had recounted to the doctor what were the divine and traditional orders
anent Ghusl or total ablution, quoth he, “Thou hast replied aright: now
tell me what are the occasions for Tayammum, or making the ablution with
sand and dust; and what are the ordinances thereof, divine and
human?”—The reasons are seven, viz., want of water; fear lest water
lack; need thereto; going astray on a march; sickness; having broken
bones in splints and having open wounds.[311] As for its ordinances, the
divine number four, viz., intent, dust, clapping it to the face and
clapping it upon the hands; and the human number two, nomination and
preferring the right before the left hand. (¿) “What are the conditions,
the pillars or essentials, and the traditional statutes of prayer?”—The
conditions are five, (1) purification of the members; (2) covering of
the privy parts; (3) observing the proper hours, either of certainty or
to the best of one’s belief; (4) fronting the Kiblah; and (5) standing
on a clean place. The pillars or essentials number twelve, (1) intent;
(2) the Takbír or magnification of prohibition; (3) standing when able
to stand[312]; (4) repeating the Fatihah or opening chapter of the Koran
and saying, In the name of Allah, the Compassionating the Compassionate!
with a verse thereof according to the canon of the Imam Al-Shafi’i; (5)
bowing the body and keeping it bowed; (6) returning to the upright
posture and so remaining for the time requisite; (7) prostration and
permanence therein; (8) sitting between two prostrations and permanence
therein; (9) repeating the latter profession of the Faith and sitting up
therefor; (10) invoking benediction on the Prophet (whom Allah bless and
preserve!); (11) the first Salutation,[313] and (12) the intent of
making an end of prayer expressed in words. But the traditional statutes
are the call to prayer; the standing posture; raising the hands (to
either side of the face) whilst pronouncing the prohibition; uttering
the magnification before reciting the Fatihah; seeking refuge with
Allah[314]; saying, ‘Amen’; repeating the chapter of the Koran after the
Fatihah, repeating the magnifications during change of posture; saying,
May Allah hear him who praiseth Him! and O our Lord, to Thee be the
praise!; praying aloud in the proper place[315] and praying under the
breath prayers so prescribed; the first profession of unity and sitting
up thereto; blessing the Prophet therein; blessing his family in the
latter profession and the second Salutation. (¿) “On what is the Zakát
or obligatory poor-rate taxable?”—On gold and silver and camels and oxen
and sheep and wheat and barley and holcus and millet and beans and
vetches and rice and raisins and dates. (¿) “What is the Zakát or
poor-rate on gold?”—Below twenty miskals or dinars, nothing; but on that
amount half a dinar for every score and so on proportionally.[316] (¿)
“On silver?”—Under two hundred dirhams nothing, then five dirhams on
every two hundred and so forth. (¿) “On camels?”—For every five, an ewe,
or for every twenty-five a pregnant camel. (¿) “On sheep?”—An ewe for
every forty head. (¿) “What are the ordinances of the Ramazan Fast?”—The
Koranic are intent; abstinence from eating, drinking and carnal
copulation, and the stoppage of vomiting. It is incumbent on all who
submit to the Law, save women in their courses and forty days after
childbirth; and it becomes obligatory on sight of the new moon or on
news of its appearance, brought by a trustworthy person and commending
itself as truth to the hearer’s heart; and among its requisites is that
the intent be pronounced at nightfall. The traditional ordinances of
fasting are, hastening to break the fast at sundown; deferring the fore
dawn meal,[317] and abstaining from speech, save for good works and for
calling on the name of Allah and reciting the Koran. (¿) “What things
vitiate not the fast?”—The use of unguents and eye-powders and the dust
of the road and the undesigned swallowing of saliva and the emission of
seed in nocturnal pollution or at the sight of a strange woman and
blooding and cupping; none of these things vitiates the fast. (¿) “What
are the prayers of the two great annual Festivals?”—Two one-bow prayers,
which be a traditional ordinance, without call to prayer or standing up
to pronounce the call;[318] but let the Moslem say, Prayer is a
collector of all folk![319] and pronounce ‘Allaho Akbar’ seven times in
the first prayer, besides the Takbir of prohibition; and, in the second,
five times, besides the magnification of rising up (according to the
