40 ANIMISTIC ELEMENTS IN MOSLEM PRAYER 



ibn Malek, to spit in a mosque is a sin: one may expiate 

 it by wiping up the spittle. Again, in entering a mosque 

 one must put the right foot forward first for fear of evil 

 consequences. ]n the same way we are told that a man 

 who was carrying arrows in his hand entered a mosque, and 

 the Prophet cried: "Hold them by the point." The only 

 reason for this command, as is shown by its connection, is 

 that the points of the arrows or other sharp instruments 

 might arouse Jinn or damage the value of prayer. We also 

 find traditions concerning such Animistic practices as cross- 

 ing the fingers or the limbs at the time of prayer. 



In regard to the ritual ablution (ghasf), after certain 

 natural functions Wensinck remarks — "Das Geschlechtsle- 

 ben stand in semitischen Heidentum unter den Schutze 

 gewisser Gotter und war ihnen somit geweiht. Die mannli- 

 chen und weiblichen Prostituierten bei den Palastinichen und 

 babylonischen Heiligtumern sind ja bekamnt genug. Ieh 

 brauche dariiber kein wort ze verlieren. Weil nun der 

 betreffende Gott fur den Monotheismus Damon geworden 

 ist, so ist auch sein Kult, das Geschlechtsleben, den Mono- 

 theismus damonisch." There are many traditions which 

 assert a close relationship between sleep and the presence of 

 Jinn. It is during sleep that the soul, according to animistic 

 belief, leaves the body. Therefore, one must waken those 

 who sleep, gently, lest the soul be prevented from returning. 

 Not only during sleep but during illness demons are present ; 

 and in Egypt it is considered unfortunate for anyone who is 

 ceremonially unclean to approach a patient suffering from 

 ophthalmia. 



The Moslem when he prays is required, according to 

 tradition, to cover his head, especially the back part of the 

 skull. This according to Wensinck is also due to animistic 

 belief ; for evil spirits enter the body by this way. Goldziher 

 has shown that the name given to this part of the body 

 (al qafa) has a close relation to the kind of poetry called 

 Qafiya, which originally meant a poem to wound the skull, 

 or in other words, an imprecatory poem. It is therefore for 

 the dread of evil powers which might enter the mind that 

 the head must be covered during prayer. Eeferences are 

 found to this practice both in Moslem tradition and in the 

 Talmud, on which they are based. Again it is noteworthy 

 that those places which are ritually unclean are considered 

 the habitation of demons, such as closets, baths, etc. 



According to tradition a Moslem cannot perform his 

 prayer without a Sutra or some object placed between him- 

 self and the Kibla in order, as tradition says, "that nothing 

 may harm him by passing in between." Of this custom we- 



