatever letter of the table we commence. It will also be observed that the framer of the table, knowing that men very frequently wish to do what is wrong, and seldom to do what is right, and that it is generally safer for them to abstain when in doubt, has given but one affirmative answer, and four negative.[391] Some persons have recourse to the Kur-án for an answer to their doubts. This they call making an “istikhárah,” or application for the favour of heaven, or for direction in the right course. Repeating, three times, the opening chapter, the 112th chapter, and the verse above quoted, they let the book fall open, or open it at random, and, from the seventh line of the right hand page, draw their answer. The words often will not convey a direct answer; but are taken as affirmative or negative according as their general tenor is good or bad, promising a blessing, or denouncing a threat, etc. Instead of reading the seventh line of this page, some count the number of the letters “khá” and “sheen” which occur in the whole page; and if the “khás” predominate, the inference is favourable: “khá” represents “kheyr,” or “good:” “sheen,” “sharr,” or “evil.”