In the Land of Mosques & Minarets

lain the fundamental principles of the Koran. It is a thing apart from all other religions, and though we may recognize ma

er. No Mussulman commences his devotions without first washing himself; he may take a conventional bath; he may wash his feet, face and hands; or he may

alay seas, from Turkestan

n Japan, in India, in the Philippines, and scattered throughout Continental Europe. The strength of Islam is everywhere in evidence. And whether it is mere tribal warfare that brings it to our notice, or

before they are accounted as chiefs of the state. And through its sub-heads and brotherhoods and secret societies

ilitary charge of Algeria and Tunisia, she recognized the only successful policy as being one of co?peration and not of coercion. Three hundred organizations, then,-more religious sects or communities than political divisions of a people-were kept intact in most instances, and the Sheiks who formerly got

ted of their fellow Mussulmans. A gigantic sum when it is realized that it may originally have been paid to the Sheik in kind, a quintal of wheat, a half dozen sheep, or a few hundre

people, and he is a part of a great political machine. He may even be a very learned person, an expert linguist in French, and the bearer of many decorations, even the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. Is it any wonder that his country is peaceful and everybody satisf

ppers; and some mere idol-worshippers. Among this latter were a sect who made great idols of dough which in time became baked

s no God

med is hi

e sects of Islam are many, the two chief being the Shiites and the Sunnites. The former recognized Ali, the cousin of Mohamme

cepts of the Koran the books of traditional sayings and maxims of the Prophet (a sort of Apocrypha, it would seem), and recognize

They vary somewhat in their interpretations of the Koran and certain conclusions with regard to the "law" of the Prophet, but they are as one with

isés of North Africa are mo

iii) at dohar (midway between noon and nightfall); (iv) at aseur (just after sunset, when his day of labour is fi

me, make their "sunset devotions" with regularity and impressiveness. The devout Arab will dismount from his horse, mule or camel, will come out of his tent or house, and will even alight from a railway train or diligence if opportunity offer

and Mecca-is impressive beyond words; and not even the most skeptical would deny to the simple faith of Islam the virtues grant

ons of the Mussulmans' prayer explains the attitudes and

h sincere heart and with my face

raised to each side of the face, the t

rossing the left over the chest, he repeat

tions of the P

name!"-and other pr

the hands, with fingers separated, placed upon t

on the knees-

repeated), the forehead and nose touching the groun

ally added certain recitations from the first chapter

ud, is given. He raises the forefinger of his right hand and repeats: "I af

, or supplication, when are repeated

e Prophets of God. They believe that Christ was, befor

ds, each standing for one of the ninety-nine perfections of Allah. This rosary is often elaborate and costly, interspersed here and there with jewe

al event with Mohammedans, as it is with many Christians. Soon after the sun has marked high noon, and while

ll until one is almost blinded. After this the cool shadows of the mosque are most refreshing. Barefooted the Mussulman throng threads it

his is in accordance to the law of the Prophet. Under a great dome a ruddier, more brilliant light showers down on the students and professors who psalm the verses of the Koran in a monotonous wail; while still farther to the rear is the infants' school, whose pupils repeat their lessons

ings out the muezzin's second call to prayer, and like the

wards Mecca

in's Call

which one mostly gets in Christian churches. The imam is not a priest as is known of Christendom; the r

n the lips of the imam a na?ve joy, as of a relief from a great oppression, spreads over the assembled faithful and all rush for the open, as do congregations of oth

t of God. Ruler of Mecca and Medina and

the service

rior one comes suddenly again into the light of day. To a

Those few Europeans who have really studied the harem as an institution have found, however, that its establishment and continuance is a plan that works well, and that the majority of these supposedly unhappy wives really l

r anybody to found domestic bliss upon. And these are the principal tenets of the domestic creed of the Moslem. He is often not the villain he is painted. To continue the words of the Prophet-Mohammed said one day to his companions: "Would you know the most valuable possession of man? It is, then, an honest woman. She charms the eye, and is obed

come so habituated to it that their life of seclusion becomes a second nature. They would not flee the sill of the great doorway into the outer world if they could, and their only change of locale is to pass from the harem of the husband of their mother to that of their spouse. In the harem the

his chivalrous treatment of woman. "No Arab dares lift an offending hand against a woman in public." "No Arab soldier, even in the tumult of attac

and solicitude from all the household. According to the Koran the children are admonished to respect the persons of those who bore them

erning Arab womenfolk. Contrary to common belief the Arab woman is often the intellectual and social equal of her spous

obe?dah, who inspired and aided the illustrious Haroun-Al-Rachid. Islam is not in its deca

emetery is her only outing, the only day off allowed her. She mak

he sentiment "Hic jacet." The exception is in the marabout tombs or koubas, which are often monumental,

service is devoted to his God. Furthermore the same word is applied to the tiny mosque-like tombs distributed throughout

uence, as did the author in the course of some months' sojourn in a little desert oasis, peopled only by indigènes and the small garrison of a French military post. An excursion to visit the marabout in his humble dwelling, some kilometres away under another little clump of palm-trees, was an almost weekly occurrence. Conversation was diffi

ara

which he is made out an ugly, uncouth man: "Affreux comme

or Buddhist will, who simply rolls his tongue in his cheek and smiles blandly. The Mohammedan's religion is a very plausible and a very well-working one. He has no false gods or idols. That's a good thing of itself. And superstition plays a very small part therein. That's another good thing. The marabout is not a Mussulman pri

lgeria and Tunisia, though their vocation pro

this procedure these religionists grew to such power and influence that they became virtually political rulers as well. They conquered the kingdoms of Fez and Morocco, and even sought to conquer Spain, emigrating to the southern peninsula in vast numbers, only to be chased fro

frequently met with in the Mediterranean countries. Balzac describes the batterie de cuisine o

icularly the patron saint of the blind, but the lame and the halt invoke his aid as well, for he has the reputation of being the most potent and efficacious of all Mussulman saints. A marabout is generally in charge

in numbers. It is as queer a composite caravan as one has ever seen which lines up at the wharves of Bona or Sfax, there to take ship for the East. By this time it has ceased to be a caravan,

ing folk on sh

pilgrim

from the h

een the Pro

pilgrim

seen! We

eft him in th

makes his

eads his h

ts then end

Abraham is the

oses is the mo

?ssa[1] is the

Mohammed is the

the Arabs giv

's sun, but a real devotion, if a silent one, goes out towards the departed for many months, and perhaps year

ence they bewail his death, and prayers of the utmost fervour are sent upward on his behalf. All is calm, solemn, a

sad voluminous chant. It is the "Borda,

On a little plateau of desert sand, just above the deep-dug grave, the corpse is finally placed, the company ranged about in a semicircle for one last, long, lingering prayer. The face of the corpse is turned always towards the holy city, Mecca, and when the body

women to come along after a decent interval a

Arab C