An account of the manners and customs of the modern Egyptians

by Edward William Lane

My friend Mr. Burton (who, in the course of his long residence in Egypt, has acquired an ample fund of valuable information respecting its modern inhabitants, as well as other subjects) has kindly communicated to me an Arabic paper containing the forms of imprecation to which I have alluded in a note subjoined to page 255 of this work. They are expressed in a “hezb” (or prayer) which the Muslim youths in many of the schools of Cairo recite, before they return to their homes, every day of their attendance, at the period of the “’asr,” excepting on Thursday, when they recite it at noon; being allowed to leave the school, on this day, at the early hour of the “duhr,” in consideration of the approach of Friday, their sabbath and holiday. This prayer is not recited in the schools that are held within mosques. It is similar to a portion of the “khutbet en-naat.”[^[656]] I here translate it.

“I seek refuge with God from Satan the accursed![^[657]] In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful! O God! aid El-Islám, and exalt the word of truth, and the faith, by the preservation of thy servant, and the son of thy servant, the Sultán of the two continents,[^[658]] and Khákán[^[659]] of the two seas,[^[660]] the Sultán, son of the Sultán, the Sultán [Mahmood[^[661]]] Khán. O God! assist him, and assist his armies, and all the forces of the Muslims! O Lord of all creatures! O God! destroy the infidels and polytheists, thine enemies, the enemies of the religion! O God! make their children orphans, and defile their abodes, and cause their feet to slip, and give them and their families and their households and their women and their children and their relations by marriage and their brothers and their friends and their possessions and their race and their wealth and their lands as booty to the Muslims! O Lord of all creatures!”

Not to convey too harsh a censure of the Muslims of Egypt, by the insertion of this prayer, I should add, that the excessive fanaticism which it indicates is not to be imputed to this people universally.

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INDEX.

• ’Abáyeh, [25], [27], [289].
• ’Abbásees, their costume, [28].
• ’Abd-Er-Rahmán El-Gabartee, [197].
• Abdál. See [Bedeel].
• ’Abdalláwee melon, [294], [298].
• Ablutions. See [Wudoó], [Tayemmum], [Ghusl], and [Death].
• Aboo, [115];
  • -Farrág, [63];
  • -midfa’, [535];
  • -Ru-oos, the sheykh Isma’eel, [244];
  • -Zeyd, romance of, [361].
• Abrár, [441], [474].
• Adán, or adhán, [60], [72];
  • manner in which it is chanted, [343].
• ’A’dileeyeh (The), [370].
• Admiration, proper and improper modes of expressing, [229], [230].
• Adultery, law respecting, [95];
  • punishment of men who accuse women of this crime without the testimony required by law, [96];
  • manner in which women guilty of this crime are sometimes punished, [107], [179], [279], [280].
• ’Afeefeeyeh darweeshes, [223].
• Afiyoon, and Afiyoonee, [306].
• ’Agam, [72].
• Agathodæmon, modern, [207].
• Age, respect paid to, [180], [272].
• A’gha of the Police. See [Zábit].
• Agriculture, [309].
• ’Ahd, [223].
• Ahl-Far’oon, [22].
• Ahmad, a name of the Arabian Prophet, [387];
  • El-Bedawee, the seyyid, [63];
  • Moolids of, [220], [222].
• Ahmar, significations of, [229].
• Ahmedeeyeh darweeshes, or Ahmedees, [222].
• ’Akabeh, [459].
• ’Akd en-nikáh, [146].
• ’Akeek, [524].
• ’Akeekah, [44].
• Akhdar, significations of, [229].
• ’Akkád, [294].
• ’A’isheh, the occasion of a singular law, [95].
• A’látees, or áláteeyeh, [173], [325], [464].
• Alchemy, [198], [243].
• ’Alee Bey, cruelty of a wretch of this name, [112].
• ’A’lim, [29], [106].
• Alláh, or God, passim;
  • kereem, [262].
• Alláhu akbar, [63].
• Almanac, [201].
• ’A’l’mehs, or ’Awálim, [151], [173], [325], [463], [464].
• Alms-giving, [56], [78];
  • of Moharram, or the ’Ashr, [392].
• Aloe-plant used as a charm, [236].
• Aloes-wood. See [’Ood].
• Alum, virtue of, [230].
• Ambergris, used for fumigation, [185];
  • used to impart a perfume to coffee, [126].
• Amsheer, [200].
• Amulets. See [Hegábs], and [Charms].
• ’Anátireh. See [’Anter’ee].
• Anatomy, [107], [198].
• Angáb. See [Negeeb].
• Angels, [54], [203], [242];
  • Attendant, [66].
• Anklets, [160], [529].
• ’Annáb, [134].
• ’Antar, romance of, [380], [381].
• ’Anter’ee (a kind of vest), [35];
  • (a reciter of ’Antar), [380].
• Antichrist, [53].
• Apostasy punished with death, [96].
• ’Arab, [22].
• ’Arafát (Mount), [79].
• ’Arakeeyeh, [25].
• Arba’’a Eiyoob, [452].
• Arba’een (El-), [466], [488].
• Architecture, [286].
• Ardebb, [533].
• ’Areef, [50].
• Arghool, [224], [335], [336].
• Arithmetic, [50].
• Armenians in Egypt, number of, [19].
• ’Arooseh, [128], [457].
• Arts and manufactures, [286].
• Asáwir, [527], [532].
• ’Asbeh, [40].
• ’Asha, [129].
• As-háb el-Ahzáb, [478];
  • ed-Darak, [213];
  • el-Kahf, [228].
• Ashbeen, [504].
• ’A’shoora, customs of, [231], [394].
• ’Ashr, [392], [487].
• ’Asr, [60], [200].
• Ass, how equipped for riding, for use of men, [127];
  • for use of ladies, [173];
  • part performed by one, [222].
• Assassin, origin of the word, [306], [379].
• Astaghfir Alláh, [258].
• Astrolabe, [198].
• Astrology, [42], [198], [243].
• Astronomy, [198].
• ’Attár, [294].
• Auguration, [239], [453], [454].
• A’yát el-hefz, [227];
  • esh-shifë, [233].
• A’yet el-Kursee, [66].
• Azhar (El-), Great Mosque, [71], [73], [188], [191];
  • students of, [191];
  • studies pursued there, [191];
  • sheykh of, [192], [193], [196];
  • professors of, [192], [194];
  • blind students of, [193].
• ’A’z’kee, [126].