doctrine of the Imam Al-Shafi’i, on whom Allah have mercy!) and make the
profession of the Faith.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Forty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the damsel
had answered the doctor anent the Festival-prayers, quoth he, “Thou hast
replied aright: now tell me what are the prayers prescribed on the
occasion of an eclipse of the sun or moon?”—Two one-bow prayers without
call to prayer or standing thereto by the worshipper, who shall make in
each two-bow prayer double standing up and double inclinations and
two-fold prostrations, then sit and testify and salute. (¿) “What is the
ritual of prayer for rain?”—Two one-bow prayers without call to prayer
or standing thereto; then shall the Moslem make the profession and
salute. Moreover the Imam shall deliver an exhortation and ask pardon of
Allah, in place of the magnification, as in the two sermons of the
Festivals and turn his mantle upper edge downwards and pray and
supplicate. (¿) “What are the Witr, the additional or occasional
prayers?”—The least is a one-bow prayer and the most eleven. (¿) “What
is the forenoon prayer?”—At least, two one-bow prayers and at most,
twelve. (¿) “What hast thou to say of the I’itikáf or retreat[320]?”—It
is a matter of traditional ordinance. (¿) “What are its conditions?”—(1)
intent; (2) not leaving the mosque save of necessity; (3) not having to
do with a woman; (4) fasting; and (5) abstaining from speech. (¿) “Under
what conditions is the Hajj or Pilgrimage[321] obligatory?”—Manhood, and
understanding and being a Moslem and practicability; in which case it is
obligatory on all, once before death. (¿) “What are the Koranic statutes
of the Pilgrimage?”—(1) The Ihrám or pilgrim’s habit; (2) the standing
at Arafat; (3) circumambulating the Ka’abah; (4) running between Safá
and Marwah[322]; and (5) shaving or clipping the hair. (¿) “What are the
Koranic statutes of the ‘Umrah[323] or lesser pilgrimage?”—Assuming the
pilgrim’s habit and compassing and running. (¿) “What are the Koranic
ordinances of the assumption of the pilgrim’s habit?”[324]—Doffing sewn
garments, forswearing perfume and ceasing to shave the head or pare the
nails, and avoiding the killing of game, and eschewing carnal
copulation. (¿) “What are the traditional statutes of the
pilgrimage?”—(1) The crying out “Labbay’ka, Adsum, Here am I, O our
Lord, here am I!”;[325] (2) the Ka’abah-circuitings[326] of arrival and
departure; (3) the passing the night at the Mosque of Muzdalifah and in
the valley of Mina, and (4) the lapidation.[327] (¿) “What is the Jihád
or Holy War and its essentials?”—Its essentials are (1) the descent of
the Infidels upon us; (2) the presence of the Imam; (3) a state of
preparation and (4) firmness in meeting the foe. Its traditional
ordinance is incital to battle, in that the Most High hath said, “O thou
my Prophet, incite the faithful to fight!”[328] (¿) “What are the
ordinances of buying and selling?”—The Koranic are (1) offer and
acceptance and (2) if the thing sold be a white slave, by whom one
profiteth, all possible endeavour to convert him to Al-Islam; and (3) to
abstain from usury: the traditional are making void[329] and option
before not after separating, according to his saying (whom Allah bless
and preserve!), “The parties to a sale shall have the option of
cancelling or altering terms whilst they are yet unseparated.” (¿) “What
is it forbidden to sell for what?”—On this point I mind me of an
authentic tradition, reported by Náf’i[330] of the Apostle of Allah,
that he forbade the barter of dried dates for fresh and fresh figs for
dry and jerked for fresh meat and cream for clarified butter; in fine,
all eatables of one and the same kind, it is unlawful to buy or barter
some for other some.[331] Now when the doctor of law heard her words and
knew that she was wit-keen, penetrative, ingenious and learned in
jurisprudence and the Traditions and the interpretation of the Koran and
what not else, he said in his mind, “Needs must I manœuvre with her,
that I may overcome her in the assembly of the Commander of the
Faithful.” So he said to her, “O damsel, what is the lexicographical
meaning of Wuzú?” And she answered, “Philologically it signifieth
cleanliness and freedom from impurities.” (¿) “And of Salát or
prayer?”—An invocation of good. (¿) “And of Ghusl?”—Purification. (¿)
“And of Saum or fasting?”—Abstention. (¿) “And of Zakát?”—Increase. (¿)
“And of Hajj or pilgrimage?”—Visitation. (¿) “And of Jihád?”—Repelling.
