348 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxxvi. 



Japan. (Cat. No. 5514, U.S.N.M.) Lent by Miss Eliza R. Scid- 

 more. 



70. Japanese funeral rosary from the Senhoji temple. — Consisting 

 of 11 cylindrical wooden beads roughly cut. It is worn around the 

 wrist by mourners at a funeral. Length, 9 inches. Japan. (Cat. 

 No. 5501, U.S.N.M.) Lent by Miss Eliza R. Scidmore. 



71. Japanese rosary. — Used for the Hiaku mam-hen devotion, when 

 the formula, Namu Amida Butsu!^ "Hail, infinite Buddha!" (short- 

 ened into Nem-hutsu!)., which the Japanese usually repeat by means 

 of the rosary, is recited a million times. This special devotion was 

 instituted in Kioto in 1331 A. D., on the occasion of a devastating 

 plague, and its celebration is reserved for times of calamity, such as 

 pestilence, war, and famine. At certain popular temples, however, 

 it is almost continually observed by the pilgrims. For this service 

 a rosary of 1,008 large wooden beads is used. The present specimen 

 consists of 897 flat wooden beads, with 2 parent beads, from one of 

 which extend 2 pendent strings with 5 smaller beads on each. Length, 

 20 feet. Japan. (Cat. No. 5556, U.S.N.M.) Lent by Miss Eliza R. 

 Scidmore. 



III. THE MOHAMMEDAN ROSARY. 



The Mohammedan rosary, called siihha, in Persia, tashih (from 

 the Arabic verb sabhaha, "to praise," "to exalt"), consists of 99 

 beads, divided into three equal portions by a stone or bead of dif- 

 ferent shape or, in the more costly varieties, by tassels, called shamsa 

 (" servant "), made of gold thread or variegated silk. The Moham- 

 medans use the rosary for the recital of the 99 attributes of God, as, 

 '•the mighty" (al-asiz), "the holy" {al-kvddus), "the merciful" 

 {ai'-raliman) ., " the loving " {al-wadnd), " the forgiver " (al-ghafar), 

 etc. A hundredth bead of larger size, called the ima7n ("leader"), 

 or a tassel in its place, is frequently added for the essential name of 

 God, Allah.°' Other devotional formulas recited by means of the 

 rosary, are the ejaculations known as the takhir: "God is very great " 

 {Allahii akbar) ; the tashih: "I extol God" {suMana illah) \ the 

 tahmid: "God be praised" {al-hamdu Villahi), and the tahlil: 

 "There is no deity but God" {la ilaha ilia illah). Great merit, ac- 

 cording to tradition, is attributed by the prophet to the recital of the 

 hundred names of God, or to the repetition of these formulas. 

 " Verily," he is reported to have said, " there are ninety-nine names of 

 God, and whoever recites them shall enter into Paradise," and " Who- 

 ever recites this sentence (the tashih and tahmid) a hundred times, 

 morning and evening, will have all his sins forgiven." 



<» According to Mr. R. A. Stewart Macalister, in the Palestine Exploration 

 Fund Quarterly Statement for July, 1908, p. 172, " There Is another variety 

 of rosary less conunonly used, with 101 pellets corresponding to the 101 names 

 of the Prophet." 