• Báb el-hareem, [9];
  • sirr, [16];
  • Zuweyleh, [211].
• Bábeh, [199].
• Báboog, [37], [39].
• Bádingán, [133], [278].
• Baghlet el-’Ashr, [393].
• Bahluwáns, [356].
• Bakhoor el-barr, [126].
• Balance in which good and evil works are to be weighed, [54].
• Bámiyeh, [133].
• Ba-ooneh, [200].
• Baráhimeh darweeshes, [223].
• Barámikeh, [349], [356].
• Bark, [40], [529].
• Barmahát, [200].
• Barmek’ees. See [Barámikeh].
• Barmoodeh, [200].
• Barrenness considered a curse and reproach, [45].
• Barsh, [307].
• Básh Kátib of the Kádee, [101];
  • Rusul, [101];
  • Turgumán, [101].
• Bast, [306].
• Bastinading, [95], [99], [164].
• Bat, use made of its blood, [35].
• Bath, [151], [157], [307].
• Batrak, [492].
• Batteekh, [134].
• Báz, [224], [333].
• Beard, mode of trimming the, [23];
  • few shave it off, [23];
  • shaven off as a punishment, [23];
  • respect paid to the, [24];
  • seldom dyed, [24].
• Beasts and birds, language of, [226].
• Bed, [139].
• Bedawee and Bedaweeyeh, [27], [257].
• Bedeel, [210].
• Bedouins. See [Bedawee].
• Beer. See [Boozeh].
• Beer el-yarakán, [238].
• Beetles, singular use made of them, [172], [467].
• Beggars, [299].
• Beiyoomeeyeh darweeshes, or Beiyoomees, [222], [420].
• Bekreeyeh darweeshes, [223].
• Bekreg, or bakrag, [125].
• Belah meblool, [297].
• Beleed, [209].
• Belláneh, [149], [314].
• Belloor, [524].
• Benduk’ee, [535];
  • musháharah, [236].
• Beng, [379].
• Benish, or Beneesh, [25].
• Benzoin. See Gáwee.
• Beshens, [200].
• Beybars. See [Ez-Záhir].
• Beyt, [315], [317];
  • el-mál, [92];
  • el-owwal, [310].
• Biers, [476], [478], [480].
• Bigotry inculcated into the minds of children, [48].
• Bint el-Beled, [22];
  • el-Masr, [22].
• Birds, charity to, [434];
  • and beasts, language of, [226].
• Birgás, game of the, [365].
• Bisháreen, strange custom of, [268].
• Bi-smi-llah, [64], [131], [205].
• Blasphemy, law respecting, [97].
• Blind, asylum and college for the, [193].
• Blindness prevalent in Egypt, [23].
• Blood, unlawful food to Muslims, [82];
  • and to the Copts, [501].
• Blood-revenge, [94], [178].
• Boatmen and boats of the Nile, [302].
• Books, [190];
  • copying of, [191].
• Booksellers, [190].
• Boozeh, a kind of beer, [82], [307].
• Bowwáb, [70], [121].
• Bread, [122];
  • respect paid to it, [269];
  • of the seyyid El-Bedawee, [399], [429], [430], [431].
• Bribery practised at the Kádee’s court, [101], [103], [104].
• Bugs, [3], [140];
  • charm to exterminate them, [453].
• Bunn, [125].
• Burckhardt referred to, [148], [153], [156], [159], [264], [268], [405], [504].
• Burdeh, [228], [475], [478].
• Burhámeeyeh. See [Baráhimeh].
• Burko’, [38], [39], [41];
  • of the door of the Kaabeh, [446].
• Burnus, or burnoos, [289].
• Buying and selling, [293].

