night embracing lie:
They guard the folk from all calamities, ✿ But with the rising sun apart
they fly?”
She answered, “The leaves of a door.” Quoth he, “Tell me of the gates of
Gehenna?” Quoth she, “They are seven in number and their names are
comprised in these two couplets:—
Jahannam, next Lazá, and third Hatím; ✿ Then count Sa’ír and Sakar eke,
five-fold,
Sixth comes Jahím and Háwiyah the seventh; ✿ Here are seven Hells in
four lines briefly told.”
Quoth he “To what doth the poet refer when he saith:—
She wears a pair of ringlets long let down ✿ Behind her, as she comes
and goes at speed,
And eye that never tastes of sleep nor sheds ✿ A tear, for ne’er a drop
it hath at need;
That never all its life wore stitch of clothes; ✿ Yet robes mankind in
every mode of weed?”
Quoth she, “A needle.” (¿) “What is the length and what the breadth of
the bridge Al-Sirát?”—Its length is three thousand years’ journey, a
thousand in descent and a thousand in ascent and a thousand level: it is
sharper than a sword and finer than a hair.——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Sixtieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the damsel
had described to him Al-Sirat, the philosopher said, “Inform me how many
intercessions with Allah hath the Prophet for each soul?”[447]—Three.
(¿) “Was Abu Bakr the first who embraced Al-Islam?”—Yes. (¿) “Yet Ali
became a Moslem before him?”—Ali came to the Prophet, when he was a boy
of seven years old, for Allah vouchsafed him knowledge of the way of
salvation in his tender youth, so that he never prostrated himself to
idols. Quoth he, “Tell me which is the more excellent, Ali or Abbás?”
Now she knew that, in propounding this question, Ibrahim was laying a
trap for her; for if she said, “Ali is more excellent than Abbas,” she
would lack excuse with the Caliph for undervaluing his ancestor; so she
bowed her head awhile, now reddening, then paling, and lastly said,
“Thou askest me of two excellent men, each having his own excellence.
Let us return to what we were about.” When the Caliph Harun al-Rashid
heard her, he stood up and said, “Thou hast spoken well, by the Lord of
the Ka’abah, O Tawaddud!” Then quoth Ibrahim the rhetorician, “What
meaneth the poet when he saith:—
Slim-wasted one, whose taste is sweetest-sweet, ✿ Likest a lance whereon
no head we scan:
And all the lieges find it work them weal, ✿ Eaten of afternoon in
Ramazan.”
She answered, “The sugar-cane;” and he said, “Tell me of many things.”
Asked she, “What are they?” and he said, “What is sweeter than honey;
what is sharper than the sword; what is swifter than poison; what is the
delight of a moment and what the contentment of three days; what is the
pleasantest of days; what is the joy of a week; what is that debt the
worst debtor denieth not; what is the prison of the tomb; what is the
joy of the heart; what is the snare of the soul; what is death-in-life;
what is the disease that may not be healed; what is the shame that may
not be wiped off; what is the beast that woneth not in cultivated
fields, but lodgeth in waste places and hateth the sons of Adam and hath
in him somewhat of the make of seven strong and violent beasts?” Quoth
she, “Hear what I shall say in reply; then put off thy clothes, that I
may explain to thee;” and the Caliph said, “Expound, and he shall doff
his clothes.” So she said, “Now that, which is sweeter than honey, is
the love of pious children to their two parents; that, which is sharper
than the sword, is the tongue; that, which is swifter than poison, is
the Envier’s eye; the delight of a moment is carnal copulation and the
contentment of three days is the depilatory for women; the pleasantest
of days is that of profit on merchandise; the joy of a week is the
bride; the debt, which the worst debtor denieth not, is death; the
prison of the tomb is a bad son; the joy of the heart is a woman
obedient to her husband (and it is said also that, when fleshmeat
descendeth upon the heart, it rejoiceth therein); the snare of the soul
is a disobedient slave; death-in-life is poverty; the disease that may
not be healed is an ill-nature, and the shame that may not be wiped away
is an ill daughter; lastly, the beast that woneth not in cultivated
fields, but lodgeth in waste places and hateth the sons of Adam and hath
in him somewhat of the make of seven strong and violent beasts, is the
locust, whose head is as the head of a horse, its neck as the neck of
the bull, its wings as the wings of the vulture, its feet as the feet of
the camel, its tail as the tail of the serpent, its belly as the belly
of the scorpion and its horns as the horns of the gazelle.” The Caliph
was astounded at her quickness and understanding, and said to the
rhetorician, “Doff thy clothes.” So he rose up and cried, “I call all
who are present in this assembly to witness that she is more learned
than I and every other learned man.” And he put off his clothes and gave
them to her, saying, “Take them and may Allah not bless them to thee!”
