Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-04-05

dates from A d. 1871, but IL mad been
frequently rebuilt or repaired before
that, having suffered both from fire
| and water. Its history goes back to
the remotest time of which We have
record; and legend has run wild in
its account of it, declaring that it was
built by Adam directly under the
place where it first stood in heaven
sacred object to the angels.
At the eastern angle the famous black
tone, described by some as volcanic,
but most probably an aerolite. is built
into the wall about four feet nine
inches from the ground. 1t is set in
dark colored cement, and enclrcled
with n band of gold or gilt silver, the
aperature in which the stone lies being,
according to Burton, span aud three
| fingers broad The stone Is of a dark
| brown color, blackened by fire accord
ing to an Arabian historian, but, IN
the belief of the common pilgrim, dis
| colored by the kisses of sinful men.
1t Is perfectly smooth, and to Burck-
hardt presented the appearance OF sew
eral pieces that had been carefully
| put together after fracture. 1t Is
known that 1t was once subjected to the
| action of fire when the kaaba Was
burned, it was once carried of, and
once an attempt was made to break
1t in pieces. Legend traces it back to
the time of lshmsel. to whom It was
| given by the angel Gabriel at the
building of the Ksaba.
| The interior OF the Kasba is a sim
| gle room lighted only by the door,
which is elevated about seven feet from
the ground. Only on few stated
| occasions the door Is thrown open for
worsh'ppers, for it is not an impera-
tive duty to enter it. The floor is laid
| with marble of various colors, and the
walls, as well as the ceiling, are HING
with red silk hangings, richly embroii-
cred; but the house has no other
adornment and no sacred furniture
The roof is supported by columns
between which are suspended numerous
lamps.
The Kaaba is approached from diff
| ferent sides OF the court of the mosque
by paved causeways, which serve also
to mark off the space, and round it
there is an oval pavement. OF the
buildings that surround it, the nearest
is the Maksm lbrahIm, or station of
Abraham, a small building supported
by SIX pillars about eight feet high. 1t
encloses stone, carefully covered
| from observation, on which the legend
says that Abraham stood when he built
the house, the prints of his feet being
still visible. A little behind this is nm
insulated arch, called Bah el Salam,
under which the pilgrim must pass on
first approaching the ksbba. Close TO
the lett of this, and Just opposite the
door, is the Dhraj, or stair, capable of
admitting four men abreast, which Is
al -. hA "a vi...E,
the Ksaba is to be opened. Still
farther to the left, and fronting the
4 black stone, is the buil,ling erected
over the well Zemzem. 1t is of con
siderable size, having a chamber into
which pilgrims crowd 10 receive of the
water, witch is drawn by buckets.
There is also a small iron grating
thr ugh which they can receive water
without entering the chamber; and
there ia access to the roof. The
water always remains at the same
level, and wonll he sufficient to supply
the whole town. Every family in Nee
ca is supposed to use it for religious
purposes, aud the pilgrims not only
use it for the ablntion, bnt drink gre 1t
quantities of it, AMI carry 1t home
with them for its wonderful virtues.
Besides the Markham Ibrahim, there
are Mt different sides OF the Kanba
three other similar erections called
Makams, open on all sides, uDder
which, and facing the holy house, the
lmGms of three of the great sects take
their station aud lead the devotions of
their adherents. The Imam of the
fourth sect stands on the pavement
= between ZeDZem and the Maksm Ibra-
him. There remain to be mentioned
| L. a 4.
domes, In which are kept various arti-
cles used In the service of the mosque I;
and, lastly, striking object, the
pulpit with its tapering spire-like top,
from which on Fridays and high days a
sermon is preached. On such occa-
sions, when all sounds are hushed but
the preachers voice, or when the as
sembled thousands perform their devo-
that perhaps is unequaIled in the
world, and calculated to impress even
the most thoughtless.
BY the strict Law of Islam, every
believer, on approaching the sacred
territory of Mecca, is required, at a
fixed distance, to assume the pilgrim 4
garb, and not to lay it aside, nor attend
to any worldly business, till he
|
many do not observe 1t, strict MuslIm
of Mecca, If he has occasion to go to
Jiddah or Taft, takes his pilgrim gar b
with him to put on as he returns. The
ihran, or pilgrim dress consists of two
pieces of cloth, which may be of wool,
cotton, or linen, one of which is wound
round the loins, the other thrown over
the neck and shoulders so as to leave
the right arm partly bare. The law
requires that it shall be without seam,
J without silk or ornament, and of a
white color. The pilgrim must also
have his head uncovered, and, If he
does not walk barefooted, the lnstep OF
| the foot at least must be bare. To the
aged and infirm certain lndulgences
are allowed, but even to the most ro-
bust, when the pilgrimage falls IN the
colder season, the effects of wearing
this dress, as they are required to do,
night aud day, are often fatal. Female
pilgrims wear a veil enveloping the
. whole figure.
! The strict Muslin, thus attired, on
reaching the city, proceeds at orce to
the mosque, at the entrance to which,
, on first gaining sight of the Kaaba, he
, gives thanks for having reached the
! ! sacred precincts He then approach
, es the holy house, reciting pray
ers as he passes under Bah e
Salsm, and having taken up his posi-
ton IN front of the black stone per
forms two rekas, at the conclusion o.
which he kisses the stone, or, if the
. crowd is too great for this, touches il
with his fingers. He then proceeds tc
walktround the sacred cube. perform
ing the circuit seven times, having tn,
house on bis left, and kissing or touch
ing the stone at the conclusion of eacl
: circuit Having completed these, b.
!. comes mp close to the building. at tin
space between the black stone and tn
door, stretches ont his arms and press
? es his breast to the wall and prays 70
the pardon of his sins. From tn
q | Eaaha ba goas 70 tbe Makam Ibrahim