• Cadi. See [Kádee].
• Caftan. See [Kuftán].
• Cairo, or El-Káhireh, now called Masr, [4], [19], [21];
  • population of, [4], [19];
  • streets of, [4], [290], [517];
  • quarters of, [5], [113];
  • districts of, [113];
  • private houses of, [5];
  • the best school of Arabic literature, [188].
• Calf, feats performed by a, [225].
• Camel, its flesh lawful food to Muslims, [82];
  • and considered unlawful by the Copts, [501];
  • its hump a provision against hunger, [400];
  • litters, [402].
• Canal of Cairo, opening of the, [457].
• Cats, endowment for the support of, [266].
• Ceilings, decorations of, [11].
• Chant of the water-carrier, [297];
  • muëddin, [343];
  • a shá’er, [361];
  • men and boys at funerals, [476], [477].
• Chanting of the Kur-án, specimen of the, [346];
  • darweeshes in zikrs, [411], [414].
• Character of the Muslim Egyptians, [255];
  • Copts, [506];
  • Jews of Egypt, [515].
• Charity of the Egyptians, [263].
• Charms, [198], [203], [211], [226], [243], [399], [453], [530].
• Cheerfulness of the Egyptians, [267].
• Chemistry, [198].
• Chibook, [122].
• Chicken-ovens, [287].
• Children, education and general treatment of, [42-47];
  • how long the mother may retain them under her care, [88];
  • of foreigners in Egypt seldom live to mature age, [143].
• Christians prior to the time of Mohammad held by the Muslims to be true believers, [54].
• Circumcision of the Muslim Egyptians, [47], [153], [469];
  • a similar custom to, prevailing among them and the Copts, [48], [491];
  • of the Copts, [491], [495].
• Cleanliness of the Egyptians, [270];
  • practices observed for the sake of, [24], [56].
• Climate of Egypt, [2].
• Coffee, [122], [125], [304];
  • disallowed by some Muslims, [82], [304];
  • when first introduced into Egypt, [304].
• Coffee-cups. See [Fingán].
• Coffee-shops, [305].
• Commerce, [289].
• Compliments, [182], [186].
• Concubinage, laws respecting, [85], [86], [88].
• Concubines. See [Slaves].
• Conscription, [177].
• Copts, their number, etc., [19], [489];
  • political state, [113], [501];
  • dress, [491];
  • language, [489], [495], [497];
  • education, [495];
  • religion, [491], [496];
  • patriarch, etc., [113], [492], [506];
  • churches and church-service, [497];
  • fasts, etc., [498];
  • domestic habits, [502];
  • marriages, [502];
  • character, [506];
  • occupations, [506];
  • funeral ceremonies, [507];
  • notices of their history under the Muslim domination, [507].
• Cosmetics, [171], [467].
• Cotton, [20].
• Councils of administration, [100].
• Courtesy and affability of the Egyptians, [187], [266].
• Courts of judicature, [99], [101].
• Cowries, virtue of, [230].
• Cries of watchmen in Cairo, [108], [262];
  • the hawkers of vegetables, etc., [294];
  • beggars, [299];
  • the persons who announce the daily rise of the Nile, [454], [456], [462];
  • joy. See [Zagháreet];
  • lamentation. See [Welwel’eh].
• Cupidity of the Egyptians, [282].
• Customs not particularized in this Index, [24], [183], [184], [186], [203], [205], [216], [232].

