Page:The Moslem World - Volume 02.djvu/141

 further into barbarism, and are so ignorant of Islam that they neglect prayers and fasting, and do not even circumcise their children.

On the other hand, no more punctilious observers of the outward law of Islam could be found anywhere than some of the more intelligent races, such, for instance, as the Provindahs, who are familiar in all parts of India as the stalwart, truculent Afghan traders ; and most of the men of these tribes are able to read the Koran in Arabic (without, however, understanding the meaning), and carry a copy about with them on their travels, usually se\^ii up in a leather or cloth case, worn round the neck, treated with great respect and read very ostentatiously. These men look upon the Mohammedans of India, with their laxer observances and Hindu-tainted ideas, as scarcely more than half-Mohammedans.

The worship of saints (Pirs), tombs (zyarats), and relics is very prevalent among the people, and in the case of some of the wilder tribes occupies a more important place in their daily life than the orthodox observances of Islam. The tombs of fakirs and places of pilgrimage are often situated on the summits of mountains and inaccessible places, with a view, apparently of making the merit of visiting them all the greater. The zyarat on the Takht-i-Suliman, a high frontier peak west of Dera Ismail Khan, is on an almost inaccessible ridge just below the summit, and the reason given for this situation is that when Hazrat Suliman was returning from India with his bride, he made a last halt of his flA^ng throne on this spot in order to give her a final view of her homeland. Every such shrine is marked by one or more trees, or perhaps in the more remote places by nothing more than a stunted bush. A long stick with a flag is tied to the tree, and the branches are covered with little bits of white or coloured cloth which have been tied there by pilgrims. Men and women perform long journeys to these zyarats in order to beg some favour from, or offer a prayer to the saint whose bones consecrate the spot. It may be for a child, or for recovery from illness, or for blessing on a journey or enterprise. The suppliant makes a small offering to the custodian of the shrine; and ties