So the Caliph ordered him fresh clothes and said, “O Tawaddud, there is
one thing left of that for which thou didst engage, namely, chess.” And
he sent for experts of chess and cards[448] and trictrac. The
chess-player sat down before her, and they set the pieces, and he moved
and she moved; but, every move he made she speedily countered,——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Sixty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the damsel
was playing chess with the expert in presence of the Commander of the
Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, whatever move he made was speedily countered
by her, till she beat him and he found himself checkmated. Quoth he, “I
did but lead thee on, that thou mightest think thyself skilful: but set
up again, and thou shalt see.” So they placed the pieces a second time,
when he said in himself, “Open thine eyes or she will beat thee.” And he
fell to moving no piece, save after calculation, and ceased not to play,
till she said, “Thy King is dead!—Checkmate.” When he saw this he was
confounded at her quickness and understanding; but she laughed and said,
“O professor, I will make a wager with thee on this third game. I will
give thee the queen and the right-hand castle and the left-hand knight;
if thou beat me, take my clothes, and if I beat thee, I will take thy
clothes.” Replied he, “I agree to this;” and they replaced the pieces,
she removing queen, castle and knight.[449] Then said she, “Move, O
master.” So he moved, saying to himself, “I cannot but beat her, with
such odds,” and planned a combination; but, behold, she moved on, little
by little, till she made one of her pawns[450] a queen and pushing up to
him pawns and other pieces, to take off his attention, set one in his
way and tempted him to take it. Accordingly, he took it and she said to
him, “The measure is meted and the loads equally balanced.[451] Eat till
thou art over-full; naught shall be thy ruin, O son of Adam, save thy
greed. Knowest thou not that I did but tempt thee, that I might finesse
thee? See: this is check-mate!” adding, “So doff off thy clothes.” Quoth
he, “Leave me my bag-trousers, so Allah repay thee;” and he swore by
Allah that he would contend with none, so long as Tawaddud abode in the
realm of Baghdad. Then he stripped off his clothes and gave them to her
and went away. Thereupon came the backgammon-player, and she said to
him, “If I beat thee, this day, what wilt thou give me?” Quoth he, “I
will give thee ten suits of brocade of Constantinople, figured with
gold, and ten suits of velvet and a thousand gold pieces; and if I beat
thee, I ask nothing but that thou write me an acknowledgment of my
victory.” Quoth she, “To it, then, and do thy best.” So they played, and
he lost and went away, chattering in Frankish jargon and saying, “By the
bounty of the Commander of the Faithful, there is not her like in all
the regions of the world!” Then the Caliph summoned players on
instruments of music and asked her, “Dost thou know aught of music?”;
when she answered, “Even so!” He bade bring a worn lute, polished by
use, whose owner forlorn and lone was by parting trodden down; and of
which quoth one, describing it:—
Allah watered a land, and upsprang a tree ✿ Struck root deep down, and
raised head a-sky:
The birds o’ersang it when green its wood; ✿ And the Fair o’ersing now
the wood is dry.
