Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-12-14
@AWAKTNG
| II aiRSS,Es
Persian Pilgrims Carry Seeds Of Mod-
ern Reform--Holy Places OF Mes
lens Near 6agdad Are shrInes for
MyrIads Of shIahs From Altar.
BY WILLIAM I. ELLIS.


Bagdad, Turkey.-The man OF the
street in Philadelphia, or Chicago, or
London would look skeptical II told
that the most densely populated sec
ton of the earth's surface was former
ly the region off in this little-known
corner of the earth which is now the
Mesopotamian desert. 1t is hard for
one on the spot to realize that these
wastes were once OF incredible fer
tility, and that the kings of the whole
earth once reigned here in splendor.
At present, the rowing Arabs and the
Moslem pilgrims have the land to
themselves. The tracks across the
desert are chiefly made by pious mem
bers OF the Shah sect of Moslems,
who are required to make at least
one pilgrimage a year to these holy
cities set off in the desert.
The popular idea is that Mecca is
the one great place of Islamic pilgrim
age. Certainly It holds first place,
and Medina, the home and burial place
of Mohammed, comes second All
Moslems, of whatever sect, agree as
to the sanctity of these holy places,
But the Shah sect of Moslems. who
abound in Persia and India, and are
by the Sunnites considered heretics,
regard the graves of All and Hussein
as of almost equal sanctity; and the
rule of pilgrimage to these spots is
more rigidly observed by them than
by Sunnites generally. Ali was the
husband of Fatima, the daughter of
Mohammed, and Hussein was their
son, the prophets grandson, AS the
direct descendant of the prophet, he
is esteemed as greater than his
father, who entered the line by mar
riage. These two men contended with
the companions of Mohammed for the
succession to the supreme place. or
caliphate, and in sanguinary battles
were defeated. The Sunnite Moslems
hold to the validity of the succession
of the Companions, whereas the
Shiahs accept the claims OF All and
Hussein and regard them as martyrs.
When they read the story of the death
of the prophets grandson the pill
grims weep and wall loudly, for all to
hear.
Rich Shrlnes In the Desert.
1t sounds like the Arabian Nights
to tell of towers Of pure gold piercing
the air OF the remote desert, yet such
is the literal fact. am able to UNI
derstand with what joy the weary
travellers over these interminable
wastes. where there is no object to re-
lieve the monotony, is gladdened by
the sight OF the golden minarets OF
Kerbela's mosque, beneath which re-
pose the bones of the martyred Hus-
sein. In the same fashion the dome
and minarets of Meshed Ali, or Nejef,
signal from afar that the goal of the
pilgrim is In sight The cupolas and
minarets of both these sacred mosques
are plated with pure gold, and be-
meath them are treasures that stag
ger the Imagination, the piled-up
gifts of rich and royal devotees. When
the late shah of Persia visited Ker-
bella, the storehouses were opened,
and the riches he beheld were of stag
gering oriental sumptuousness. Incl
dentally, 1t may be mentioned, the
leaders of the Shah Moslems, resi-.
dent here, have almost the last word
to say concerning the fate of Persia.
No Christian may enter one OF
these mosques Under the new regime
he may not be kept out of the city,
but the best he can get is passing
glimpse of the lavish golden orna-
mentation of the courtyards of the
mosques and of the wonderful mo-