THE KORAN. 293 



But its observance is by no means enforced with that 

 strictness and decorum which distinguish the Jew- 

 ish and Christian institutions. Except when en- 

 gaged in the legal performance of their devotions, 

 the faithful are allowed to resort to their pastimes 

 or even their worldly employments. Originally, 

 few mosques had regular preachers, the caliphs 

 themselves discharging that function in a sort of 

 harangue or exhortation to the people. The an- 

 cient Arabs appear to have had no other clergy than 

 their chiefs or patriarchs. A priesthood or hierarchy 

 of diiferent ranks was afterward substituted over 

 all the Moslem dominions ; and perpetual revenues, 

 from endowments or money gathered for pious uses, 

 established for their maintenance. 



Purification or cleansing of the body is an indis- 

 pensable qualification, and pronounced by their apos- 

 tle himself to be the key of prayer, without which 

 it cannot be acceptable. The same ritual that pre- 

 scribes their devotions enjoins on all IMoslems a va- 

 riety of preparatory legal washhigs. Certani cases 

 require a total immersion of the body, called ghasi, 

 which, on many occasions, is repeated three or four 

 times a week. The wodhu is the ordinary ablution 

 or washing of the face, hands, and feet, after a par- 

 ticular mamier, and is necessary to the performance 

 of every religious act. The number and repetition 

 of these minute observances must to us appear idle 

 and ridiculous ; but the founder of Islam saw the 

 utility of captivating the senses of a rude and ignorant 

 multitude by a display of ceremonial rites. The 

 precision with which they are described would often 

 revolt the delicacy of European notions. Each 

 ablution is regulated by the strictest order of method 

 and precedency. Every stage of the process is ac- 

 companied with pious ejaculations : — the right hand 

 has a prayer different from the left ; the head, the 

 neck, and ears, are washed each with its appropriate 

 address to the Deity. The element may be rain, 

 Bb2 



