Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29
Mosque at Kaironan.

and among others a requirement that fifty
prayers should be made daily by all true
believers
AS Mohammed dropped down from the
seventh heaven he met Moses and Moses
asked him what the Lord had required. The
prophet replied that God wanted mankind
to make fifty prayers every day. Moses
told Mohammed that this was impossible.
as he knew from his own experience with
the children of Israel, and that he had bet
ter return and ask the Lord to reduce the
number. The number was cut down to
forty. Moses sent him back again and
again, until it was at last made only five.
Moses thought this was too many: but Mo-
manned replied that he had already asked
the Lords indulgence until he was ashamed
and so the prayers made by Mohammedans
are five every day.
Some Features Of Paradise.
In the Mohammedan heaven the ground
is of the finest wheat -four, strewed with
pearls and hyacinths instead Of sand and
pebbles. The air Is fragrant with per-
fume, and 1t is cooled by sparkling foun-
tains. Some of the streams are pure water
running between green banks enameled with
flowers; while others are of milk and honey
flowing over beds of musk. Among the
trees is one whose boughs are laden with
every variety of fruit, and whose shade Is
30 great that horse might run for a hun
dred years and not cross II.
raiment sparkling with Jewels. They have
sumptuous palaces and voluptuous couches.
Every believer will have hundreds of serv-
ants. who will bring him the most delicious
OF foods and drinks in dishes and goblets OF
gold, and he will eat as long as he wishes
without being full and drink without grow
ing drunk.
AS to his society, he will have the learned
Of mankind to talk with him, and the great
Of all time to amuse him. He will have the
wives that he had upon earth in their full
beauty when they were brides, and he will
also be allotted seventytwo black-eyed
houris by whom he may have children or
not as he wishes. The Mohammedans are
fond of children, and this is an important
part of their heavenly dreams.
Another curious idea is as to the age of
men when they reach heaven. AS they
rise from the graves they will regain the
prime Of their manhood Every one will
be thirty. and he will have the stature OF
Adam, who. according to their belief, was
over fifty feet high and perfect in form.
The Mohammedans hell is as horrible as
seven stages. one below the other, varying
in the intensity of their torments. The
first will be devoted to atheists, the second
to the idolaters of the time Of Mohammed
will have their quarters In the fourth hell,
and we Christians are confined to the fifth,
while in the seventh and lowest Of all are
those hypocrites who profess religion but
practice 1t not.
The Mohammedan Sunday.
The Mohammedan Sabbath is on Friday,
at which time every good believer attends
mosque. On that day the bazaars are
nearly all closed. There Is sermon by
the imam or priest. and the people go out
during the day to the cemetery and pray
at the graves.
The Mohammedans have their Lent,
which Is known as Ramadan. This has
taken place during M stay in North At
RIGA. 1t lasts for month, and for that
time a strict fast is observed. The Moham-
medans then eat nothing at all from day.
light until it is so dark that they cannot
distinguish white thread from a black
one. They will not drink nor smoke, ana
theamost sanity of them will not even swal-
low their spittle. I had dragoman at Con-
stantine who was keeping Ramadan. Some
of our days were full of hard work and he
spoke again and again of how tired and
hungry he was and how glad he would be
when the night came. At the end of Ram
adam is Bairam. or the time of rejoicing.
This is a great festive occasion. CORE
spending somewhat to our Christmas or
New Year. Parents then give presents to
their children and friends make calls upon
one another. Every one comes out
In new clothes. and the whole Mohamme-
dan world gives itself up to holiday feast
ing. FRANK G. CARPENTER.