There can be no doubt that this god of the sea is Khizr, the patron of the waters. The following prayer is recited in the Fatiha of Khizr: "To obtain purity of heart, and the benediction of Him who hears the vows of mortals, and who alone can keep from them all evils, I rest upon the merits of Khaja Khizr, the great prophet Elias." 5. THE FEAST OF PIR DASTGIR SAHIB.--This is held on the eleventh day of the month of Rabi'-us-Sani. The Sunnis hold this Saint in great reverence. He has no less than ninety-nine names. His tomb is at Baghdad. On the tenth of the month the ceremony called Sandal (p. 245) is performed, followed on the next day by the 'Urs, when the Maulad, or the account of the circumstances connected with the birth of the saint is read; Qasa,id, or elegiac poems are recited; the Darud is repeated and Fatihas are said. The Quran is also read through. Vows are frequently made to this Saint and in time of any special visitation, such as cholera, a flag is carried about in honour of this Pir by some of his devotees to whom presents of food, &c, are offered. Fatiha is then said over them. He is said to appear to his followers during their sleep and to give them directions. Ja'far Sharif, the compiler of the Qanun-i-Islam speaking, on this point relates his own experience thus: "The author speaks from personal experience, for at the time of need, when he {262} was oppressed in mind concerning things which he desired, he used to repeat constantly the ninety-nine names of the Pir and vow before the Holy God, imploring His assistance by the soul of Dastgir; and through the mercy of the Almighty, his Excellency Ghaus-ul-A'zam (Dastgir) presented himself in his sleep, and relieved him of his perplexities and vouchsafed his behests." Syed Ahmad Kabir Rafai, the founder of the Rafai Darwishes was a nephew of this Saint.