The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 02 (of 10)
General
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 02 (of 10)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
[FN#347] The prayers of the Fast-month and Pilgrimage-month are often said in
especial places outside the towns and cities; these are the Indian Id(Eed-)gáh.
They have a screen of wall about a hundred yards long with a central
prayer-niche and the normal three steps for the preacher; and each extremity is
garnished with an imitation minaret. They are also called Namáz-gah and one is
sketched by Herklots (Plate iii. fig. 2). The object of the trips thither in
Zu'l-Ka'adah and Zu'l-Hijjah is to remind Moslems of the "Ta'aríf," or going
forth from Meccah to Mount Arafat.
[FN#348] Arab. "Al-Háfi," which in Egyptian means sore-footed as well. He was
an ascetic of the eighth and ninth centuries (A.D.). He relates a tradition of
the famous soldier saint Khálid bin Walíd who lies buried like the poet Ka'ab
al-Ahbár near Hums (Emessa) once the Bœotia, Phrygia, Abdera, Suabia of Syria
now Halbun (pronounced Halbáun) near Damascus. I cannot explain how this
Kuraysh noble (a glorious figure in Moslem history) is claimed by the Afghans
as one of their countrymen and made to speak Pukhtu or Pushtu, their rough old
dialect of Persian. The curious reader will consult my Pilgrimage iii. 322 for
the dialogue between Mohammed and Khalid. Again there is general belief in
Arabia that the English sent a mission to the Prophet, praying that Khalid
might be despatched to proselytise them: unfortunately Mohammed was dead and
the "Ingríz" ratted. It is popularly held that no armed man can approach
Khalid's grave; but I suppose my revolver did not count.
[FN#349] When he must again wash before continuing prayer.
[FN#350] Bin Adham; another noted ascetic of the eighth century.
Those curious about these unimportant names will consult the great
Biographical Dictionary of Ibn Khallikan, translated by Baron
MacGuckin de Slane (1842-45).
[FN#351] Thus making Bishr the "Imám" (artistes) lit. one who stands in front.
In Koran xvii. 74 it means "leader": in ii. 118 Allah makes Abraham an "Imam to
mankind."
[FN#352] A favourite sentiment in the East: we find it at the very beginning of
Sa'di's Gulistan: better a weal-bringing lie than a harm-dealing truth.
[FN#353] A penny, one sixth of the drachma.
[FN#354] Founder of the Hanbali, fourth (in date) of the four orthodox Moslem
schools. The Caliph al-Mu'atasim bi'llah, son of Harun al-Rashid, who believed
the Koran to have been created and not a Logos (whatever that may be),
co-eternal with Allah, scourged this Imam severely for "differing in opinion"
(A.H. 220=833). In fact few of the notable reverends of that day escaped
without a caress of the scourge or the sword.
[FN#355] A learned man of the eighth century at Bassorah (A.D.).
[FN#356] A traditionist of Khorasan in the ninth century (A.D.).
[FN#357] "Azal," opp. to "Abad," eternity without end, infinity.
[FN#358] Koran lxvi. 6.
[FN#359] A traditionist of Al-Medinah, eighth century (A.D.).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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