[FN#671] Arab. "Sadakah" (sincerity), voluntary or superogatory alms, opposed to "Zakát" (purification), legal alms which are indispensable. "Prayer carries us half way to Allah, fasting brings us to the door of His palace and alms deeds (Sadakah) cause us to enter." For "Zakát" no especial rate is fixed, but it should not be less than one-fortieth of property or two and a half per cent. Thus Al-lslam is, as far as I know, the only faith which makes a poor-rate (Zakát) obligatory and which has invented a property-tax, as opposed the unjust and unfair income-tax upon which England prides herself.
[FN#672] A Greek girl.
[FN#673] This was making himself very easy; and the idea is that the gold in the pouch caused him to be so bold. Lane's explanation (in loco) is all wrong. The pride engendered by sudden possession of money is a lieu commun amongst Eastern story tellers; even in the beast-fables the mouse which has stolen a few gold pieces becomes confident and stout-hearted.
[FN#674] Arab. "al-Málihah" also means the beautiful (fem.) from Milh=salt, splendour, etc., the Mac edit. has "Mumallihah" = a salt-vessel.
[FN#675] i.e., to see if he felt the smart.
[FN#676] Arab. "Sardábeh" (Persian)=an underground room used for coolness in the hot season. It is unknown in Cairo but every house in Baghdad, in fact throughout the Mesopotamian cities, has one. It is on the principle of the underground cellar without which wine will not keep: Lane (i., 406) calls it a "vault".
[FN#677] In the orig. "O old woman!" which is insulting.
[FN#678] So the Italians say "a quail to skin."
[FN#679] "Amán" is the word used for quarter on the battle-field; and there are Joe Millers about our soldiers in India mistaking it for "a man" or (Scottice) "a mon."
[FN#680] Illustrating the Persian saying "Allah himself cannot help a fool."