With this the doctor’s arguments were cut off,——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Forty-third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the doctor’s
arguments were cut off, he rose to his feet and said, “Bear witness
against me, O Commander of the Faithful, that this damsel is more
learned in the Law than I am.” Quoth she, “I will ask thee somewhat,
which do thou answer me speedily, an thou be indeed a learned man.”
Quoth he, “Say on;” and she said, “What are the arrows of the Faith?”
Answered he, “They number ten, (1) Testification, that is, religion; (2)
Prayer, that is, the covenant; (3) Alms, that is, purification; (4)
Fasting, that is, defensive armour; (5) Pilgrimage, that is, the Law;
(6) Fighting for the Faith, that is, a general duty; (7) Bidding to
beneficence and (8) Forbidding from frowardness, both of which are a
man’s honour; (9) Commune,[332] that is, sociableness of the Faithful;
and (10) Seeking knowledge, that is, the praiseworthy path.” She
rejoined, “Thou hast replied aright and now remaineth but one question,
What be the roots or fundamentals of Al-Islam?” He said, “They are four,
sincerity of belief, truth of intent, observance of the lawful limit and
keeping the covenant.” Then said she, “I have one more question to ask
thee, which if thou answer, it is well; else, I will take thy clothes.”
Quoth he, “Speak, O damsel;” and she said, “What are the branches or
superstructure of Al-Islam?” But he was silent awhile and made no reply:
so she cried, “Doff thy clothes and I will expound them to thee.” Quoth
the Caliph “Expound them, and I will make him put off his clothes for
thee.” She said, “There are two-and-twenty branches; (1) holding fast to
the Book of Allah the Most Highest; (2) taking example by His Apostle
(whom Allah bless and preserve!); (3) abstaining from evil doing; (4)
eating what is lawful and (5) avoiding what is unlawful; (6) restitution
of things wrongfully taken; (7) repentance; (8) knowledge of the Law;
(9) love of the Friend,[333] (10) and of the followers of the true
Revelation; (11) belief in the apostles of Al-Islam; (12) fear of
apostacy; (13) preparation for departing this life; (14) force of
conviction; (15) mercy on all possible occasions; (16) strength in time
of weakness; (17) patience under trials; (18) knowledge of Allah
Almighty and (19) of what His Prophet hath made known to us; (20)
thwarting Iblis the accursed; (21) striving earnestly against the lusts
of the soul and warring them down, and (22) devotion to the one God.”
Now when the Commander of the Faithful heard her words, he bade the
professor put off his clothes and hooded turband; and so did that doctor
and went forth, beaten and confounded, from the Caliph’s presence.