So they brought the lute in a bag of red satin, with tassels of
saffron-coloured silk: and she opened the bag, and took it out and
behold on it was graven:—
Oft hath a tender bough made lute for maid, ✿ Whose swift sweet lays at
feast men’s hearts invade:
She sings; it follows on her song, as though ✿ The Bulbuls[452] taught
her all the modes she played.
She laid her lute in her lap and with bosom inclining over it, bent to
it with the bending of a mother who suckleth her child; then she
preluded in twelve different modes, till the whole assembly was agitated
with delight, like a waving sea, and she sang the following:—
Cut short this strangeness, leave unruth of you; ✿ My heart shall love
you aye, by youth of you!
Have ruth on one who sighs and weeps and moans, ✿ Pining and yearning
for the troth of you.
The Caliph was ravished and exclaimed, “Allah bless thee and be merciful
to him who taught thee!”: whereupon she rose and kissed the ground
before him. Then he sent for money and paid her master Abu al-Husn an
hundred thousand gold pieces to her price; after which he said to her,
“O Tawaddud, ask a boon of me!” Replied she, “I ask of thee that thou
restore me to my lord who sold me.” “‘Tis well,” answered the Caliph and
restored her to her master and gave her five thousand dinars for
herself. Moreover, he appointed Abu al-Husn one of his cup-companions
for a permanence,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Sixty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Caliph gave
the damsel five thousand dinars for herself and restored her to her
master whom he appointed one of his cup-companions for a permanence and
assigned him a monthly stipend of a thousand dinars so long as he should
live; and he abode with the damsel Tawaddud in all solace and delight of
life. Marvel then, O King, at the eloquence of this damsel and the
hugeness of her learning and understanding and her perfect excellence in
all branches of art and science; and consider the generosity of the
Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, in that he gave her master
this money and said to her, “Ask a boon of me;” and she besought him to
restore her to her lord. So he restored her to him and gave her five
thousand dinars for herself and made him one of his boon-companions.
Where is such generosity to be found after the Abbaside Caliphs?—May
Allah Almighty have mercy upon them, one and all! And they tell a tale
of
-----
Footnote 281:
Lane (ii. 636) omits this tale, “as it would not only require a volume
of commentary, but be extremely tiresome to most readers.” Quite true;
but it is valuable to Oriental Students who are beginning their
studies, as an excellent compendium of doctrine and practice according
to the Shafi’í School.
Footnote 282:
Pronounce Aboo’l-Husn = Father of Beauty, a fancy name.
Footnote 283:
As in most hot climates so in Egypt the dead are buried at once
despite the risk of vivisepulture. This seems an instinct with the
Semitic (Arabian) race _teste_ Abraham, as with the Gypsy. Hence the
Moslems have invoked religious aid. The Mishkát al-Masábih (i. 387)
makes Mohammed say, “When any one of you dieth you may not keep him in
the house but bear him quickly to his grave”; and again, “Be quick in
raising up the bier: for if the dead have been a good man, it is good
to bear him gravewards without delay; and if bad, it is frowardness ye
put from your necks.”
Footnote 284:
This biting of the hand in Al-Haríri expresses bitterness of
repentance and he uses more than once the Koranic phrase (chapter
vii., 148) “Sukita fí aydíhim,” lit. where it (the biting) was fallen
upon their hands; _i.e._ when it repented them; “sukita” being here
not a passive verb as it appears, but an impersonal form uncommon in
Arabic. The action is instinctive, a survival of the days when man was
a snarling and snapping animal (physically) armed only with claws and
teeth.
Footnote 285:
Arab. “‘Alam,” applied to many things, an “old man” of stones (Kákúr),
a sign post with a rag on the top, etc.
Footnote 286:
The moon of Ramazan was noticed in Night ix. That of Sha’aban (eighth
month) begins the fighting month after the conclusion of the Treuga
Dei in Rajab. See Night ccclxxviii.
