Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-29
MOSLEM NIGHT OF NIGHTS
An Impressive Sight in the Mosque Of
ST. Sophia.
LONG, HOT DAYS OF RAMAzAE
Eine Thousand MussuImans at Prayer
IN the Night of POwer-cele-
bratinE Great Festival
of amazan

CONsTANTINOPLE, Nov. 2-Moslems
In Turkey have just been keeping Rama
zan. the greatest Of their festivals, a month
OF fasting, feasting, gayety and prayer.
during which period none may touch food,
water or tobacco from sunrise to sunset,
and even the laxest dares not break his
fast I'm the presence OF another. There
fore, whenever 1t is possible. the moslem
sleeps throughout the weary hours OF day
light. waking only when the chanting of
the Muezzins' voices from innumerable
minarets reminds him that II is the hour
of prayer. At sunset f~easting and gayety
commence, and little cafes, empty all day
long. are filled with hungry customers,
who sit and gorge in preparation Of the
next days fast.
During Ramazan ths sultan makes his
first and only appearance for the year out
side the palace grounds, and the Night OF
I Power is the most important Of all the
nights of Ramazan. Each year a young
girl selected after a search throughout the
empire as the most beautiful is taken 10
the royal harem on this night as a gift
for his majesty. On the Night Of Power,
too. in the huge mosque of ST. Sophia, one
witnesses a spectacle that is not seen In
AnH NhElbNAh az 80 AhNNNf
other occasion in Turkey-the impressive
sight of thousands of devout and earnest
worshipers, among whom there is not a
single woman. And the Koran, which all
Moslems venerate, believing it to be the
word of God, speaks in this mystic Ian
guage of the Night OF Power:
verify we sent it Ohe Koran) down
on the Night Of Power. And who shall
make thee know what the Night Of Power
is! The Night Of Power is better than a
thousand months. In 1t descend the an
gels and the spirit by permission of theii
lord In every matter. 1t is peace unit
the rising of the dawn"
Date is Uncertain.
The exact date being unknown, thu
Night OF Power is generally celebrated or
the 9th day OF Ramazan. 1t Is ouly GER
tain tina 1t falls between the 2oth and tht
2sth of this month, and as It Is be-
lisved that there is one particular moment
in which the prayers of all worshipers
are granted. Moslems spend most OF thos'
four nights in prayer in order not to lose
this precious moment.
On the Night Of Power. contrary to his
usual custom Of lingering over the lons
anticipated evening meal, the Moslem, or
nearing lne ChHnOh az as WoAhAhe N
that he may break his fast. hastily disposei
of his food; then sucking up his tiny cuI
Of coffee with the sozzling noise that Ii
polite In Turkey and indicates great appre'
citation, he hurries along the steep, narrow
streets, already swarming will men bend
ing their steps In the direction of the
Mosque, from whose four towering min
arcts the voices of the Muezzins are pres
entity heard chanting the call to prayer:
''God Is great. God Is great God Il
great. God In great.
II bear witness there is no god but God
I bear witness there is no god but God.
IT bear witness that Mohammed is thu
prophet of God. 1 bear witness that Mo
manned Is the prophet of God.
vCome to prayers. Come to prayers.
''Come TO salvation. Come TO salvation.
"God Is great. There is no other god bu
Cod ofH
Scene at st. sOphAa's.
The huge mosque OF st. Sophia was ono
q Byzantine church belonging to tn,
Greeks, and on this particular night Chris
tians are only permitted to enter at tn,
small northern door, which leads to one o
the broad galleries encirciing the might,
pile.
Early In the evening incessant streams o
NOR begin to filter slowly through the fiv
main entrances; the door TO the gallery