Thereupon another man stood up and said to her, “O damsel, hear a few
questions from me.” Quoth she, “Say on;” and he asked, “What are the
conditions of purchase by advance?” whereto she answered, “That the
price be fixed, the kind be fixed and the period of delivery be fixed
and known.” (¿) “What are the Koranic and the traditional canons of
eating?”—The confession that Allah Almighty provideth the eater and
giveth him meat and drink, with thanksgiving to Him therefor. (¿) “What
is thanksgiving?”—The use by the creature of that which the Creator
vouchsafeth to him, according as it was created for the creature. (¿)
“What are the traditional canons of eating?”—The Bismillah[334] and
washing both hands; sitting on the left of the hind part; eating with
three fingers, and eating of that which hath been duly masticated.[335]
(¿) “What are good manners in eating?”—Taking small mouthfuls and
looking little at one’s table-companion.——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Forty-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the damsel
had answered concerning good manners in eating, the doctor who was
trying her, rejoined, “Thou hast replied aright. Now tell me what are
the stays of the heart and their supports?”[336]—The stays and supports
both number three; (1) holding fast to the Faith, the support whereof is
the shunning of infidelity; (2) holding fast to the Traditional Law, and
its support the shunning of innovation; and (3) holding fast to
obedience, and its support the shunning of disobedience. (¿) “What are
the conditions of Wuzu?”—(1) being a Moslem; (2) discernment of good and
evil; (3) purity of the water, and (4) absence of material or religious
impediments. (¿) “What is belief?”—It is divided into nine parts, (1)
belief in the One worshipped; (2) belief in the condition of slavery of
the worshipper; (3) belief in the personality of the Deity; (4) belief
in the Two Handfuls;[337] (5) belief in Providence which allotteth to
man his lot; (6) belief in the Abrogating and (7) in the Abrogated; (8)
belief in Allah, His angels and apostles; and (9) in fore-ordained Fate,
general and individual, its good and ill, its sweet and bitter. (¿)
“What three things do away other three?”—It is told of Sufyán
al-Saurí[338] that he said, “Three things do away with other three.
Making light of the pious doth away the future life, making light of
Kings doth away this life, and, making light of expenditure doth away
wealth.” (¿) “What are the keys of the heavens, and how many gates have
they?”—Quoth Almighty Allah, “And the heaven shall be opened and be full
of portals;”[339] and quoth he whom Allah bless and preserve!, “None
knoweth the number of the gates of heavens, save He who created the
heavens, and there is no son of Adam but hath two gates allotted to him
in the heavens, one whereby his daily bread descendeth and another
wherethrough his works ascend. The first gate is not closed, save when
his term of life cometh to an end, nor the gate of works, good and evil,
till his soul ascend for judgment.” (¿) “Tell me of a thing and a half
thing and a no-thing.”—The thing is the Moslem; the half thing the
hypocrite,[340] and the no-thing the miscreant. (¿) “Tell me of various
kinds of hearts.”—There is the whole heart, the sick heart, the contrite
heart, the vowed heart and the enlightened heart. Now the whole heart is
that of Abraham, the Friend of Allah; the sick heart is that of the
Unbeliever in Al-Islam; the contrite heart is that of the pious who fear
the Lord; the vowed heart is that of our Lord Mohammed (whom Allah bless
and keep!) and the illuminated heart is that of his followers.
