Page:Judaism and Islam, a prize essay - Geiger - 1898.pdf/86

 JUDAISM AND ISLAM.

JUDAISM AND ISlJbl.

.prayer before washing with water, which cleansing is recommended as a general rule before prayer both in the Quran ! and in the Talmud. Instead of water> purification with sand may take place. 2 So in the Talmud : " He cleanses himself with sand and has then done enough." As concentrated thought is urged as a duty, it follows that prayer though audible must not be noisy, 3 and so Muham- mad says : " Pronounce not thy prayer aloud, neither pronounce it with too low a voice, but follow a middle way between these ; " and in the Talmud we find : 4 " From the behaviour of Hannah who in prayer moved her lips we learn that he who prays must pronounce the words, and also as her voice Was not heard we learn that he must not raise his voice loudly. " But because our mood does not at all times" move us to fervency of prayer, outward ceremony is necessary, and indeed prayer in a great congregation, whose devotion will stir up our own. 5 " The prayer in the congregation " 6 is greatly praised also by the Jews. Daybreak, which is mentioned in the Talmud in connection with the Shema prayer, as the time when " one can distinguish between a blue and a white thread," 7 is not mentioned in this connection in the

1 Sura V. 8. Berachoth 46.

$ Sfaas IV, 46, V. 9. Gf, the Talmudic phrase

3 Sura XVII. 110.

4 1 Samuel, i. 13. Beraohoth 31. 2..

ibip


 * Of. Sunna 86. 87. 88. 89.

6

Mishna Berachoth I. 2, p? ^^ f 2