The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-14
THE KORAN AND MoHAMMEDANIsM
Article No, G..-ArticIcs of Practice.

Having considered articles of Faith, we now
cousi,Ier articles of practice. These are four.
lSt, Prayer; End. Aims; Bird, Fastings; llh,
Pilgrimage 10 Mecca. TEese articles OF prac-
ticc, as before remarked, are also called a. ai, :,
First, Prayer. Under this arc Included pur-
ifcatiOns which are necessary preparations
for It, or these there are two degrees: first,
total immersion of the body second, wash
ing of face, hands, and feet The first Is re-
uuircd in extra ordinary caseS-for example,
when one has been polluted by touching a
dead body; the second, IN common cuses;
this is performed with certain formal cercmo.
MES, more easily understood by being seen
than by the best description. Some OF the
MohammedanS say that these puriflcatiOns
are as ancient as Abraham, and that the an
gel Gabriel Instructed him in them; others
go furthcran say, that the anSc.s taught
them to our first parents. Mohammed Is said
TO have declared, that the practice OF religion
Is founded on cleanliness which Is the half Of
the faith and the key Of prayer. without
cleanliness prayer will not he heard. A Mo
hammcdun writer reclOnS four degrees OF pu-
ritcation: first, cleansing OF body from all pol
lutions, filth, and cNcrcments; second, cleans.
ing of the members of the body from all
wickcdncss and unjust actions; thlrd, cleans
ing the heart from all bIamable inclinations
ar OdiOus vices; fourth, purgng mans Sc
crct thought from affections which may di-
vert their attendance Oh God. He adds, that
the body is as the outward shell. In respect to
the heart which Is as the kernel: lie con.
demns those who are satisfied with external
washinss and look no higher; speaks OF their
minds lying waste. orcrrnn with pride, iSno-
rance and hypocrisy. Where water cannot
he had for bodily lustrations, or where water
might urc the health, fine sand or dust Is
allowed in place of il.
Prayer was regarded by Mohammed to be
so necessary, that he was In the habit of call.
ing it the pillar of religion, and the key OF
paradise. He obliged Ills followers to pray
i've times day: the first time. before sun
rise; the last lime. after dark. Public notice
Is given Of the times for prayer by cricrs from
the scepcs Of their mosques; every conscien-
tious Mohnmmcdun prepares himself for
prayer and prays; sometimes in u mosque,
sometimes elsewhere. These prayers are new
er to be abrd dyed except on special occasions
as preparing for battle or going on jour
ney. Those praying arc expected to turn to-
wards Mecca In their devOtlons. The dlrec-
ton Is indicated within the mosque by Il
leading into the upper part OF the building.
Where the people have no other guide, they
have tables calculated for finding the dlrec:-
tIOn. They never address themselves to God
to be deccnlly clothed; they guard against
appearing proud and arrogant In the Divine
presence. Females are not allowed to pray
with males IN public; they perform the most
of their devOtiOnS at home. If they visit the
mosques, it must be at Il time when the males
arc absent.
Second, Giving Of Aims. There are two
kinds of alns-legal and voluntary. The
commanded by law which determines the
quantity Of the aims to be given and the
Kind. The volunnry-as may be supposed
from the word ilself-is left TO every ones
commended In the Koran, and often Is re-
commended jointly with praycr-the former
causing the latter TO be answered. Moham.
medan writer says. "Prnyer carries us half
way to God; faStlng 10 the door of his palace; !;
aims procures admission"
Aims to be given of five things, according
to the prescription or MOhammednn law !:
first, cattle-camcls, kline, sheep; second,
rnisins; fifth, wares sold, The usual portion
to he given Is one part In forty There arc GER
tain circumstances, however connected with
the articles mentioned which exempt the
posScSSOrs from giving aims.