Furthermore, the hearts of learned Olema are of three kinds, the heart
which is in love with this world; the heart which loveth the next world,
and the heart which loveth its Lord; and it is said that hearts are
three, the suspended, that of the infidel; the non-existent, that of the
hypocrite; and the constant, that of the True-believer. Moreover, it is
said that the firm heart is of three kinds, viz., the heart dilated with
light and faith, the heart wounded with fear of estrangement and the
heart which feareth to be forsaken of its Supreme Friend.——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Forty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the second
doctor declared, “Thou hast said well,” quoth she to the Caliph, “O
Commander of the Faithful, he hath questioned me, till he is weary, and
now I will ask of him two questions. If he answer them both, it is well;
and if not, I will take his clothes and he shall wend in peace.” Quoth
the doctor, “Ask me what thou wilt,” and she said, “What sayest thou
religion is?” Answered he, “Religion is confession of Faith with the
tongue and conviction with the heart and correspondent action with the
members. He (upon whom be blessings and peace!) hath said:—The believer
is not perfect in belief, except he perfect himself in five qualities,
namely, trust in Allah,[341] committal of his affair to Allah,
submission to the commands of Allah, acquiescence in the decrees of
Allah; and that all he doth be done for sake of Allah; so is he of those
who are acceptable to the Deity, and who give to Him and withhold for
Him; and such man is perfect in belief.” Then said she, “What is the
Divine ordinance of ordinances and the ordinance which is the initiator
of all ordinances and that of which all others stand in need and that
which comprehendeth all others; and what is the traditional ordinance
that entereth into the Koranic, and the prophetic practice whereby the
Divine is completed?” But he was silent and made no reply; whereupon the
Caliph bade her expound and ordered him to doff his clothes and give
them to her. Said she, “O doctor, the Koranic ordinance of ordinances is
the knowledge of Almighty Allah; that, which is the initiative of all
others, is the testifying there is no god but _the_ God and Mohammed is
the Apostle of God; that, of which all others have need, is the
Wuzu-ablution; that, which compriseth all others, is the Ghusl-ablution
from defilement[342]: the Traditional ordinance that entereth into the
Koranic, is the separation of the fingers and the thick beard;[343] and
that, wherewith all Koranic ordinances are completed, is
circumcision.”[344] Therewith was made manifest the defeat of the
doctor, who rose to his feet and said, “I call Allah to witness, O
Commander of the Faithful, that this damsel is more learned than I in
theology and what pertaineth to the Law.” So saying, he put off his
clothes and went away ignominiously worsted. Then she turned to the rest
of the learned men present and said, “O masters, which of you is the
Koranist, the reader and reciter of the Koran, versed in the seven
readings and in syntax and in lexicography?” Thereupon a professor arose
and, seating himself before her, said, “Hast thou read the Book of
Almighty Allah and made thyself thoroughly acquainted with its signs,
that is its verses, and its abrogating parts and abrogated portions, its
unequivocal commands and its ambiguous; and the difference of its
revelations, Meccan and Medinan? Dost thou understand its interpretation
and hast thou studied it, according to the various traditions and
origins?” “Yes,” answered she; and he said, “What then is the number of
its chapters, how many are the decades and versets, how many words and
how many letters and how many acts of prostration and how many prophets
and how many chapters are Medinan and how many are Meccan and how many
birds are mentioned in it?” Replied she, “O my lord, its chapters are an
hundred and fourteen, whereof seventy were revealed at Meccah and
forty-four at Al-Medinah; and it containeth six hundred and twenty-one
decades; six thousand three hundred and thirty-six versets;[345]
seventy-nine thousand four hundred and thirty-nine words and three
hundred and twenty-three thousand and six hundred and seventy letters;
and to the reader thereof, for every letter, are given ten benefits. The
acts of prostration it compriseth are fourteen.”——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now When it Was the Four Hundred and Forty-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the professor
of Koranic exegesis questioned the damsel, she continued, “As regards
the Prophets named in the Book there be five-and-twenty, to wit, Adam,
Noah,[346] Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Lot, Elisha, Jonah,
