The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-07-13
4 MussuIman University.
Times.


 versity of GAraouin, at Fex, In Mo- rocco. Hither flock students not only from all parts of Morocco, but also from Algeria and Tunis, because tho religious education given in the mosques in the latter countries is not, Il would appear, all that 1t should be, and hence students go to Fer to complete their studies. Nj. Delphen, professor of Arabic in the university of Gran communicates to Ihe ReVEe FraRcdist some details respecting the life led by the Mussulman students there, which were communicated to him by a native professor at the great mosque oi Tlemcen. They number about seven hundred, and usually devote them selves to some special subject under particular professors. Of these latter there are about forty, each following q daily course which might be only the commentary on particular work on Mussulman theology. But students come from afar to study rhetoric dialectics, logic, eloquence, grammar and law. Students belonging to Fez live at home, or in certain medersds or homes reserved for them; those who come from other places and have no friends in the town live In such me- derSdS as they please, usually with druggists or vendors of copperwAre. After morning prayer they all repair to the university, where they attend lectures until midday, when they return for food and ablutioDs, resuming work at one o'clock and continuing until three or four o'clock, when they again return home. At sunset, after the usual prayer, those attached to the mosques as public readers of the Koran repair to their duties. After this there are supplementary discourses at different mosques at which the students attend, and at 9:30 o'clock they are free. Those who are supported by an inhabi- tant of the town pay their evening visit to their patron; the rest do much as they pie lse; but after the last meal they are not allowed to leave their medersd. The breakfasts are provided by certain mosques, and are distributed by the caretakers of the medersd who, if student is absent, casts his little loaf out into the street. On Tuesday there is no work, and the students must fast, their little allowance of food being stopped on that day. But the charitable people of Fer supplement the meager official fare, happily for the students. Each one follows what course he pleases. Work begins at halt past two 6. III to i've 6. m., accord ing to the season, the first series of lectures being devoted exclusively to the explanation of commentators on the Koran, the text of which is already known to each student. At sunrise a second batch of professors, numbering dozen, arrive, and discourse on exegesis, law and dogmas. The after noon is given to grammar and rhetoric, the latter hours to logic, astronomy, arithmetic, geography, history, medi- cine, literature, and the talismanic numbers, or the determination by call culation of the influences of angels, spirits and stars, of the names of the COT queror and the conquered, and of other future events. The difficulty experienced in obtaining . professor intimate with the principles of this latter science and able to impart his information is said to be incredible. The tOl60s, or students, have no exam nations. Each professor knows how to distinguish those of his hearers whose qualities render them worthy of diplomas, which are bestowed on them iD more or less eulogistic terms. The diploma is very highly valued,