Part 10 (1/2)

[8] 'Umar, Abu Bakr, 'Usman.

[9] No son named Ishmail is recorded. Ibrahim, his son from his slave girl, Mary the Copt, died A.D. 631, and was buried at Medina.

The daughter of Abu Bakr was 'Ayishah.

[10] The Prophet married Hafsah, daughter of 'Umar, as his third wife.

[11] Khadijah.

[12] 'Whoso is the enemy of Gabriel--for he has by G.o.d's leave caused to descend on thy heart the confirmation of previous revelations.'--_Koran_, ii. 91.

[13] 'The story of the destruction of the library at Alexandria is first told by Bar-hebraeus (Abulfaragius), a Christian writer who lived six centuries later: it is of very doubtful authority.'--_Encyclopaedia Britannica_, i. 570.

[14] This is incorrect, Sunnis very largely preponderating over s.h.i.+'ahs. According to the latest information there were in the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, nearly 6-1/2 million Sunnis and 183,000 s.h.i.+'ahs (_Imperial Gazetteer_ (1908), xxiv. 172). This information was not collected in recent census reports. In the whole of India, in 1881, there were 46-3/4 million Sunnis, as compared with 809,561 s.h.i.+'ahs.

[15] The correct list of the Imams recognized by the Imamiya or orthodox s.h.i.+'ahs is as follows: 'Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet; Al-Hasan, son of 'Ali, Al-Husain, second son of 'Ali; 'Ali Zain-ul-'Abidin, son of Al-Husain; Muhammad Al-Baqir, son of Zain-ul-'Abidin; Ja'afar as-Sadiq, son of Muhammad Al-Baqir; Ar-Raza, son of Musa; Muhammad At-Taqi, son of Ar-Raza; 'Ali-an Naqi, son of Muhammad At-Taqi; Al-Hasan Al-Askari, son of 'Ali-an Naqi; Muhammad, son of Al-Hasan Al-Askari, or the Imam Al-Mahdi, who is believed to be still alive, and will appear in the last days as the Mahdi.

[16] _Kafn_, properly 'a winding-sheet'.

[17] _Qanat_.

[18] The religious man generally prepares his own winding-sheet, keeping it always ready, and occasionally taking out this monitor to add another verse or chapter, as the train of thought may have urged at the time. I have seen this done by the Meer Hadjee Shaah, who appropriated a piece of fine white cambric muslin, he had received from me, to this sacred purpose. I have often been a silent observer of my revered friend whilst he was engaged in writing pa.s.sages from the book whose rules he lived by. The antic.i.p.ated moment when he should require this his kuffin dress, was never clouded by dread, but always looked forward to with cheerfulness and fervent hope; for he trusted in the mercy of G.o.d whom he loved and wors.h.i.+pped. [_Author_.]

[Many pilgrims buy at Mecca the shroud in which they desire to be buried, and wash it in the well Zamzam, supposing that the holy water will secure the repose of the soul after death.]

[19] Maccurrub means those angels who are at all times privileged to appear in the presence of G.o.d;--they are supposed to have eyes of great brilliance. In order that the Mussulmauns may have the reply ready for that awful moment, they have a custom of repeating the responses to the angel every evening, when the lamp is first lighted, as they say this sudden light resembles the angels' eyes. I had noticed the custom for some time, and fancied the Mussulmaun people wors.h.i.+pped light, until I was made acquainted with the real motive for this general observance both with the men and women. [_Author._]

[_Muqarrab_, 'those allowed to come near'.]

[20] Kiblaah is the holy place to which men turn their face when offering up their prayer to G.o.d, as the Jews face Jerusalem. Literally, 'wors.h.i.+pping place'. [_Author._] [_Qiblah_: the direction of prayer was changed by the Prophet from Jerusalem to Mecca (_Koran_, ii.

138-9, with Sale's note).]

[21] See p. 72.

[22] Munkir, or Munkar, and Nakir are the two recording angels.

[23] See p. 78.

[24] _Du'a_.

[25] Al-Mahdi, 'the directed one', who will appear in the last day.

According to the s.h.i.+'ahs, he has already appeared in the person of Muhammad Abu'l-Qasim, the 12th Imam. Later claimants are Sayyid Ahmad, who fought against the Sikhs in 1826; Muhammad Ahmad ibn Sayyid Abdulla, who fled after the fatal day of Omdurman, and was killed in battle in 1899.

[26] _Hayat[u']l-Qulub_ compiled by Muhammad Baqir, whose last work was published A.D. 1627. It has been partly translated into English by J.L. Morrick, Boston, 1850.

[27] Sirat, the bridge over which the soul must cross on its way to Paradise.

[28] Mizan, the Balance, with which the deeds of the dead man are weighed.--_Koran_, xxi. 47.