Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-11-23
Mussulman Worship and Laws in Cen.
trail Asia.

trail Asia.
Whether owing to gradually in
creasing spirit of Indifference or from
wish to please their Russian masters,
the Mussulmans are willing to allow
Christians their religious rites. Rus
slams have not the slightest difficulty
in entering any of the mosques in
TaShkent, and are not even requested
to take off their boots; and there is no
objection to their smoking in the pre-
cincts. Mr.. Schuyler, in his Work on
Tuskestan, describes the worship at one
of the mosques which he visited. The
WOrShiperS stood in d circle, two or
three deep, chanting to various semi
musical motives texts that they re-
peated several hundred times, the reel
tation being accompanied by a violent
movement of the head over the left
shoulder toward the heart, then back,
then to the right shoulder, then down.
At first the movements were slow, but
increased in rapidity till the perform
ers were unable to endure it longer.
If anyone failed in his duty OF was
slower or made less movement than
was required, the Ishan who regulated
the enthusiasm went up to him and
struck him over the head, or pushed
him back out of the circle and called
another into 1t. Occasionally persons
got so worn out with their cries, and
so wet with perspiration that it be-
came necessary for them to retire for
few minutes rest, and their places
were Immediately taken by others.
When their voices became entirely
hoarse with one cry another was be-
gun, and finally the cry was struck up
of Z" Hal! Allah HAIR "Live, Allah,
the immortal" at first slowly; then
with an inclination of the body to the
ground, then the rythm grew faster
and in cadence and the body be-
came more and more vertical.
Finally, when all their physi-
cal powers were exhausted, the
devOtees sat in a circle and gave them
selves up to reflection, while the priest
recited prayer, after which there was
pathetic recitation by a Hatfz Zone
who recites the verses of Hafiz). There
is no regular rule as to the sequence of
different acts of devotion, the whole
matter being regulated by the order of
the Pr or IShan. "Originally there
were officials appointed who visited
those lax in their religious duties and
chastised them with leathern thongs,
but the Russians abolished them, and
public worship has suffered in cOnse-
quence. Mr.. Schuyler mentions the
case of one Sold Abdul Kasim, who
has in Tashkent the reputation of a
saint, being kari-One who can re-
peat the whole Koran from memory.
He, his two sons, two daughters, and
grandson are able to accomplish this
feat; and what is more strange,
scarcely one Of them is at all acquaint-
ed with Arabic, and the effort there
fore is entirely one of memory, they
not having the slightest idea of the
meaning of the words which they re-
peat. Education is much the same as
among the Turks, and is not confined
to the men; girls also are taught to
read and write in special schools, and
study for three or four years, after
which for the next year or two, up to
their marriage, they are occupied in
learning to sew.
Two kinds of judges administer the
law. the KaZis, on the bases of the
Koran, and written laws, and among
the Kirghiz, the Bills, who judge &C
cording to the unwritten traditions.
One prominent characteristic of this
traditional law is that no difference is
made between civil and criminal Of
lenses, all crimes being viewed only in
their relation to others, and being pun
ished by damages in favor of the in
jured party. A Bill is, properly speak
ing, an arbitrator, versed in the ma
tional traditions, but bound by no for
malities. The proceedings are there
fore entirely oral; no record is kept
and no appeal can be taken. The re-
pugnance to taking an oath is so great
that it is considered a great insult to
be requested to do so, and often a suit
or, though he may have a perfectly
just claim, will prefer to lose it rather
than lower his dignity in the eyes of
himself and his friends by swearing to
his complaint or defense. Sometimes,
in default Of evidence, resort is had to
a superstitious means for discovering
| the truth. In certain case of theft
suspicion fell on several persons of
bad reputation, although there was no
plain proof against them. Finally the
Aksakal gave an order to the inhabit-
ants of the neighborhood to "pile
EARTH" which meant that each one had
a fixed time in which to bring in the
corners of his gown some hardfuls of
earth and place it carefully in one
| heap. When the heap was afterward
examined the stolen money was found,
and thus the loser recovered his prop
erty without the thief being known,
Another way is to write the names of
the accused on small pieces of paper
and shake them up in wash-bowl.
Each of the accused is then obliged to
poise this bowl on the forefnger of his
right hand If after a little the bowl
begins to revolve, it shows that the
name of the thief is there. Several of
the names are then taken out, and the
experiment is again tried, until only
the name of the thief is left in. This
method is said to be certain, and most
believers in Spiritualism would agree
to it. The old English idea of detect
ing thieves by the Bible and door-key
| is analogous to this.
|