Footnote 287:
These lines have occurred in Night cccxix. I give Mr. Payne’s version
for variety.
Footnote 288:
_i.e._ in her prime, at fourteen to fifteen.
Footnote 289:
_i.e._ pale and yellow.
Footnote 290:
The word means the wood; but it alludes to a preparation made by
levigating it on a stone called in India “Sandlásá.” The gruel-like
stuff is applied with the right hand to the right side of the neck,
drawing the open fingers from behind forwards so as to leave four
distinct streaks, then down to the left side, and so on to other parts
of the body.
Footnote 291:
Arab. Haykal, the Heb. היכל which included the Porch, the Holy and the
Holy of Holies. The word is used as νάος in a wider sense by Josephus
A.J. v. v. 3. In Moslem writings it is applied to a Christian Church
generally, on account of its images.
Footnote 292:
These lines having occurred before, I here quote Mr. Payne.
Footnote 293:
Arab writers often mention the smile of beauty, but rarely, after
European fashion, the laugh, which they look upon as undignified. A
Moslem will say “Don’t guffaw (Kahkahah) in that way; leave giggling
and grinning to monkeys and Christians.” The Spaniards, a grave
people, remark that Christ never laughed. I would draw the reader’s
attention to a theory of mine that the open-hearted laugh has the
sound of the vowels _a_ and _o_; while _e_, _i_, and _u_ belong to
what may be roughly classed as the rogue order.
Footnote 294:
_i.e._ gaining the love of another, love.
Footnote 295:
_i.e._ the abrogated passages and those by which they are abrogated.
This division is necessary for “inspired volumes,” which always abound
in contradictions. But the charge of “opportunism” brought against the
Koran is truly absurd; as if “revelation” could possibly be aught save
opportune.
Footnote 296:
Koran iv. 160, the chapter “Women.”
Footnote 297:
She unveiled being a slave-girl and for sale. If a free woman show her
face to a Moslem, he breaks out into violent abuse, because the act is
intended to let him know that he is looked upon as a small boy or an
eunuch or a Christian—in fact not a man.
Footnote 298:
Ilah = Heb. El, a most difficult root, meaning strength,
interposition, God (Numen) “the” (article) “don’t” (do not), etc. etc.
Footnote 299:
As far as I know Christians are the only worshippers who kneel as if
their lower legs were cut off and who “join hands” like the captive
offering his wrists to be bound (dare manus). The posture, however, is
not so ignoble as that of the Moslem “Sijdah” (prostration) which made
certain North African tribes reject Al-Islam, saying, “These men show
their hind parts to heaven.”
Footnote 300:
_i.e._ saying “I intend (purpose) to pray (for instance) the two-bow
prayer (ruka’tayn) of the daybreak,” etc.
Footnote 301:
So called because it prohibits speaking with others till the prayer is
ended.
Footnote 302:
Lit. “any thing opposite;” here used for the Ka’abah towards which men
turn in prayer; as Guebres face the sun or fire and idolaters their
images. “Al-Kiblatayn” (= the two Kiblahs) means Meccah and Jerusalem,
which was faced by Moslems as well as Jews and Christians till
Mohammed changed the direction. For the occasion of the change see my
Pilgrimage, ii. 320.
Footnote 303:
Which includes Tayammum or washing with sand. This is a very cleanly
practice in a hot dry land and was adopted long before Mohammed.
Cedrenus tells of baptism with sand being administered to a dying
traveller in the African desert.
Footnote 304:
The Koranic order for Wuzú is concise and as usual obscure, giving
rise to a host of disputes and casuistical questions. Its text runs
(chapt. v.), “O true believers, when you prepare to pray, wash (Ghusl)
your faces, and your hands unto the elbows; and rub (Mas-h) your hands
and your feet unto the ankles; and if ye be unclean by having lain
with a woman, wash (Ghusl) yourselves all over.” The purifications and
ceremonious ablutions of the Jews originated this command; and the
early Christians did very unwisely in not making the bath obligatory.