• Dabbeh, [15].
• Dakhákhinee, [294].
• Dakk, [34].
• Dámeh, [315].
• Dancing Girls. See [Gházeeyehs];
  • Men and Boys. See [Khäwal], and [Gink].
• Dár, [318].
• Darabukkeh, [173], [334].
• Darb el-mendel, [243], [247];
  • er-ramal, [243].
• Darweeshes, [209], [210], [220]-226, [396], [397], [408], [409];
  • whirling, [398];
  • barking, or howling, [420];
  • dancing. See [’Eesáweeyeh].
• Dawáyeh, [26], [190].
• Day, Mohammadan, [200].
• Days, fortunate and unfortunate, [441].
• Dáyeh, [149].
• Death, and funeral-rites, [473].
• Debleh, [527].
• Debloon, [535].
• Debtors, law respecting, [92].
• Decrees of God, [56], [259], [436].
• Deen, [52].
• Deenár, [93], [95].
• Deewán, [10];
  • el-Khideewee, [99];
  • et-Tuggár, [100].
• Delhem’eh, romance of, [381].
• Dellál, [293].
• Delláleh, [144], [174].
• Demeereh, [301].
• Demirdásheyeh darweeshes, [223].
• Depilatories, [35], [314].
• Dervises. See [Darweeshes].
• Destoor, [162], [203].
• Devil, and devils in general, [54], [202].
• Diet, [122], [133], [171], [174].
• Diffeeyeh, [27].
• Dikkeh, [24], [69], [464].
• Dilk, [208], [225].
• Diodorus Siculus referred to, [20], [45], [113].
• Diráas, [533].
• Dirhem, [78], [93], [534].
• Divan. See [Deewán].
• Divorce, [85], [87];
  • effects of the facility of, [166].
• Dogs, opinions and conduct of Muslims with regard to, [83], [263], [265];
  • eaten by some Muslims, [270].
• Domestic life of Muslim Egyptians of the higher and middle orders (men), [120];
  • of women of the same classes, [159];
  • of the lower orders, [174].
• Doors of houses, etc., [5], [11].
• Dóraks, [135].
• Dóseh, [416], [432], [433], [434].
• Dowry, [86], [87], [88], [145], [147], [157], [175].
• Dreams, faith in, [194], [241].
• Dress, of men, [24];
  • of females, [35];
  • new military (or Nizámee), [517].
• Drinking-cups, [135], [136], [137].
• Drunkenness, how punished, [96].
• Duhr, [60].
• Dukkah, [122], [175], [499].
• Dukkán, [291].
• Durah, [301], [302].
• Durrah, for Darrah, [167].
• Dust, excessive quantity of, [3].
• Dysentery, when most prevalent, [2].

• Eating, manner and etiquette of, [129].
• Ebed, [62], [441].
• Ebeeb, [200].
• ’Eddeh, [87].
• Education of boys, [42], [48];
  • of females, [51];
  • higher branches of, [191].
• ’Eed (El-) el-Kebeer, [80], [451];
  • es-Sugheiyir, [80], [442].
• ’Eeds of the Copts, [449], [507].
• Eemán, [52].
• ’Eesa. See [Jesus Christ].
• ’Eesáweeyeh darweeshes, [424].
• Eezár, [39].
• Efendee, [128].
• ’Efreets, [204], [207].
• ’Eggeh, [320].
• ’Egl El-’Azab, [225].
• Egypt, its physical character, [1], [20];
  • its population, [19].
• Egyptians. See [Muslim Egyptians], and [Copts].
• Ehrám, [80].
• Eiyám en-Nesee, [200].
• ’Ekd, [525], [531].
• Elijah, allusions to, [211].
• Embroidery, [172].
• Emeer (El-), el-Hágg, [403], [449];
  • el-Kebeer, anecdote of, [194].
• ’Enáneeyeh darweeshes, [221].
• ’Enebeh, [521].
• Envious disposition of the Egyptians, [282].
• Epileptic fits induced by religious excitement, [415].
• ’Eree, [26], [140].
• ’Erk-soos, [297].
• ’Erk-soosee, [297].
• ’Eshë, [60], [200].
• Eswed, used to signify dark blue, [252].
• Eunuchs, [121], [161].
• Europeans in Egypt. See [Franks].
• Evil eye, and modes of counteracting or preventing its effects, [46], [47], [132].
• Eyes, modern and ancient modes of ornamenting, with kohl, [30], [31].
• ’Eyn, [321].
• ’Eysh bi-lahm, [434].