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 STRAIGHT PATH 71

the purification that the Moslem law requires for prayer. One shall have properly cleaned the teeth, cleaned and trimmed the nails of hands and feet, and taken a bath. The feet, hands, ears and face shall have been washed in precisely the right manner. Even the mouth and the nose shall be carefully cleansed to make sure that Satan has taken his departure from hidden recesses. For prayer the head must be covered, to prevent evil spirits from entering the skull; and the shoes must be removed, for they are unclean. All this and vastly more minute directions are given for the benefit of those who are exceedingly particular about avoiding even the appearance of evil.

Times for prayer. The true Moslem, faithful and devoted bondservant of Allah, would sooner miss his meals, be late at work, or lose a train than fail to pray at the appointed times. In every Moslem country one can hear before dawn all through the year the sonorous call of the muezzin from some mosque rousing the faithful for their morning watch with the words: "God is most great! . . . Come to prayer! . . . Prayer is better than sleep." This is the first prayer service of the day, and while a worshiper may observe it at home, or anywhere else, it is always better to observe prayer in a mosque. And many there are who go. This is followed by four other stated times of prayer, making five in all. These are just after noon, two hours before sunset, just after sunset, and finally two hours after sunset.

Correct postures. The idea that a person can offer