Page:Judaism and Islam, a prize essay - Geiger - 1898.pdf/85

 PRAYER. 67

said that he who rides on an ass is to dismount; but the addition is made that, if he cannot dismount he is to turrjl his. face (towards Jerusalem). * As the bodily position may be altered in urgent cases, so the prayer itself may be shortened on similar occasions. 2 So we find the permission to shorten prayer in time of war: "When ye march to war in the earth, 3 it shall be no crime in you if ye shorten your prayers." The Jews also were permitted to pray a short prayer when in a dangerous place. 4 Muhammad is quite opposed to senseless chattering, for he counts it a merit in believers to " eschew all vain discourse. 5 There- fore because attention and pious concentration of thought are to be aimed at, he enjoins 6 on believers not to draw near to prayer when they are drunk. This is in accord- ance with the Talmudic rule: "Prayer is forbidden to the drunken. " 7 It is also forbidden to those who havo touched women. 8 These persons may not engage in

1 Miahna Berachoth IV. 5. "Ill "00 2 SS'h

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2 Sura IV. 102. \jydS Q _

3 Compare the similar expression in Hebrew V"?.^


 * Mishna Beraohobh IV. 4. a^tt H^SD

5 Sura XXIII. 3. Compare Ecclesiastes, v. 1.

6 Sura IV. 46. Jj& ^

7 l ?v>50'? 1 ? ^ D ^ ^ 3 ^ BeraohotliS1.2. Erubin 64.

8 Suras IV. 46. V. 9. CJ\ iL^S Of, Mishna Bevachoth III, 4,