Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-29
Moslem Observances.
Neto Orleans Times-Democrat.

Tuesday, being the commencen1 ent of
the ninth month of the Moslem year, was
the Inauguration of the Ramadan, or
more properly the Rhamazan. For one
whole month, during the hours from
sunrise till the appearance of the stars.
all good Moslems must abstain from
food and drink. Those who are sick aud
unable to observe the fast, must fast
throughout the month Immediately sue
ceeding their recovery. Excepting
amongst the more aristOcratic MOham-
medans, the fast is most rigidly OBJ
served; the weather. ones however,
making up for the penance by causing
night of orgies and feasting to succeed a
day passed in bed.
Immediately following the Rhamazan
comes the Bairam Kourban. There are
two Bairams, the greater and the lesser.
American writers, unhappily, are apt to
confound the two. The Kourban is the
greater, and commences at the expira-
ton of the Rhamazan, at the rising of
the new moon of the month Shewal. 1t
is called by the Arabs of Egypt the LdaI
Fstz 1.-THE Feast of the Breaking of the
Fast Throughout Islam observers are
dispatched to climb the mountains, and
watch for the appearance of the new
moon. So soon as her new horns are
seen, hOrdes of Moslems rush into the
cities shouting 'M1IzbdGlUk! MuzhdG-
tU6!"-Welcome news welcome newsl
Then commences a series of gift-making.
To his superior every man must make a
present, however trifing; the fellah gives
to the Pasha or Cadi, and the European
is expected to do likewise. Perst ms in
the employ of the Turkish Government
invariably loan their salaries to the ad.
ministration for some two months pre-
viOuslY, so as to be able 10 have the
more to give to their superi0rs of what
ST. Matthew, in the fifth chapter of his
gospel, mentions as 'COrban." Woe to
the unhappy official who cannot present
to his Pasha, Muchir or Cadi a Gift at
the Kourban 1t was owing to the
Porte being unable to pay the salaries of
its officials at the commencement of the
Kourban eleven months ago that a
large amount of the present dis
satisfaction against the representative
of the dynasty of Gilman and
his myrmidOns is due. para gOk, para
yOE'-nOt cent, not cent-was the
cry of the Treasury clerks when the
poor pensioners applied for their earn
ings. All had gone to support the P
disha and his harem at the Yildiz Kiosk.
some 1000 souls in all.
Two months after the Kourban Bal
ram, comes the Bairam-the lesser Bal.
ram. 1t lasts for three days. In Arabic
it is appropriately called the Ia al G7ha-
the feast of the notwithstanding cele-
brated in memory of Abrams willingness
to sacrifice his son. 1t will be remem-
bered that the Arabs claim their descent
from Hagar and Ishmael Mecca is the
main scene of the lesser Bairam. The
green-fezzed pilgrims are then about to
leave the holy city On the first
day of this Bairam each pilgrim sacri-
fees living animal of some kind or
another sheep, a goat, an OK or a
camel Part of the flesh they eat them
selves, in company with friends; and
part they give to the poor. Afterward
they all shave. On the second day of
the Little Bairam they sleep off the
safety of the previous day; and on the
third day they fold their tents and COM
mence the hOmeward tramp to India,
Turkey ard Egypt, half of them, none
the less, dying on the way from cholera
and fatigue.
The Rhamazan and the two Bairams
are the only red letter days the Koran
allows Islam. Rhamazan is Arabic, and
means burning fire. Gor hunger)l Bal
ram is Turkish, and being interpreted is
Solemn feast" Judging from the
scarcity in Alexandria, just now the
Rhamazan is likely to be a solemn fast
there What the Bairam will be remains
TO be seen.