M H H I
liv P R E L I M I N A R Y
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four hours. I. between day-break and fun-rife ; II. immediately after
noon; III. immediately before fun-fet ; IV. in the evening, before dark;
and,. V . before the firR watch of the night. At thefe hours,, therefore,
the Mawzins or criers warn the people, from the minur'cts of the mofques^
to prepare for prayer, and all devout perfons forthwith either repair to the:
niofque, or proceed to perform their devotional exercifes in fome other
convenient fpot, after the previous luRration.— T h e firfl: chapter of this
book treats of the proper hours for prayer, whether prefcribed or voluntary,
prohibiting, at the fame time, thé repetition o f any during the rifling
or fetting of the fun, or at the hour of his. palling the meridian.— T h e
fécond chapter concerns the duty of the public criers, and the manner in.
which they are to fummon people to worfhip.—The third relates to the
conditions of prayer,:— that is, thofe points which are regarded as effen-
tially requifite to its efficacy which are as follows* I. that the per-
fon be free.from every fpecies of defilement; II. that aM fumptuous
apparel; be previoufly laid afide, at the fame time that the body be fo far
covered as to avoid any offence to decency,— unlefs, however, the perfon*
be deftitute of clothing, in which cafe this is difpenfed with : III. that
the attention accompany the act, and be not fluttered to wander to any
other objeób, infomuch that i f the perfon,. whilR praying, caR his eyes
upqa a book fo as to recollect the contents, his prayer is: o f no effedt ;
IV . that the prayer be performed with the face towards the Kàbla, or
temple o f M ec ca, the relative fituation of which is for that reafon
pointed out in all their mofques by the pofition of the Niche- for the Imam,
which is termed thé Mehrab. Where, however, the relative fituation
of the Kàbla is uncertain or unknown, the perfon who prays is only required
to obferve this ceremony to the befi o f his knowledge or recolleilion.
— T h e fourth chapter relates to the nature and defcription of the prayers,,
preforibing the forms proper to ufe on each particular occafion, and the
portions of the K oran which it is proper to read each day.— The paffage
mofl: worthy of notice in this chapter is , that men are allowed to repeat
the prayers, or to read the allotted: portions of the K oran, in every other
language as well as the Arabic ; “ for” (as Haneefa well argues) “ the
" difference of language makes no alteration in the fenfe ; and it is-; not
“ poffible
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H poffible that the heart fhould joia in what the underflanding does not
“ comprehend.”— T h e fifth chapter contains the qualifications neeeffary
to the office o f a priefi, and the particular duties attached to that Ration,
— T h e perfons held incapable of exercifing this fundion are fa v e s, reprobates,
the blind, the Bidweens, (people o f the defert,) and baflards.
Thefe laR are deemed unfit, becaufe of the bafenefs of their birth giving
room for difcontent to fome who might fuppofe themfelves difhonoured
by attending them in public.— This head likewife comprehends all the
diredions for public worfhip, in which certain precautions are laid down
again!! the women mixing with the men, each fex having a. particular
Ration allotted, for the fake of decency, and alfo to avoid any excitement
to paffion.— The fixth, feventhy eighth, ninth, tenth,eleventh, andtwelfth,
chapters contain merely matters of form, precaution, and. fo forth,— T h e
thirteenth chapter prefcribes the prayer proper to the fick, and the various
forms of luRration, &c. which may be difpenfed with on account of their
indifpofition.— The fourteenth chapter relates to the proflrations : the fifteenth
contains the rules to be obferved by thofe who travel: the fixteenth
the prayers proper to Friday [the hlufl'uhnan fabbath :] the feventeenth and
eighteenth thofe for particular fafts and feflivals: the nineteenth thofe
for. rain.— T h e twentieth chapter prefcribes the manner of performing
prayer when furrounded by an enemy,— in which cafe the Imam is directed
to divide his troops into two bodies, one to oppofe the foe whilR
the other prays, and thus to relieve each other fueceffively.— T h e twenty-
firft chapter contains the prayers for the dead, with the various forms,
o f ablution, enfhrouding, and interment.— The twenty-fecond relates to-
the fame, with refpect to thofe who are Rain in battle.— The twenty-
third regards, the prayers proper for pilgrims who-vifit the infide of the:
temple of Mec ca.
F asting is an eflential part of piety, and termed, by the orthodox,,
jthe gate ( f religion* It is of two kinds, voluntary and incumbent-; and is.
diflinguiflied, by the Mujflultnan divines, into three degrees: I. the refraining
from every kind of nourifhment or carnal indulgence: II. the
refiraiiiUig of the various members from any thing which might excite
o finful.
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