St. Paul (Heb. xi. 22) says, “Let us draw near with a true heart ...
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies
washed with clean (or pure) water.” But this did not suffice. Hence
the Eastern Christian, in hot climates where cleanliness should rank
before godliness, is distinguished by his dirt which as a holy or
reverend man he makes still dirtier, and he offers an ugly comparison
with the Moslem and especially the Hindu. The neglect of commands to
wash and prohibitions to drink strong waters are the two grand
physical objections of the Christian code of morality.
Footnote 305:
Arab. “Istinshák” = snuffing up water from the palm of the right hand
so as to clean thoroughly the nostrils. This “function” is
unreasonably neglected in Europe, to the detriment of the mucous
membrane and the olfactory nerves.
Footnote 306:
So as to wash between them. The thick beard is combed out with the
fingers.
Footnote 307:
Poor human nature! How sad to compare its pretensions with its
actualities.
Footnote 308:
Complete ablution is rendered necessary chiefly by the emission of
semen either in copulation or in nocturnal pollution. The water must
be pure and not less than a certain quantity, and it must touch every
part of the skin beginning with the right half of the person and
ending with the left. Hence a plunge-bath is generally preferred.
Footnote 309:
Arab. Ta’mím, lit. crowning with turband, or tiara, here = covering,
_i.e._ wetting.
Footnote 310:
This practice (saying “I purpose to defer the washing of the feet,”
etc.) is now somewhat obsolete.
Footnote 311:
Arabs have a prejudice against the hydropathic treatment of wounds,
holding that water poisons them: and, as the native produce usually
contains salt, soda and magnesia, they are justified by many cases. I
once tried water-bandages in Arabia and failed dismally.
Footnote 312:
The sick man says his prayers lying in bed, etc., and as he best can.
Footnote 313:
_i.e._ saying, “And peace be on us and on the worshippers of Allah
which be pious.”
Footnote 314:
_i.e._ saying “I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the Stoned.”
Footnote 315:
Certain parts should be recited aloud (jahr) and others sotto voce
(with mussitation = Khafi). No mistake must be made in this matter
where a Moslem cannot err.
Footnote 316:
Hence an interest of two-and-a-half per cent. is not held to be “Ribá”
or unlawful gain of money by money, usury.
Footnote 317:
The meal must be finished before the faster can plainly distinguish
the white thread from the black thread (Koran ii. 183); some
understand this literally, others apply it to the dark and silvery
streak of zodiacal light which appears over the Eastern horizon an
hour or so before sunrise. The fast then begins and ends with the
disappearance of the sun. I have noticed its pains and penalties in my
Pilgrimage, i. 110, etc.
Footnote 318:
For the “Azán” or call to prayer see Lane, M. E., chapt. xviii. The
chant, however, differs in every country, and a practical ear will
know the land by its call.
Footnote 319:
Arab. “Hadís” or saying of the Apostle.
Footnote 320:
“Al-I’itikaf” resembles the Christian “retreat;” but the worshipper
generally retires to a mosque especially in Meccah. The Apostle
practised it on Jabal Hira and other places.
Footnote 321:
The word is the Heb. חג Hagg whose primary meaning is circularity of
form or movement. Hence it applied to religious festivals in which
dancing round the idol played a prime part; and Lucian of “saltation”
says, dancing was from the beginning and coeval with the ancient god,
Love. But man danced with joy before he worshipped, and, when he
invented a systematic saltation, he made it represent two things, and
only two things, love and war, in most primitive form, courtship and
fighting.
Footnote 322:
Two adjoining ground-waves _in_ Meccah. For these and for the places
subsequently mentioned the curious will consult my Pilgrimage, iii.
226, etc.
