Observations on the Mussulmauns of India: Descriptive of Their Manners, Customs, Habits and Religious Opinions Made During a Twelve Years' Residence in Their Immediate SocietyMeer Hasan Ali, Mrs.
Islamic
Observations on the Mussulmauns of India: Descriptive of Their Manners, Customs, Habits and Religious Opinions Made During a Twelve Years' Residence in Their Immediate Society
Meer Hasan Ali, Mrs.
India -- Social life and customs; Muslims -- India
Many Kauflaahs from the Upper Provinces of India, travel overland to
Bombay; others make Calcutta their place of embarkation, in the Arab ships,
which visit those ports annually with returning pilgrims from Arabia,
cargoes of coffee, Arabian fruits, and drugs. Some few enterprising people
make the whole pilgrimage by land; this is, however, attended with so many
and severe difficulties, that but few of the present day have courage to
attempt it. In those cases their road would be from Delhie to Cashmire,
through Buckaria,[3] making a wide circuit to get into Persia. This is the
most tedious route, but possesses the advantages of more inhabited places
on the line of march, and therefore provisions are the more readily
procured. There is one route from the Lahore Province,--the English
territory here is bounded by the river Suttledge, which the traveller
crosses into the Sikh country,--through Afghastaan and Persia. I have not
heard of the Kauflaahs making this their road of late; there seems to be
always a disposition to fear the Sikhs,[4] who are become a powerful
nation under Runjeet Singh; but I am not aware what ground the pilgrims
have for their distrust, except that they can scarcely expect the same
courtesy from these people as from the Mussulmauns, who would naturally
aid and assist the pilgrims, and respect the persons thus labouring to
accomplish the command of their Prophet.
Whatever may be the chosen route, the pilgrims must make up their minds to
many trials necessarily incident to the undertaking; and to the habits of
the Mussulmauns of India, I cannot suppose any fatigue or trial greater
than the voyage by sea, in an Arab vessel. It is well for those persons
whose hearts have undergone that thorough change, which by the law fits
them for the Hadje; with such men, earthly calamities, privations, or any
other mere mortal annoyances, are met with pious fortitude, having
consolations within which strengthen the outward man: in all their trials
they will say, 'It is in the road of God, by Him cometh our reward'.
The duty of the pilgrims, on their arrival at the Holy Place, is to
worship God, and visit the tombs of the Prophets. There are forms and
regulations to be observed in the manner of worship; certain circuits to
be made round the Kaabah; saluting with the lips the sacred stone therein
deposited; and calling to remembrance the past wonders of God, with
reverence and piety of heart. I have often heard Meer Hadjee Shaah speak
of the comfort a humble-minded pilgrim enjoys at the time he is making his
visit to the Holy House; he says, 'There the heart of the faithful servant
of God is enlightened and comforted; but the wicked finds no rest near
Kaabah'.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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