书城公版Volume Six
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第139章

[256] The third of the four great Moslem schools of Theology,taking its name from the Imam al-Shafi'i (Mohammed ibn Idris) who died in Egypt A.H. 204,and lies buried near Cairo. (Sale's Prel.Disc. sect. viii.)

[257] The Moslem form of Cabbala,or transcendental philosophy of the Hebrews.

[258] Arab.'Bakh'the word used by the Apostle to Ali his son-in-law. It is the Latin'Euge.'

[259] Readers,who read for amusement,will do well to'skip'the fadaises of this highly educated young woman.

[260] There are three Persian Kings of this name (Artaxerxes)

which means'Flour and milk,'or'high lion.'The text alludes to Ardeshir Babegan,so called because he married the daughter of Babak the shepherd,founder of the Sassanides in A.D. 202. See D,Herberot,and the Dabistan.

[261] Alluding to the proverb,'Folk follow their King's faith,'Cujus regio ejus religio'etc.

[262] Second Abbaside,A.H. 136-158 (=754-775).

[263] The celebrated companion of Mohammed who succeeded Abu Bakr in the Caliphate (A.H. 13-23=634-644). The Sunnis know him as Al-Adil the Just,and the Shiahs detest him for his usurpation,his austerity and harshness. It is said that he laughed once and wept once. The laugh was caused by recollecting how he ate his dough-gods (the idols of the Hanifah tribe) in The Ignorance. The tears were drawn by remembering how he buried alive his baby daughter who,while the grave was being dug,patted away the dust from his hair and beard. Omar was doubtless a great man,but he is one of the most ungenial figures in Moslem history which does not abound in genialities. To me he suggests a Puritan,a Covenanter of the sourest and narrowest type;and I cannot wonder that the Persians abhor him,and abuse him on all occasions.

[264] The austere Caliph Omar whose scourge was more feared than the sword was the - author of the celebrated saying'Consult them (feminines) and do clear contrary-wise.'

[265] Our'honour amongst thieves.'

[266] The sixth successor of Mohammed and founder of the Banu Umayyah or Ommiades,called the'sons of the little mother'from their eponymus (A.H. 41-60=661-680). For his Badawi wife Maysun,and her abuse of her husband,see Pilgrimage iii. 262.

[267] Shaykh of the noble tribe,or rather nation,Banu Tamim and a notable of the day,surnamed,no one knows why,'Sire of the Sea.'

[268] This is essential for cleanliness in hot lands: however much the bath may be used,the body-pile and lower hair,if submitted to a microscope,will show more or less sordes adherent.

The axilla-hair is plucked because if shaved the growing pile causes itching and the depilatories are held deleterious. At first vellication is painful but the skin becomes used to it. The pecten is shaved either without or after using depilatories,of which more presently. The body-pile is removed by'Takhfif';the Liban Shami (Syrian incense),a fir- gum imported from Scio,is melted and allowed to cool in the form of a pledget. This is passed over the face and all the down adhering to it is pulled up by the roots (Burckhardt No. 420). Not a few Anglo-Indians have adopted these precautions.

[269] This Caliph was a tall,fair,handsome man of awe-inspiring aspect. Omar used to look at him and say,'This is the Caesar of the Arabs,'while his wife called him a'fatted ass.'

[270] The saying is attributed to Abraham when'exercised'by the unkindly temper of Sarah;'woman is made hard and crooked like a rib;'and the modern addition is,'whoso would straighten her,breaketh her.'

[271] i.e.'When ready and in erection.'

[272]'And do first (before going in to your wives) some act which may be profitable unto your souls'or,for you: soul's good.(Koran,chaps. ii. 223.) Hence Ahnaf makes this prayer.

[273] It was popularly said that'Truth-speaking left Omar without a friend.'Entitled'The Just'he was murdered by Abu Luluah,alias Firuz,a (Magian ?) slave of Al-Maghirah for denying him justice.

[274] Governor of Bassorah under the first four Caliphs. See D'Herbelot s.v.'Aschari.'

[275] Ziyad bin Abi Sufyan,illegitimate brother of the Caliph Mu'awiyah afterwards governor of Bassorah,Cufa and Al-Hijaz.

[276] The seditions in Kufah were mainly caused by the wilful nepotism of Caliph Othman bin Asakir which at last brought about his death. His main quality seems to have been personal beauty:'never was seen man or woman of fairer face than he and he was the most comely of men:'he was especially famed for beautiful teeth which in old age he bound about with gold wire. He is described as of middling stature,large- limbed,broad shouldered,fleshy of thigh and long in the fore-arm which was hairy. His face inclined to yellow and was pock-marked;his beard was full and his curly hair,which he dyed yellow,fell below his ears. He is called'writer of the Koran'from his edition of the M.S.,and'Lord of the two Lights'because he married two of the Prophet's daughters,Rukayyah and Umm Kulthum;and,according to the Shi'ahs who call him Othman-i-Lang or'limping Othman,'he vilely maltreated them.

They justify his death as the act of an Ijma'al-Muslimin,the general consensus of Moslems which ratifies'Lynch law.'Altogether Othman is a mean figure in history.

[277]'Nar'(fire) is a word to be used delicately from its connection with Gehenna. You say,e.g.'bring me a light,a coal (bassah)'etc.;but if you say'bring me fire!'the enemy will probably remark'He wanteth fire even before his time!'The slang expression would be'bring the sweet.'(Pilgrimage i. 121.)