The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-09-16
The Fakirs of India.
BY REV. j. D. BROWN, LATE OF THE INDIA
MISSION.

MISSION.
If, according to tradition, Mohammed
approved of religious asceticism, it is evil
dent from the same source that he discoun-
tenanced beggary; for another tradition
represents him as saying: " Beggary black
ems ones mouth in both worlds" His fol-
lowers, however, do not seem to have much
fear of the black mouth, for every Eastern
traveller has doleful stories to tell of almost
constant annoyance from being haunted
by half clad Mohammedan men, women
and children, shouting: "Sahib, bakshish,
bakshish'' "Sir, gift, gift"
According to the former tradition, more
than half of all the Mohammedans in India
comprising nearly the fifth, or 25, 600, 900,
of her teeming population-are the disci-
Piles and devoted followers of fakirs, or, as
they are more commonly called in Arabia
commands of equal Importance with those
of the prophet Indeed, they regard them
as his spiritual successors, and hope for
salvation through their intercessions.
Many instances of this prevailing opin-
ion are met with in the Persian poets, whose
meliflouous verses are at the tongues end
of every well educated Mohammedan in
India. Sadi Shirazi says:
GA fakir, 0 We wise ones, discard not the
name!
For our prophet peace on him! has honored
the same"
Again we read:
"Of the rich, the glory is silver and gold;
But fakirs have rest and comfort untold
These fakirs are called Peerance Taree-
kat, Ma Shaikh, etc.; and the commonly
received opinion among Sunees is that
implicit obedience to these professed teach
ers of the mysteries of Islam insures an
honorable position in Bahsht-the Mos
lem's heaven-with a goodly number of
black-eyed "houris" to wait upon the
the "faithful" These Peerance Tareekat,
belonging to three classes-called respec-
lively Nakhsh Baudiya, Kadriya, and
belief, and especially in religious customs.
THE NAKHsH BAUDIYA
are the followers of eunuch named Bash
erood Deem Nakhsband, and trace their
genealogy back to Mohammed, not by
birth, but by appointment. All classes of
Sunnees, such as Saikh Saryad, Mughal,
Patan, ETC., can become members of this
fraternity; and by complying with certain
requirements can participate in the sup
posed accumulated merit of long success
siorl of peers. In fact, it is kind of grand
Masonic brotherhood, into the mysteries of
which the following is
THE INITIAToRY CEREMONY.
When any one wishes to apply for adj
mission into this society, he appears before
a number of Nakhsh Baudiya brethren in
council assembled, and is introduced to the
Master Mason-I mean the venerable peer
of the "circle," who, with turbaned head
and flowing beard, rises majestically, takes
the novitiate by the hand, propounds to
him with due solemnity the following ques-
tons: "Do you believe, and will you stead
lastly MAINTAIN, that all the Peerani Taree
kat who now exist, and all who preceded
them, are and were true and holy men 2"
If the would be disciple answer these
questions in the affirmative, the peer then
says to him: "Repent of your sins; and
solemnly promise, here and now, that you
will all your life long implicitly obey all
your peers commands, and especially that
you will abstain from everything intoxicat
ing; and you are to understand that We
count tobacco among intoxicating drugs,
and hence its use is strictly forbidden"
All these conditions being agreed to, the
peer next teaches the young disciple the
following wazifa, or creed, to be repeated
at least thousand times every morning
and evening: go Shaikh Abdul Kadir,
all wish is that may be only for God"
The disciple is also taught to repeat sew
eral texts from the Koran, and the names
of all peers, commencing with the one
whose disciple he has now become, and
running back to Mohammed, and receives
command to repeat these names every day.
Should the disciple prefer life of celibacy,
he may remain with his peer, or, what is
more commonly done, make his home in
the tomb or near the grave of some one of
his deceased peers. Many of them wander
from country to country, professedly on
pilgrimages to the graves of peers long
since dead, but, in reality, often carrying
secret messages for designing men. These
wretches, clothed in rags and filth, claim
ing to be dead to the world, were the tools
used by such infamous brutes as the Mana
Sahib in instigating the terrible Sepoy re-
bellion of 1857 and 1858. Some of them
being suspected, were arrested by the Eng
lish officials, and, reasonable documents
being found concealed among their rags,
they were hung as spies.
REVERENCE FOR THEIR PEERS.
These long pilgrimages, especially when
they include Mecca, are supposed to bring
much "sawap," or religious merit. When
in the presence of peer, all his disciples,
every morning and evening, bow their
heads before him, and, covering their faces
with cloth, shut their eyes and mediate,
not on the attributes of God, but on the
projections Of their peer. This is called
"Tassawar Shaikh," or Contemplation
of PEERS" and is deemed of great use in
securing the divine favor. The Nakhsh
Baudiya fakirs, of whom we are now
speaking. teach that it is sinful to listen to
songs and witness dances or theatrical per-
formances. Theatre going Christians, who
talk about innocent amusements, might
learn at least one useful lesson from these
poor ignorant Mohammedans.
THE SACRED NAME.
These devotees never pronounce aloud
the name of God, but repeat it in reveren-
tial whispers. May not this popularity, so
striking in land where taking that sacred
name in vain is scarcely counted a sin, have
been received by tradition from some lew