31st.—I trust we have now become acclimated, for we have nearly passed through this year,—the most fruitful in illness and death I recollect, both among civilians and soldiers,—without much sickness. I have had fever and ague. My husband has suffered from acute rheumatism, and the little pet terrier, Fury, has been delicate, but we are all now re-established. I am on horseback every morning rejoicing in the cold breezes, feeling as strong and full of spirit as the long-tailed grey that carries me; and Fury is chasing squirrels and ferrets, and putting the farm-yard to the rout.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE MUHARRAM.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
1834, May 19th.—The Imāms the Leaders of the Faithful—The Muharram—The Procession—The Banners—The Band—The Sword-bearer—The Mourners—Dhul Dhul—The Reader—The Fakīr—The Taziya—Tomb of Kasim—Palkī and Trays of Mehndi—Charkh-charkhī Wālā—The Bihīshtī—Camels—Elephants and Charity—The Chameleon—The Ghirgit—An Alligator—The Tiger on his travels—A well-educated Snake—Indian Fevers—Depression of Spirit.
“BISM ILLAH UR RAHMAN UR RAHĪM.”
“IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL.”
This is written at the commencement of all Persian books and writings; but at the top of the first page of every letter, purwanah, or short writing, they almost invariably put only ا the letter A or alif, which is a symbol of God, and is considered an abbreviation of the whole sentence above. Alif is the first letter in the Arabic and Persian alphabets, and in the representation of numbers it stands for one; whence it is also used as a symbol of the Deity; it signifies moreover the first day in the week, or Sunday; and in astronomical descriptions, the sign Taurus of the zodiac.
THE IMĀMS THE LEADERS OF THE FAITHFUL.
Muhammad, the founder of the system of religion which is named after him, descended from the tribe of Koreish, and the family of Hashem, the most illustrious of the Arabs. He was the grandson of Abdalmotalleb, and the son of Abdallah and Amina. He was born at Mecca, four months after the death of Justinian. He was educated by his uncle, Abutalib, as a merchant, his grandfather, father, and mother having died during his infancy. In his twenty-fifth year he married a wealthy widow, Khudaijah Koobia; and, in the fortieth year of his age, he assumed the title of Prophet, and promulgated the religion of Islam; which asserts, “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the prophet of God.” In the same year, he lost his uncle Abutalib, and his wife Khudaijah, and for this reason that year was called the year of mourning. The prophet fled with his friend Abubekr from Mecca to Medina, to escape from the violence of the Koreishites, who sought his life: this flight fixed the era of the Hegira. After an exile of seven years, Muhammad achieved the conquest of Mecca: he was acknowledged prince and prophet by the Koreish, who embraced Islam, and the idols in the Caaba were destroyed. In the seventh year of the Hegira, Muhammad began to propagate his religion beyond the boundaries of Arabia; and the last great act of his life was a pilgrimage to Mecca, accompanied by his wives, and also by numerous camels for sacrifice.
