The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I.: Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments
General
The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I.: Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
There are certain modes of divination which cannot properly be classed
under the head of spiritual magic, but require a place between the
account of this science and that of natural magic.--The most important
of these branches of Kiháneh is Astrology, which is called "'Ilm
en-Nujoom." This is studied by many Muslims in the present day; and its
professors are often employed by the Arabs to determine a fortunate
period for laying the foundation of a building, commencing a journey,
&c.; but more frequently by the Persians and Turks. The Prophet
pronounced astrology to be a branch of magic.[132]--Another branch of
Kiháneh is Geomancy, called "Ḍarb er-Raml;" a mode of divination from
certain marks made on sand (whence its appellation), or on paper; and
said to be chiefly founded on astrology.--The science called "ez-Zijr,"
or "el-'Eyáfeh," is a third branch of Kiháneh; being divination or
auguration chiefly from the motions and positions, or postures, of
birds, or of gazelles and other beasts of the chase. Thus, what was
termed a "Sáneḥ," that is, such an animal standing or passing with its
right side towards the spectator, was esteemed among the Arabs as of
good omen; and a "Báreḥ," or an animal of this kind with its left side
towards the spectator, was held as inauspicious.[133]--"El-Ḳiyáfeh,"
under which term are included Chiromancy and its kindred sciences, is a
fourth branch of Kiháneh.--"Et-Tefá-ul," or the taking an omen,
particularly a good one, from a name or words accidentally heard or
seen, or chosen from a book, belongs to the same science. The taking a
"fál," or omen, from the Ḳur-án is generally held to be lawful.--Various
trifling events are considered as ominous. For instance, a Sulṭán
quitting his palace with his troops, a standard happened to strike a
"thureiyà" (a cluster of lamps, so called from resembling the Pleiades),
and broke them: he drew from this an evil omen, and would have
relinquished the expedition; but one of his chief officers said
to him, "O our lord, thy standards have reached the Pleiades;"--and,
being relieved by this remark, he proceeded, and returned
victorious.[134]--The interpretation of dreams, "Taạbeer el-Menámát,"
must also be classed among the branches of this science. According to
the Prophet, it is the only branch of divination worthy of dependance.
"Good dreams," said he, "are one of the parts of prophecy," and "nothing
else of prophecy remains." "Good dreams are from God; and false dreams,
from the Devil." "When any one of you has a bad dream, spit three times
over your left shoulder, and seek protection with God from the Devil
thrice; and turn from the side on which the dream was, to the
other."[135] This rule is observed by many Muslims. Dreams are generally
so fully relied upon by them as to be sometimes the means of deciding
contested points in history and science. The sight, in a dream, of
anything green or white, or of water, is considered auspicious; anything
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