The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-23
THE GREAT M0SLEM FEAST.
THINGS THAT MAKE BAIRAM Apt TO
BE MARKED ny UPROAR.

NnVNN NNNAHSN WY NV y FNNSaNN IN HNNm
Answer TO tho Powers Ttii II L. Psst-Con.
diious Not Likely 20 Promote Public Ami.
nsiiity- Observnnces or tho Day.
Sultan Abdul Hamid has signined TO the rem.
rcsentatives of the great powers his intention IN
consider tho proposal for peace after tho
feast;" to quote the words Of Holy Writ, "Not
on the Feast day, lest there be an uproar among
tho people" This day is called in Turkey and in
Egypt the "Bairam" and "tho great fes.
tival, but In other parts Of Islam, more ortho.
dox in their Technology than Turkey, 1t 10
known as the Feast Of Sacrifice"
1t is celebrated on the tenth day Of the month
called Hijja. and is really part Of the rites Of tho
Meccan pilgrimage. It's celebration was strictly
cnjoined by the Prophet in his Koran. and IL il
regarded as by far the most important festival
of the year. Its universal existence among Mo-
hammedans is all the more remarkable because
the English historian Gibbon has enormously
stated that Islam is "a religion without a priest
and without a sacrifice" This sacrifice is offered
not only at Mecca on the tenth day ofthe month
Of Hijja, known as the day Of sacrifice. but in
all parts Of the Mohammednn world.
At the pilgrimage in the morning. the pilgrims,
having said their prayers, proceed TO the valley
of MINI and cast stones at the three pillars
known as the Great Devil. Holding a pebble be-
tween the thumb and finger OF the right hand.
tbS prs y 80 u aotsAA " hul =
than fifteen feet, and exclaims: 81 do this in the
name of the great God, and to put the devil to
shame" Six other pebbles are thrown in tho
same way. Thu pilgrim then returns to the little
village of Nina and performs the sacrifice. Tho
victim may be a goat or q sheep or q COW or a
camel. according to the means Of the Individual.
Tho four legs Of the animal being bandaged to-
Rether, the pilgrim stands on the right side OF
the victim. its head being placed toward tho
Black Stone, and then plunges the knife into its
throat with great force. and cries with a loud
voice: God is great! God. accept this sacri.
hce from mel This ceremony concludes tho
pilgrimage. and it is then that the pilgrim gets
himself shaved and his nails pared and removes
the pilgrim garb.
On this great feast day the same ceremony
takes place in every Mohammedan household in
all parts Of Islam, in the great Turkish capital
on the Bosporus, at Cairo in sight Of the old
Pyramid, among the savages Of Uganda re-
Gently converted to Islam. in Persia among the
Shah dissenters. in Cabul, the Afghan capt.
tai, in Lucknow, and in Calcutta, and in the re-
hottest parts OF China where Islam's religious
conquests have been made. In fact, just as
every religious Mohammedan land even every
irreligious Mohammedan, considers il his duty
to observe the thirty days fast Of Ramazan, so
he is careful to observe this feast of sacrifice.
and as in the Passover of the Jews an animal is
taken according to the family and the sacrifice
is made at the threshold Of the house after tho
assembly prayer.
The Prophet Of Arabia was very particular
with regard to this sacrifice (which was clearly
derived from the Jewish Day of Atonement,,
for he is related to have said TO his young wife
Ayishah that a man could not 40 anything moro
pleasing TO the Almighty than the shedding Of
blood; for" said he. the animal sacrificed
nm th;a n ,r;Il .t,-l 80 ~ 4. l.--
ton with its horns. its hair, and it's hoofs, and
will be thrown into the scale of your good ac-
tons and make them heavy on the right side"
But the most curious thing in connection with
this day Of sacrifice is its supposed origin 1t 10
said to have been instituted in commemoration
of Abrahamls willingness to offer up his son
Ishmael mot Isaac. and to have been handed
down as an institution among the ancient Arabs.
count given BY a M~ohammedan writer:
"When Abraham. the friend Of God. laid the
commanded him to prepare q feast. Upon Xbra-
f hsn in resf Wonj5 Es the A Nm : ,ss to tel, tell him What
then took Ishmael and laid him out in front Of
the Black Stone. and then made several. inef-
1shmael then said to his father: Your eyes arc
uncovered, and it is through your pity for me
yourself with the end Of Your urban aEs and them
siay meI Abraham acted upon his sons susges-
nnEn: a of G aafin for re ga Is f 1as Eo Se drew rsR h. The
knife across his sons neck. In the meanwhile.
however. the Angel Gabriel substituted a broad.
Abraham unfolded his eyes he found the broad.
tailed sheep slain At his feet. and his son Ishmael
the supposed origin OF this great feast.
But while the sacrifice after the midday prayer
s eu 2 ieis' a n sinziI% Eslif pisos f In lit sA sos ssS i.ss!t of Of
Islam TO Easter Day among Christians The
hama naVE Nnafl and naW Shnaa md Aran nav
daggers; the women new wells. new skirts. and
new slippers. An Oriental city on the morning
ture. full OF animation. The stores carry on an
enormous business, and pleasure seekers do all
ainSs out es 2 o.e 70 Saf in the the G afier an aiF the St p seoii!s' s.:
semble for public worship. In Constantinople the
s q, proceeds sed IN, IN state to the great mosque OF
sion for. manifestations Of loyalty. There is
nothing in the religious service on this occasion
vice Of a Friday 1.-THE Mohammedan Sunday, e1-
cept in the character Of the sermon. The preach
vited from a distance. The sermon is always in
Arabic, and quite unintellisible to the, common
note Of monotone - sinSnIaylS 1e eleasier y, 10 =, : H esr.
The Khutbah or sermon being ended the peo-
PIE all return 70 their homes. The head. ot'the
the direction Of Mecca says: In the name OK
my HE. my death Belong to GOD am resigned
to the will OF God" He then Stays the animal.
One third is reserved for the family, one third
Is given TO relations, and the remaining third is
distributed among the poor.
such is a brief outline of the religious services
of the day. The environments OF the day are
such as to make it a very undesirable day
whereon TO announce any great political event.
whether 1t be OF peace or war. II has long been
usual for the preacher to hold in his hand a
wooden sword reversed, and Moslem scholars
sword has been raised as an incentive TO a Jihad
or religious war.
Re sides this the thirty davs NJ fas, ~ Rama.
IAN. during which not even a drop OF water
passes the lips from sunrise TO sunse,, are not
Gaicnlated 10 promote amiabflitv OF temper, and
been laboring under intense religious excite
ment during tho RamaIan, IL is probable that
both their speech and behavior on the occasion
of the great feast
THAT C4RRT.