Salih,[347] or Heber, Húd,[348] Shua’yb or Jethro,[349] David, Solomon,
Zú’l-kafl or Joshua, Idrís, Elias, Yahyá or John the Baptist, Zacharias,
Job, Moses, Aaron, Jesus and Mohammed,[350] the peace of Allah and His
blessing be on them all! Moreover, nine flying things are mentioned in
the Koran, namely, the gnat, the bee, the fly, the ant, the hoopoe, the
crow, the locust, the swallow and the bird of Jesus[351] (on whom be
peace!), to wit, the bat.” (¿) “Which is the most excellent chapter of
the Koran?”—That of The Cow.[352] (¿) “Which is the most magnificent
verse?”—That of The Throne; it hath fifty words, bearing in each fifty
blessings. (¿) “What sign or verse hath in it nine signs or
wonders?”—That in which quoth Allah Almighty, “Verily, in the creation
of the Heaven and the Earth; and in the vicissitude of night, and day;
and in the ship which saileth through the sea laden with what is
profitable for mankind; and in the rain-water which God sendeth down
from Heaven, quickening thereby the dead ground and replenishing the
same with all sorts of cattle; and in the change of winds and in the
clouds that are compelled to do service between the Heaven and the
Earth;[353]—are signs to people of understanding.” (¿) “Which verse is
the most just?”—That in which Allah saith, “Verily, Allah enjoineth
justice and the doing of good, and the giving unto kindred what shall be
necessary; and He forbiddeth wickedness and iniquity and
oppression.”[354] (¿) “Which is the most greedy?”—That in which quoth
Allah, “Is it that every man of them greedeth to enter the Garden of
Delight?”[355] (¿) “Which is the most hopeful?”—That in which quoth
Almighty Allah, “Say: ‘O my servants who have transgressed against your
own souls, despair not of the mercy of Allah; seeing, that Allah
forgiveth all sins; aye Gracious, Merciful is He.’”[356] (¿) “By what
school of intonation dost thou read?”—By that of the people of Paradise,
to wit, the version of Náf’i. (¿) “In which verse doth Allah make
prophets lie?”[357]—In that wherein He saith, “They (the brothers of
Joseph) brought his inner garment stained with false blood.”[358] (¿)
“In which doth He make unbelievers speak the truth?”—In that wherein He
saith, “The Jews say, ‘The Christians are grounded on nothing,’ and the
Christians say, ‘The Jews are grounded on nothing’; and yet they both
read the Scriptures;”[359] and, so saying, all say sooth. (¿) “In which
doth God speak in his own person?”—In that in which he saith, “I have
not created Genii and men for any other end than that they should serve
me.”[360] (¿) “In which verse do the angels speak?”—In that which saith,
“But we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy holiness.”[361] (¿) “What
sayest thou of the formula:—I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the
Stoned?”—It is obligatory by commandment of Allah on all before reading
the Koran, as appeareth by His saying, “When thou readest the Koran,
seek refuge with Allah from Satan the Stoned.”[362] (¿) “What signify
the words ‘seeking refuge’[363] and what are the variants of the
formula?”—Some say, “I take refuge with Allah the All-hearing and
All-knowing,” and others, “With Allah the Strong;” but the best is that
whereof the Sublime Koran speaketh and the Traditions perpetuate. And he
(whom Allah bless and keep!) was used to ejaculate, “I seek refuge with
Allah from Satan the Stoned.” And quoth a Tradition, reported by Naf’i
on the authority of his adopted father, “The apostle of Allah, was wont
when he rose in the night to pray, to say aloud, Allaho Akbar; God is
Most Great, with all Majesty! Praise be to Allah abundantly! Glory to
Allah morn and even be!” Then would he say, “I seek refuge with Allah
from Satan the Stoned and from the delusions of the Devils and their
evil suggestions.” And it is told of Ibn Abbas[364] (of whom Allah
accept!) that he said, “The first time Gabriel came down to the Prophet
with revelation he taught him the ‘seeking refuge,’ saying:—O Mohammed,
say, I seek refuge with Allah the All-hearing and All-knowing; then
say:—In the name of Allah the Compassionating, the Compassionate! Read,
in the name of thy Lord who created;—created man of blood-clots.”[365]
Now when the Koranist heard her words he marvelled at her expressions,
her eloquence, her learning, her excellence, and said, “O damsel, what
sayst thou of the verse “In the name of Allah, the Compassionating, the
Compassionate? Is it one of the verses of the Koran?””—Yes; it is a
verset of “The Ant”[366] occurring also at the head of the first and
between every two following chapters; and there is much difference of
opinion, respecting this, among the learned.——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now When it Was the Four Hundred and Forty-seventh Night,