III.— THE RELIGIOUS SERVICES OF THAT PRINCE.

Be it known that the Ulemas differ as to what kind of service the Prophet performed before he was commissioned with his prophetic office. Some say it was meditation, others, it was commemoration (viz. of God's perfections). So they also differ as to the Law he previously practised whether it was that of Jesus, or that of Moses; or whether he practised the religion of Abraham, or of Noah, or of Adam; or whether he practised the religion of all the previous prophets together. But after having been commissioned as a prophet, he, according to one view, chose from every Law what was most difficult and painful; and according to another view, based on the Koran, he practised the religion of Abraham; but according to a still more preferable view, he practised his own Law. In the service of God the efforts and power of that Excellency attained perfection; and inasmuch as the best service, next to faith, is prayer, prayer also was established on purification. It is therefore most becoming here to begin with the ablution, as a prefatory and introductory step to prayer.

It is established that when the Prophet wanted to enter into a place for certain purposes, he took off the ring from his blessed finger, and then stepped in, with his left foot first, saying, 'O God, I take refuge with thee from all impurity.' When he left that place, he did so with his right foot first, saying, 'Thy pardon!'

Mostly he took an ablution before every performance of prayer, sometimes only one ablution before several performances of prayer; and before the ablution he made use of the wooden tooth-brush. On this matter he insisted most strongly both by word and deed. He also would rinse his mouth and sniff up water; and he never omitted this in his ablution, using either one, two, or three handfuls of water. The sniffing up of water he performed with his right hand, the blowing of his nose with his left. In taking the ablution, he would wash his limbs twice or thrice; and would rub his head once or oftener, finishing up with smoothing his turban. The inside of his ear he would rub with his

prayer-finger, and the outside with his thumb. Respecting his washing of the neck there exists no trustworthy tradition. He would clean his beard, and also his fingers, taking off the ring, if he wore any. At the beginning of the ablution he would say, 'In the name of God;' and at the end, 'I testify that there is no God, but Allah alone, who has no companion; and I testify that Mohammed is His servant and His apostle. Make me penitent, pure, and Thy faithful servant. I ask Thy forgiveness, and repent towards Thee;' or sometimes, 'Forgive me my sins, relieve me in my straits, and bless me in my substance.' He would never dry his limbs after the ablution, even if a towel was at hand for the purpose. He forbade the wasting of water at ablutions and baths. In washing he poured the water with his right hand upon the left, washing both hands.... Then he rinsed his mouth, sniffed up water, and washed his hands again. Then he poured water over his head, and washed the remainder of his blessed body, after which he moved to another place and washed his feet. He decided on wiping his leather socks once every day when at home; and once every three days when on a journey. Where there was no water the practice of Teyemmum was lawful, in accordance with which he first struck his flat hands upon the earth, and then rubbed his face and hands with them; or he struck his flat hands twice upon the earth, and then rubbed his arms up to the elbows.

He also paid the utmost attention to the observance of the Kibla, to the decent covering of the body, and to the other requisites of legal prayer.

At the time of public prayers he would come to the mosque and act as Imam for his companions. In lengthening or shortening the service, he would have regard to the state of the congregation. In entering the mosque, he always stepped in with his right foot first, saying, ' I take refuge with the great God, His presence and power, from Satan the stoned.' When he stood erect in prayer, he raised his blessed hands to a level with his shoulders and with his ears, spreading out his fingers and saying, 'God is the greatest.' After this opening exaltation of God, he would place his right hand upon the left, and then say the opening prayer. The Bismillah