An account of the manners and customs of the modern EgyptiansLane, Edward William
History
An account of the manners and customs of the modern Egyptians
Lane, Edward William
Egypt -- Social life and customs
Wine, and all inebriating liquors, are forbidden, as being the cause of
“more evil than profit.”[165] Many of the Muslims, however, in the
present day, drink wine, brandy, etc., in secret; and some, thinking it
no sin to indulge thus in moderation, scruple not to do so openly; but
among the Egyptians there are few who transgress in this flagrant
manner. “Boozeh,” or “boozah,” which is an intoxicating liquor made with
barley-bread, crumbled, mixed with water, strained, and left to ferment,
is commonly drunk by the boatmen of the Nile, and by other persons of
the lower orders.[166] Opium, and other drugs which produce a similar
effect, are considered unlawful, though not mentioned in the Kur-án; and
persons who are addicted to the use of these drugs are regarded as
immoral characters; but in Egypt, such persons are not very numerous.
Some Muslims have pronounced tobacco, and even coffee, unlawful.
The eating of swine’s flesh is strictly forbidden. The unwholesome
effects of that meat in a hot climate would be a sufficient reason for
the prohibition; but the pig is held in abhorrence by the Muslim chiefly
on account of its extremely filthy habits.[167] Most animals prohibited
for food by the Mosaic law are alike forbidden to the Muslim. The camel
is an exception. The Muslim is “forbidden [to eat] that which dieth of
itself, and blood, and swine’s flesh, and that on which the name of any
beside God hath been invoked; and that which hath been strangled or
killed by a blow, or by a fall, or by the horns [of another beast]; and
that which hath been [partly] eaten by a wild beast, except what he
shall [himself] kill; and that which hath been sacrificed unto
idols.”[168] An animal that is killed for the food of man must be
slaughtered in a particular manner: the person who is about to perform
the operation must say, “In the name of God! God is most great!” and
then cut its throat, at the part next the head, taking care to divide
the windpipe, gullet, and carotid arteries; unless it be a camel, in
which case he should _stab_ the throat at the part next the breast. It
is forbidden to utter, in slaughtering an animal, the phrase which is so
often made use of on other occasions, “In the name of God, the
Compassionate, the Merciful!” because the mention of the most benevolent
epithets of the Deity on such an occasion would seem like a mockery of
the sufferings which it is about to endure. Some persons in Egypt, but
mostly women, when about to kill an animal for food, say, “In the name
of God! God is most great! God give thee patience to endure the
affliction which He hath allotted thee!”[169] If the sentiment which
first dictated this prayer were always felt, it would present a
beautiful trait in the character of the people who use it. In cases of
necessity, when in danger of starving, the Muslim is allowed to eat any
food which is unlawful under other circumstances. The mode of slaughter
above described is, of course, only required to be practised in the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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