I have heard Arabs confess that their nation possesses nine-tenths of the envy that exists among all mankind collectively; but I have not seen any written authority for this. Ibn-´Abbás assigns nine-tenths of the intrigue or artifice that exists in the world to the Copts, nine-tenths of the perfidy to the Jews, nine-tenths of the stupidity to the Maghrabees, nine-tenths of the hardness to the Turks, and nine-tenths of the bravery to the Arabs. According to Kaạb El-Aḥbár, reason and sedition are most peculiar to Syria, plenty and degradation to Egypt, and misery and health to the Desert. In another account, faith and modesty are said to be most peculiar to El-Yemen, fortitude and sedition to Syria, magnificence or pride and hypocrisy to El-´Irák, wealth and degradation to Egypt, and poverty and misery to the Desert. Of women, it is said by Kaạb El-Aḥbár, that the best in the world (excepting those of the tribe of Ḳureysh mentioned by the Prophet) are those of El-Baṣrah; and the worst in the world, those of Egypt.[235] FOOTNOTES: [214] The call to prayer which is chanted from the mádinehs (or minarets) of the mosques. It is as follows:--"God is most great!" (four times). "I testify that there is no deity but God!" (twice). "I testify that Moḥammad is God's Apostle!" (twice). "Come to prayer!" (twice). "Come to security!" (twice). "God is most great!" (twice). "There is no deity but God!" [215] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil, section 9. The iḳámeh differs from the adán in adding "The time for prayer is come" twice after "come to security." [216] The dóraḳ has a long narrow neck, the ḳulleh a short wide one. [217] See Modern Egyptians, chap. xiv. [218] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil, section 9. [219] Compare Exodus xiii. 13; and xii. 46. [220] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil, section 9; and Mishkát el-Maṣábeeḥ, ii. 315, f. [221] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil, section 9. [222] Ibid. [223] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil, 1.1. [224] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil, section 2. [225] Idem., section 7. [226] Ḳur-án, xxiii. 117. [227] "God! there is no deity but He," etc., Ḳur. ii. 256. [228] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil, section 9. [229] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil, section 9. [230] An analogous custom is mentioned in a note appended to the account of circumcision in chap. ii. of my work on the Modern Egyptians. [231] Mir-át ez-Zemán, events of the year 302. [232] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil, section 9, and Misḳát el-Maṣábeeḥ, ii. 86. [233] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil, section 6. [234] See Modern Egyptians, ch. xviii. [235] El-Maḳreezee's Khiṭaṭ, and El-Isḥáḳee. CHAPTER IX. WOMEN.