The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-01-09
LIFE IN MODERN EGYPT.
A Visit to Cairo Described Life, the
Mosques and the Kornn-Oriental Educa.

A Visit to Cairo Observation-Disclosures Life, tho
Mosques and the Korau-OrientalE Educa-
A clergyman has IN interesting
account of visit to Cairo In
the Independent. He writes: Cairo,
the capital of Egypt and the Arab
world, is also q cosmopolitan capt.
tai of Mohammedanism and the East.
second in Importance only to Constanti-
nople. It is the precise counterpart of
Paris, London and New York, the Co.'S
mopolitan cities of Christendom and the
West. 1t has thoroughly Oriental
character, though not so exclusively as
Damascus, but, like Constantinople,
with considerable infusion of European
life and civilization. The great mass of
it's 100000 inhabitants are Egyptian
Arabs and Mohammedans by faith, The
rest are Copts (or Egyptian Christians),
Turks (who are, of course, all Moham-
medans), Bedouins (or Arabs of the
desert), Jews, Italians, Greeks, French,
German, English and few Americans.
The greatest charm of Cairo is the
street life. It is q moving panorama OF
all natiolalities, creeds, languages and
costumes, with strong preponderance
of the Oriental and semi. .barbarous ele-
ment. It is perpetual carnival, which
defes description. The boulevards of
Paris, London Bridge and New York
Broadway cannot compare with it. You
may enjoy this unique spectacle quietly
sitting on the veranda of Shepherds
Hotel, but still better in the old town,
especially the Muskee. The streets are
alive with gaudily-dressed men and veil.
ed women, water carriers, peddlers OF
all kinds of wares, braying donkeys,
growing camels, barking dogs, horses
and carriages-all jostling against each
other in endless confusion. In Muskee
the crowd is 30 dense that it seems i'm
possible to get through, and the noise 80
loud that you cannot hear your own
voice. Every carriage is preceded by
one or more feet runners, crying to clear
the way.
The mosques are covered with carpets
or rugs, for kneeling and p-ostration,
and pulpit or reading desk, but have
no seats, no benches, no altar, no pic
tures, and betray the iconoclastic char
acter of Mohammedan worship, which
consists simply of prayers end occasional
preaching from the Koran. The Arab
music Fl 1sonotonous and dull.
The Koran has no idea of an atone
ment, and, hence, no room for sacrifice,
except the commemoration Of Ishmael's
(Isaac's) sacrifice by Abraham. Allah
is, indeed, call mercifnl and forgives
sins, but arbitrarily and directly, without
satisfaction of his justice. The devotions
of the pious Mohammedan are impress
i've, and put many Christians to shame.
He says his prayers and goes through
his bowings and prostrations regularly
and punctually five times day, In the
mosque or at.home, or on board ship,
or in the street, or wherever lie may be,
regardless of his surroundings, being
alone with his God in the midst of the
crowd, his face turned toward Mecca, his
hands raised to heaven. then laid on the
lap, his knees bent, his forehead touch
ing the ground. His usual prayer is the
first Sura of the Koran, which serves
him the same purpose rs the Lords
Prayer does the Christian, but bears no
comparison to it in beauty and compre-
hensiveness. Sometimes few other
verses are added, and the ninety-nine
beautiful names of Allah which form the
Mohammedan rosary. There are three
stated hours of prayer: four minutes
after sunset, at nightfall, at daybreak or
after sunrise, little after monday, and
in the afternoon. The Prophet fixed the
time of prayer q little after sunset and
sunrise to avoid the appearance @ sun
and star worship, which he had to con-
tend with in Arabia. The muezzin of
the mosque announces the time of
prayer from the minaret by chanting the
"Adau, or call to prayer, in these or sim
liar Words "God is most great. Itestify
that there is no deity but God. testify
that Mohammed is Gods apostle. Come
to prayer Come to security Prayer
is better than sleeping. God is most
great. There is no deity but God. ="
Besides prayer, the Koran enioins fest
ing, .almsgiving, and pilgrimage to
Mecca at least once in a mans life, as
the chief exercises of piety. The power
of the Mohammedan religion and the
secret of it's success lies in its monothe-
ism. Its fundamental dogma is the
ever.repeated "There is no deity but
Allah, vnd Mohammed is his apostle"
! In entering mosque, you may keep
on your hat, but must take off your
shoes, or cover them with socks, or put
on slippers, in commemoration of tie
divine command to Moses: Take the
shoes from off thy feet, for the ground
on which thou standest is holy" Slip
pers or sandals Of straw are always pro-
vidcl at the entrance of the mosques,
and must be paid for.
Women are seldom seen in the mos
ques. The Koran does not command
them to pray, and some Mohammedan
philosophers doubt whether women have
souls. Yet they are necessary for the
sensual bliss of paradise, where the
humblest believeris allowed 80, 900 slaves
and seventy-two wivess besides those he
had in this life, if he chooses to keep
them.
One of the most instructive sights to
me was the old Moslem' University,
founded in 975, in the Mosque Ell Azhar.
Ii 1S Gu6 lhTRcSb LII U1C "ol1u, ui1St aoh1
bers 10000 pupils and 320 professors,
from all Mohammedan nations. Many,
however, attend it to escape CONSUMPTION
to the army, which in Egypt and Tur-
KEY is feared more than death. 1t is
the hotbed of Mohammedan fanaticism.
The Koran is the only text book for
grammar, logic, and philosophy, as we'll
US theology. The university has the ap-
pearance of huge Sunday school. The
students sit cross-legged on the floor, in
small groups, reading or listening to the
instructions of the teacher. They also
eat and sleep on blanket or straw mat.
They support themselves, or are sup
ported by the aims of the faithful. The
professors receive no salary, and are
supported by private instruction, copy
ing books, and presents from rich schol-
ars. There are no benches, no chairs,
no beds, no comforts of any kind. The
simplicity and self.denial of this student
life is something marvellous. Our theo-
logical students could not stand it o
week. Attached to the mosque is
chapel for 300 blind scholars. I visited
the university twice, in company with
DR.. Lansing of Cairo and DIR. Hogg of
Osious, who f,miliarly conversed in
Arabic but some scholars looked rather
suspiciously at us. We had first to get
permission from the headquarters of the