Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 1.djvu/550

 "His Highness permitted spells being used, to counteract the effects of a malignant eye; and on those bit by snakes, or scorpions, and for sores in the side. A man said to his Majesty, 'We made use of charms in the time of ignorance, may we use them now or not?' He said, 'Describe your spells to me, that I may see the meaning of them; there is no fear in using spells which do not associate any thing with God.'"

"Zainab, wife of Abdullah-bin-Masu'ud, said, 'Abdullah saw a thread round my neck, and said, 'What is this?' I said, 'This is a thread which has been made as a charm for me.' Then he took and broke it to pieces; after that he said, 'O family of Abdullah! verily you stand not in need of this kind of charm used by the polytheists; because I heard the Prophet say, Verily, spells and tying to the necks of children the nails of tearing animals, and the thread which is tied round a wife's neck, to make her husband love her, are all in the way of the polytheists.'"

"Then I said to Abdullah, 'Why do you say so? Verily, I had such a pain in my eyes that I thought they would have fallen out; and I went to a Jew; and when he applied a spell I got ease.' Then Abdullah said, 'This is nothing but the work of the devil; he was shaking your eyes with his hands, and when the spell was used he stopped. It will be sufficient for you to repeat such words as his Majesty used to say: O Cherisher of men! remove this punishment, and give ease; thou art the giver of health, there is no cure but from thee, the remover of sickness.'"

"A man said, 'O messenger of God! verily the family of Jaspar are soon affected by the baneful influence of a malignant eye; may I use spells for them or not?' His Majesty said, 'Yes; for the eye has a complete influence; because, verily, if there was a thing to overcome fate, it most certainly would be a malignant eye.'"

Sons are of inestimable value; the birth of a daughter is almost a calamity; but even the mother blest with a son is not likely to remain long without a rival in the heart of her husband, since