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
cases of domestic animals. Most kinds of fish are lawful food:[170] so
also are many birds; the tame kinds of which must be killed in the same
manner as cattle; but the wild may be shot. The hare, rabbit, gazelle,
etc., are lawful food, and may either be shot, or killed by a dog,
provided the name of God was uttered at the time of discharging the
arrow, etc., or slipping the dog, and he (the dog) has not eaten any
part of the prey. This animal, however, is considered very unclean: the
Sháfe’ees hold themselves to be polluted by the touch of its nose, if it
be wet; and if any part of their clothes be so touched, they must wash
that part with seven waters, and once with clean earth: some others are
only careful not to let the animal lick, or defile in a worse manner,
their persons or their dress, etc. When game has been struck down by any
weapon, but not killed, its throat must be immediately cut: otherwise it
is unlawful food.
Gambling and usury are prohibited,[171] and all games of chance; and
likewise the making of images or pictures of anything that has
life.[172] The Prophet declared that every representation of this kind
would be placed before its author on the day of judgment, and that he
would be commanded to put life into it; which not being able to do, he
would be cast, for a time, into hell.
The principal _civil_ and _criminal laws_ remain to be stated. Their
origin we discover partly in customs of the Pagan Arabs, but mostly in
the Jewish Scriptures and traditions.
The civil and criminal laws are chiefly and immediately derived from the
Kur-án[173]; but, in many important cases, this highest authority
affords no precept. In most of these cases the Traditions of the Prophet
direct the decisions of the judge.[174] There are, however, some
important cases, and many of an inferior kind, respecting which both the
Kur-án and the Traditions are silent or undecisive. These are determined
by the explanations and amplifications derived either from the
concordance of the principal early disciples, or from analogy, by the
four great Imáms, or founders of the four orthodox sects of El-Islám;
generally on the authority of the Imám of that sect to which the ruling
power belongs, which sect, in Egypt, and throughout the Turkish Empire,
is that of the Hanafees: or, if none of the decisions of the Imám relate
to a case in dispute (which not unfrequently happens), judgment is given
in accordance with a sentence of some other eminent doctor, founded upon
analogy.—In general, only the principal laws, as laid down in the Kur-án
and the Traditions, will be here stated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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