Footnote 323:
The ‘Umrah or lesser Pilgrimage, I have noted, is the ceremony
performed in Meccah at any time out of the pilgrim-season proper,
_i.e._ between the eighth and tenth days of the twelfth lunar month Zu
‘l-Hijjah. It does not entitle the Moslem to be called Hájj (pilgrim)
or Hájí as Persians and Indians corrupt the word.
Footnote 324:
I need hardly note that Mohammed borrowed his pilgrimage-practices
from the pagan Arabs who, centuries before his day, danced around the
Meccan Ka’abah. Nor can he be blamed for having perpetuated a Gentile
rite, if indeed it be true that the Ka’abah contained relics of
Abraham and Ishmael.
Footnote 325:
On first sighting Meccah. See Night xci.
Footnote 326:
Arab. Tawáf: the place is called Matáf and the guide Mutawwif
(Pilgrimage, iii. 193, 205). The seven courses are termed Ashwát.
Footnote 327:
Stoning the Devil at Mina. Pilgrimage, iii. 282. Hence Satan’s title
“the Stoned” (lapidated not castrated).
Footnote 328:
Koran viii. 66; in the chapter entitled “Spoil,” and relating mainly
to the “day of Al-Bedr.”
Footnote 329:
Arab. Al-Ikálah = cancelling: Mr. Payne uses the technical term
“resiliation.”
Footnote 330:
Freedman of Abdallah, son of the Caliph Omar and noted as a
traditionist.
Footnote 331:
_i.e._ at a profit: the exchange must be equal—an ordinance intended
to protect the poor. Arabs have strange prejudices in these matters;
for instance it disgraces a Badawi to take money for milk.
Footnote 332:
Arab. Jamá’ah, which in theology means the Heb. Edah (עדה) and the
Greek ἐκκλησία our “Church,” the congregation of the Faithful under a
lawful head. Hence the Sunnis call themselves “People of the Sunnat
and Jamá’at.” In the text it is explained as “Ulfat” or intimacy.
Footnote 333:
Arab. Al-Khalíl, _i.e._ of Allah = Abraham. Mohammed, following Jewish
tradition, made Abraham rank second amongst the Prophets, inferior
only to himself and superior to Hazrat Isa = Jesus. I have noted that
Ishmael the elder son succeeded his father. He married Da’alah bint
Muzáz bin Omar, a Jurhamite, and his progeny abandoning Hebrew began
to speak Arabic (ta’arraba); hence called Muta’arribah or Arabised
Arabs (Pilgrimage iii. 190). He died at Meccah and was buried with his
mother in the space North of the Ka’abah called Al-Hijr which our
writers continue to confuse with the city Al-Hijr (Ibid. 165–66).
Footnote 334:
This ejaculation, “In the name of Allah” is, I have noted, equivalent
to “saying grace.” If neglected it is a sin and entails a curse.
Footnote 335:
The ceremonious posture is sitting upon the shin-bones, not
tailor-fashion; and “bolting food” is a sign of boorishness.
Footnote 336:
Arab. “Zidd,” the word is a fair specimen of Arabic ambiguity meaning
primarily opposite or contrary (as virtue to vice), secondarily an
enemy or a friend (as being opposite to an enemy).
Footnote 337:
“The whole earth (shall be) but His handful on the Resurrection day
and in His right hand shall the Heaven be rolled up (or folded
together).”—Koran xxxix. 67.
Footnote 338:
See Night lxxxi.
Footnote 339:
Koran lxxviii. 19.
Footnote 340:
Arab. Al-Munáfik, technically meaning one who outwardly professes
Al-Islam while inwardly hating it. Thus the word is by no means
synonymous with our “hypocrite,” hypocrisy being the homage vice pays
to virtue; a homage, I may observe, nowhere rendered more fulsomely
than among the so-called Anglo-Saxon race.
Footnote 341:
Arab. “Tawakkul alá ‘llah”: in the imperative the phrase is vulgarly
used = “Be off!”
Footnote 342: