Page:The Indian Antiquary, Vol. 4-1875.djvu/197

184 . INDIAN AN i ImTARY. 1-7 V Juma — "The Friday Prayer." It consists of two 'rikats" after the daily meridian prayer. Salât-i-Musâfir — "Prayer for a traveller." Two rikats instead of the usual number at the meridian, afternoon, and night prayers. Salât-Khauf — "The prayers of fear." Said in time of war. They are two rikats recited first by one regiment or company, and then by the other. Salât-i-Tarâwih — Twenty rikats recited every evening during the Ramazân, immediately after the fifth daily prayer. Soldi-i-Istikâra — Prayers for success or guidance." The person who is about to undertake any special business performs two rikat prayers and then goes to sleep. During his slumbers he may expect to have "ilhám" (lit. inspiration) as to the undertaking for which he seeks guidance! The Azan is the summons to prayer proclaimed by the Muezzan (or crier), in small mosques from the door or side, but in large mosques it ought to be given from the minaret. The following is a translation: — "God is great! God is great! God is great! God is great! I bear witness that there is no God but God"! (repeated twice), "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Apostle of God!" (repeated twice). "Come to prayers! Come to prayers! Come to salvation! Come to salvation! God is great! there is no other God but God!" In the early morning, the following sentence is added: — "Prayers are better than sleep." The Wâhâbi Azan is just half the length of that commonly used. The sentences generally said four times they say only twice, and those repeated twice they recite only once. The summons to prayer was at first the simple cry "Come to prayer." In this, as in most of his ritual, Muhammad has not much to originality, for Bingham tells us that a similar custom existed at Jerusalem (see Antiquities, vol. II. p. 489) — "In the monastery of virgins which Paula, the famous Roman lady, set up and governed at Jerusalem, the signal was given by one going about and singing halleluja." for that was their call to church, as St. Jerome informs us.