Sometimes larger portion than what Is
mentioned Is due-in the case OF what Is gath-
cred out OF the mines or sea, BY art ana pro-
fcSSion, over and above what Is for the sup
port Of ones family, and also where there is
suspicion. or unjust gain IN these cases, one.
fifth Is to be given. In addition to what has
been mentioned. we remark, that ut the end
of n certain fast, an extra Offering Is expected
At first, the legal aims were collected by
Mohamnicd who used them IN support OF his
poor relations and followers; but chiefly for
fought In his wars. His successors did this
Till other taxes for the support OF government
were imposed, ami then the matter was left
for their subjects.
y,
that this Is the gate of religion, and that the
odUr OF tho mouth of one who Eists Is more
grateful 10 God than that Of musk. IT, Is reck-
Oned by Il prominent MOhnmncd divine, as
to MolInrnmc,lan divincs). three degrees OF
fasting: first, restraining all parts of the body
from the satisfying OF appaliies ana Iusts ::
second, restraining ears, eyes, tongnc, hanus,
feet and other members from SIN: third, FAST
ing of heart from worldly cares, and restrain
ing the thoughts from everything except God.
The month called Romedan Is the month on
which the MohammCdanS say, that he Koran
was sent down from heaven. In this month
the fast Is to DC kept from daybreak to sunset
between sunset and daybreak they are free TO
enjoy themselves. The fast Is very slrict.
Among the violations are the smelling OF per-
fumes, and swallowing ones own spittle
There are some who are exempted from THIS
fnSt-sicll persons, those Oh II Journey; under
the first arc included all who would be in
iured by kccpingit. The exempted ones are
expected TO fast after the regular fasting Sea-
SON for fasting Is over. those able, MS an eX'
piaIion for breaking the fast, are expected TO
give aims. The Jewish and Mohammcdan
lasts are very similar.
Fourth, Pilgrimage to Mecca According
to n tradition Of Mohammed, the man who
dies without performing it NY mas well die
Jew ora Christian, ms pilgrimage & II 10 ,~ De
roundings. The temple was In rencration by
the AIahanS many centuries before MOllam-
med 1t stands In the middle of the city, Its
u
which is principally revercnccd in Mecca ana
gives sacrpdneSS to IT., Is u square stone build
ing called the "Caaba." This was first dedi-
Gated to All idolatrous use; the Mohalnmed-
ans believe that IL is almost co-cval with the
world. Notwithstanding the antiquity ana
holiness of this building, they have a prophe-
cy By tradition from MOhammcd, that in the
last times the Ethiopians shall come anu Ut
,crly dcnoliSh 1t, after which IL will never be
rrbtliIt In the southeast corner Is the cele-
bratcd black stone which is set In silver.
This Is highly revercnced, kissed by some pill
grlms with gratitude, and called by some the
neighborhoOl of God OH earth. AS may he
supposed, many superslitiOus stories arc told
concerning it-amOng them, that 1t came
from heaven. The kurmathians once took
this stone, and could not be prevailed on
even by the offer of a large compensation TO
restore it, Mobummcd offered no less than
five thousand pieces of gold for IL. They kept
IL twenty-five years, and when they saw, tn;lt
they could not by this method prevent inc
MOhammedunS from making pilgrimaSes 10
Mecca, they restored 1t of their own accord:
They told the Mohammcdans that 1t was not
the true stone. Tho Mohammedans howcf,
~, proved that II was, BY showing that 1t had
the peculiar quality OF swimming on the wa
ter. In the building mentioned there Is also
another stone, on which, 1t is said, Abraham
stood The officers OF the temple hid TINS
stone when the karmathiaiIs took the other
Another thing shown here Is Il spring or Weil
covered with small building. The Mohnm.
mcdans say, that at this well, uagar satisfied
the thirst Of Ishmacl. The water Is consider
I'd holy, and is highly rerrrcnccd. IL Is not
ONLY drank with particular devotion by the
pilgrims, but ii is sent in bottles, ms rarity,
10 most jr;lrtS of the Mohammedan dominiOIS
A Mohammcdin, famous for u good memory;
attributes his memory to the fact, that he had
drunk largely OF this water.
There is a PARTICULAR month at the begin
ming OF which MoiammedanS who arc on
pilgrimage arc expected 10 DC Ill Mecca. Inc!
,,,f, II, H.